Peanut butter and White Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I wish I could tell you that this recipe was handed down through generations, handed to me by my Mam, given to her by her Mam and so on. But that would be a lie. My Mam makes plate pasty and my Nan made rock cakes which were quite honestly ....... rock hard.

I became interested in baking a couple of years ago when watching Ace Of Cakes (TV show). I was so impressed I decided to make my mate Mark a birthday cake. 5 hours and a few vodka and lemonades later, there was a pretty rainbow cake complete with coloured smarties sitting on my kitchen table. An obsession was born. Maybe I'll do a special cake entry for you ... if you want it?!

So cookies. What I've learnt is that American cookies are the best, crisp round the edges but chewy inside. Delightful! What I've also learnt is that it takes faith, you have to believe in those little buggers. Believe they will spread out and create the perfect shape and believe that however floppy they seem, they will become firm enough to eat ..... if you leave them alone to cool!!!!!!

The recipe (makes 24):

225g Unsalted Butter (room temp)

200g Caster Sugar

200g Light Soft Brown Sugar

2 Med Eggs (room temp)

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

240g Peanut Butter (crunchy adds texture, smooth adds .. well, smoothness)

340g Plain Flour

2 1/2 tsp Bicarb of Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

White Chocolate Chips (as many as you like)

Preheat oven 170c/325f/gas 3.

Cream the sugar and butter by whisking together. If it's not room temp you'll struggle. Stop when it is pale and fluffy.

Add the vanilla and peanut butter, mix in slowly.

Add the dry ingredients and mix well. You now have a dough. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand (you'll get muscles by doing this).

I always use a baking tray with greaseproof paper on it (use butter/marg to stick the paper to the tray) because it is much easier to remove the cookies from paper than it is from the tray. If like me you only have a small baking tray you'll need to do a few batches. Trust me, it will be easier with greaseproof paper!

Blob mixture (1 heaped tbl spoon) around the tray leaving room for spreading. Just blob it - have faith.

Bake for 10 mins or until golden brown round the edges (they will be light but cracked on top). Don't poke the top of the cookie you will leave a finger print in it!

Lift the cookies carefully by the greaseproof paper and place them on a cooling rack - paper and all. Yes, they are floppy so be careful and keep them level. Then bake your next batch. When (and only when) your cookies are cool just twist them off the paper. Voila!

Enjoy with a glass of milk if you want the American experience. If not, they are awesome with a nice cup of tea.