My husband loves teasing the kids. Now that is a father's prerogative, wouldn't you say? Each time we have cookies on the table, he says "hey kids pass the biscuits, please". They hate it. They have a clear distinction between a cookie and a biscuit and just don't like the words interchanged. In India all small baked goodies are called biscuits. I think it just depends on which part of the world you are from. Cookies if you are from the US and biscuits from most of the other countries. When I asked my kids what the difference between a biscuit and a cookie was, one said biscuits are freely available everywhere whereas cookies are more special things. The other said the textures were different. I guess basically when we say biscuits, we refer to the ready made molded bits of dough baked in mass quantities whereas cookies would refer to non molded variety.
Whatever the definition, in my opinion cookies are little bits of deliciousness which go perfectly with milk or coffee. It provides just that right amount of sugar and butter to give you a lift without overloading on the calories (as long as you stick to one or two at the most).
The Chocolate chip cookie just has to be the one cookie that is loved by everyone. It is the ultimate in taste and cannot be surpassed. I should know. I come from a family of chocoholics. They are true connoisseurs of the chocolate taste. If I have to be really honest here, thats not true. They just love chocolate in any form. In absence of any other chocolate to eat, they don't mind eating even just plain drinking chocolate out of the box or even plain cooking chocolate. My little one especially can get quite desperate if he does not get his daily chocolate fix.
Here is one recipe which never fails to please him or the rest of the family. In fact I have it on best authority that these cookies are the best in the world. My two little nieces who visit from the US, who say, "Kamini Athai, these cookies are yummy. They are better than those we get back home." I can get them to do anything with a bribe of these cookies. Well thats the way the cookie crumbles....(I just could not resist slipping that in.)
Now for the recipe...
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter (200 grams approx)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F).
Mix flour, baking soda and salt and keep it aside.
In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the vanilla.
Mix in the dry ingredients until well blended.
Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
Roll the dough into 2 inch balls and place them 3 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 20 to 23 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
