Mint Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I’m currently stuck in bed, only being able to hobble to the bathroom every so often. I’m so fed up. It’s my back again… and my hips… and my knees. They’ve all gone together, just brilliant that is.

I used to walk miles every day, but now I can just about manage a mile before my hips start sending shooting pains down my legs. It’s really frustrating as I enjoy walking, I love just getting out there and getting some fresh air. It makes me feel lazy as I have to drive everywhere. And that’s only when I can drive as well, sometimes I can’t even do that.

I’m still clumsy and keep banging my knees which doesn’t help the situation. I still have a crack in my knee cap and a chip out of it from when I fell over and fractured it 4 years ago and it always seems to be my bad knee that I hit when I walk into things or drop things! I have cartilage problems and tendinitis in both knees, but my right one has always been worse.

I have so much to do and I just feel like it’s all building up, the housework, Uni work, all the Christmas presents I have to make… I’m always so busy and I’m also stubborn so even when I’m in agony, I try and do normal things. Today, I’ve had to admit that I need help, I really can’t move, I’ve had to take diazepam which I only take when none of my other medication is working. It makes me drowsy and confused 🙁

I have a hospital appointment again tomorrow, but I’m not holding out much hope as last time they pretty much wrote me off and just said they could slow it down, but basically one day I’ll end up in a wheelchair… Thanks for that.

In other news, we bought our Christmas tree yesterday! It really feels like Christmas now, I would never dream of having anything other than a real tree. The smell when you walk into the room just sums up Christmas. It’s heavenly 🙂

I have such a hoard of decorations, probably enough to decorate three 6 foot trees, but it depends what kind of colour scheme I’m feeling as to what I put on the tree each year! This year I’m feeling apple green, silver and white, last year it was purple and silver. Next year it could be black… Haha I love having the choice!

Found some gorgeous candy cane decorations when we were getting the tree and had to get them, they’re green and white and glittery! I mean come on, glitter – that just takes them to another level.

The thing is, decorating the tree is my job. It’s not that I don’t trust my boyfriend, it’s just I think I can make it look better! Not sure how I’m going to manage later when we actually put it up, maybe I’ll have to sit there and tell my other half where to put things. That’s a domestic waiting to happen…

Anyway, I think chocolate and mint kind of sums up Christmas too so I’m calling this week Choco-Mint week. I’ll be posting 3 related recipes and I’m kicking the week off with these Mint Chocolate Chunk cookies. They were lovely and refreshing. You could taste the peppermint, but it wasn’t overpowering it complimented the chocolate perfectly.

I really hope you enjoy my recipes this week and next week I’ll be continuing the festivities with the edible gifts I’m making this week and mince pies!

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Makes 20-24 depending on cookie size

Recipe by Annie

Ingredients:

> 228g unsalted butter, softened
> 100g caster sugar
> 165g light brown sugar
> 2 eggs
> 2tsp peppermint extract
> 125g plain flour
> 150g bread flour
> 25g good quality cocoa powder (I used Green and Blacks)
> 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
> 200g good quality milk chocolate (I used Green and Blacks)
> 60g good quality dark chocolate (I used Green and Blacks)

Method:

> Don’t preheat the oven yet, this dough needs to chill.
> Sift the flours, cocoa powder and bicarb together in a medium sized bowl and place to one side.
> Roughly chop all of your chocolate into small chunks.
> Place the chocolate into the flour mix and toss to combine.
> Place the butter and sugars into a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer.
> Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
> Add in the eggs and peppermint extract.
> Mix until well incorporated, about 1 minute and then add in the flour and chocolate mixture.
> Mix on a low speed until well combined.
> Place the dough in a medium sized bowl.
> Cover the bowl with clingfilm and place in the fridge for at least 6 hours, but overnight if possible. I always leave mine overnight, you end up with much richer flavours in your cookies.
> Once chilled, line two baking trays and preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
> Using a cookie scoop, place balls of dough at least 2 inches apart on the baking trays. You may have to bake the cookies in batches. I have to as I really like to space my cookies out so they definitely won’t touch once they’re cooked.
> Gently press down on the dough balls to flatten them slightly and then place in the oven for 10-12 minutes. They’re done when the edges are slightly firm and the middles still look underdone and wobbly.
> Leave to cool on the baking trays for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
> Once cooled, they will keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If they last that long! (I think about 10 were eaten in a few hours here)