White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies I

Although I usually prefer a completely different genre of cookies (namely butter biscuits, nut-based shortbreads and gingerbread- anything that resembles the Central European Christmas standbys) I still do like the occasional batch of American, chewy, sugary, almost fudgey cookies flavoured predominantly by vanilla, brown sugar and whatever mix-ins are added. Of all the varieties that entails, one of my all-time favourites is the white chocolate-macadamia cookie. I've always been a lover of white chocolate (whose rep is constantly being shredded by sugar-vegetable fat impostors used in glazes and cheaper baked goods) and it pairs well with the subtle, buttery flavour of macadamias, too. Embedded in a soft and tender dough casing and served with a glass of milk, it's not only delicious- it has a matching colour palette. I think it's fate.

However, to find a good version of that cookie is pretty elusive. Ultra-sweet by nature, it walks a fine line on the best of days- there's no dark or semisweet chocolate to balance out the inherently sugary dough. But you also can't just reduce the sugar- it's an integral part of the chewy texture that makes the perfect chip-type cookie, in my opinion (I'm not about the cakey kinds- though a cookie-like cake is fine). I remember eating some really good ones as a kid, but now it seems far harder to match the criteria of the perfect cookie, perhaps because I've become nitpicky and obsessive about the details. I want it sweet, but not too sweet! Made with butter! With lots of real white chocolate and a generous amount of nuts!

I chose this recipe due to the absence of shortening- I never have it around, and didn't want to be stuck with leftovers after using only a small amount for one recipe. While the texture was pretty spot-on with what I wanted, and the cookies themselves were delicious, it still wasn't the ideal white-choc macadamia cookie of my dreams. Had I only imagined such a thing in the sugar-gluttony of my childhood? Could a perfect balance of sweetness, texture, flavour and richness really have ever existed except for in my dreams?

I've come up with a few plans of action to modify my next batch- And I'm determined to succeed. The perfect cookie will evade me no longer! Until then, these ones will go down just fine. Mmmmm.

• Less sugar, or perhaps more butter; so far as chewy texture will remain
• A mixture of AP flour and vanilla pudding powder in place of the flour mix
• A little more salt
• Actual white chocolate chunks instead of chips, since they aren't stabilized for high temperatures and will melt better

White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies I
Adapted from The Chunky Chef

1 1/2 C. AP Flour
1/2 C. Pastry flour
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Baking soda
3/4 C. Butter, cubed (170 g.)
3/4 C. Sugar
3/4 C. Dark brown sugar
1 Egg plus 1 yolk
2 Tsp. Vanilla extract
1 C. White chocolate chips
1 C. Toasted macadamia nuts, roughly chopped (toast 7 minutes at 180℃)

Cream butter and sugars using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer. Add vanilla, egg and yolk.

Sift together flours, salt, and baking soda. Incorporate 1/3 at a time into the wet ingredients with the motor on low.

Add nuts and chips. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 170℃. Form balls with an ice cream scoop or tablespoon and bake 8-10 minutes on parchment-lined sheets, until golden. Let set on sheets.