Salted Caramel Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Preheat oven to 180ºc/160ºc/gas mark 4. Line 2 baking tras with parchment paper.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over a medium heat. Once it's melted, continue to cook, swirling the pan until the butter foams and turns into a golden brown colour. This should take 3-4 minutes. Transfer the brown butter to the bowl of a stand mixer to cool slightly.

Whilst the butter is cooling, make the caramel:

 

Place a sheet of greased proof paper on a heat resistant surface. This will be to pour your caramel onto.

Place the light muscovado sugar in a medium saucepan on a medium heat. Heat the sugar stirring occasionally with a whisk until all the sugar has melted and evened in consistency. Keep stirring the caramel until it begins to smoke slightly and has gone golden in colour. Pour onto the grease proof paper and leave to cool while you prepare the cookie dough.

For the cookie dough:

Mix the brown butter, light and dark muscovado sugars on a medium speed until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, followed bt the vanilla. Then increase the mixer speed to high and beat for 2-3 minutes until the mixture has lightened in colour and thickened. 

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour slowly into the cookie mixture until just combined but fully incorporated. 

Take your cooled caramel and using a sharp knife, chip into chunks around the size of pennies. There will be some small shards, and larger pieces. Use caution as the shards will be sharp. Add the caramel shards to the mixing bowl along with the chocolate and mix briefly to combine. 

Using a tablespoon, scoop dough into about 45g balls (if you want large cookies), use about ping pong sized balls if you want smaller cookies. Place these on non-stick baking trays. Make sure you space these out as they will spread and flatten in the oven.

Bake the trays one at a time for 11-12 minutes, or until the cookies are puffed up and set around the edges. Remember, they will continue to cook a little once you remove them from the oven so be careful not to overbake. Sprinkle each cookie with sea salt flakes and then leave them to cool completely on a wire rack.

Repeat the baking process until all the batter is used up.