Nestum Chocolate Chip Cookies and Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Today is the eve of Chinese New Year and those of you who are the designated cooks for tonight's dinner are probably running helter skelter making last minute preparations. That was me in 2011 and 2012. In 2011, I got sick one day before the eve. Still, with my head feeling like the size of a heavy rock, I trooped on to the supermarket to get last minute supplies. And I had to throw away a pot of beef curry because the recipe wasn't quite right. That was my first run in with a defective recipe from a renowned chef. It was a very challenging year. And to top that off, I had to go to office on the third day of new year to take care of an urgent matter and then rush home to cook lunch.

These days, most people sub-contract/outsource their new year eve dinner to the hotels and restaurants. If the number of people in your family almost make up a small kampung (village), it would be more practical to eat out or call in a caterer. This year, I am on sabbatical hah! hah! and the satay pakcik is taking over feeding the small clan. 

As I was rolling my chocolate chip cookie dough in Nestum cereal, I really couldn't believe that I'm sweating it out making more cookies. It looks like you will be seeing more cookies from me. But most likely after Chinese New Year :) The inspiration to bake these cookie came about after I ran out of cornflakes while making Cornflakes Butter Cookies with Dried Cranberries. The butter cookies coated with Nestum tasted pretty good and I figured our that Nestum would go well with chocolate too.

I like my chocolate chip cookies with nuts and I felt tired just by the thought of chopping nuts. To make my life easier, I decided to just crush the nuts. I put almonds and hazelnuts into a freezer bag and used the good old "lesung batu" (pestle) to bash up the nuts, taking care not to crush them too finely.

Bash them up gently.

It worked and I was quiet pleased. After all, once it is inside the dough, no one would be the wiser. One thing that you have to watch out is the freshness of the nuts you buy. Always get it from a reliable supplier whose turnover is good to ensure fresh supply. I should have bought the nuts from Bake with Yen or Chan Tung but I was too lazy to go to Taman Megah. 

Americans like to eat raw cookie dough. I dare not try it. Might get addicted.

I got the nuts from a supermarket and some of the hazelnuts were not fresh. The problem with the supermarket is that if the staff handling the goods is incompetent or has a don't care attitude, they will not store the goods properly and nuts can go bad pretty fast even though their expiry date is still a long way off. I was too distracted to notice the odd smell. 

Just baked.

When my cookies were baked, some of them had the funky taste coming from bad hazelnuts. Some of them were fine, the combination of well roasted nuts, chocolate and Nestum was really good.

Store in an airtight container.

If you don't like nuts, just leave them out. I know there are some kids who aren't too crazy about nuts. You can also add dried fruits such as raisins or cranberries if you like. 

Nestum Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe Soure : Phong Hong

Ingredients :

- 250g self-raising flour

- 30g cocoa powder

- 300g butter (room temperature)

- 100g muscavado or brown sugar

- 1 egg

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 100g roasted almonds, chopped or crushed (optional)

- 100g roasted hazelnuts, chopped or crushed (optional)

- 200g chocolate chips

- Nestum cereal, enough to coat the cookie dough

Method :

1. Sift flour and cocoa powder and mix well. Set aside.

2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Add egg and vanilla extract. Mix well.

4. Fold in nuts and chocolate chips

5. Add flour and mix until mixture forms a dough.

6. Using two teaspoons, scoop out a small amount of dough to form a small ball.

7. Drop the dough into the Nestum cereal and coat evenly.

8. Using your hands form the dough into a ball and place it on a lined baking tray.

9. Bake at 160C for 15 to 20 minutes until Nestum becomes golden brown.

10. Remove and cool on wire rack.

Note : My cookies were done at 18 minutes. I turned the baking tray at halftime to ensure even baking.

Our beloved friend Sonia is working OT baking her own CNY delights and at the same time keeping up with our delightful submissions. Kinda feel guilty bombarding her with my humble cookie :) Oh, what the heck!

I am submitting this post to Chinese New Year Delights 2013 hosted by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover.

And to all my Chinese Friends and Readers, I would like to wish all of you GONG XI FA CAI! May this New Year bring you Happiness, Good Health, Peace, Luck and Prosperity! And remember Health is Wealth!