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Method

1. Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir until smooth, remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.

2. in a bowl, beat the soft butter with both sugars with a wooden spoon for about 1 minute until smooth and combined but not fluffy (alternatively use an electric whisk). Gradually add the beaten eggs, mixing well between each addition. Add the vanilla and mix again.

3. Pour the melted chocolate into the mixture and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Sift in the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt. Mix again until thoroughly combined. Line two large baking trays with baking paper.

4. Fold three-quarters of the white chocolate into the cookie mixture. Using two dessertspoons, shape the mixture into 20–22 roughly-shaped but evenly-sized balls (each roughly 55g/2oz) and place on a lined baking tray. Press the remaining white chocolate into the cookie dough balls. Cover and chill for 1 hour until firm, then roll each cookie ball in your hands until you have a smooth, firm ball. Cover and chill again for 4 hours or overnight.

5. Preheat the oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3.

6. Place 6–8 dough balls on each baking tray allowing plenty of space between each one as the cookies will spread during cooking. Bake for 12 minutes and then remove from the oven.

7. Now you have two choices – either bang the bottom of the tray on the work surface to deflate the cookies or take a 10cm/4in cutter and place a cookie inside the cutter, still on the baking tray, and swirl it round and round to make an even, neat round cookie.

8. Repeat with all the cookies. Return the cookies to the oven for a further 2–4 minutes until firm but not crisp (cooking for a further 2 minutes will result in a softer cookie and after 4 minutes they will be crisper – whichever is your preference).

9. The cookies are soft after baking but will firm up further on cooling. Continue baking the cookies in batches. Leave to cool on the baking trays until firm and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in airtight boxes in between layers of baking paper.