Chaga Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chaga and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients -

For the Chaga -

30g Finely Ground Chaga
500 ml Water

1 Add the Chaga to the water in a jar or bowl.
2 Keep in a warm place for 72 hours preferably at 50'c
3 Strain out the Chaga grinds and reduce the Chaga liquid to 100 ml over a low to medium flame/heat

For the Cookies (Makes 40 or 20 'sandwiches' -

200 g Softened Butter (Unsalted)
350 g Soft Brown Sugar
400 g Plain Flour
200 g Chocolate Chips
2.5 Teaspoons Bicarbonate Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
30 g Soaked Chaga grinds
2 Medium Eggs
50 g Cocoa (Extra dark if possible)

1 In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar
2 Add the eggs and mix together
3 Add all the other ingredients and mix together evenly
4 Place 2 sheets of cling flim together and place the cookie dough on to them
5 Form a 'sausage' shape approx 2 inch diameter and tie the ends
6 Cut into 1/2 inch discs and place them evenly spread on a baking tray
7 Bake at 160'c for 20 mins (15 mins for 'gooey' center)

For the Chaga Chocolate Ganache (Filling)

340 g Dark Chocolate
50 g Unsalted Butter
140 ml Coconut cream/milk
100 ml Chaga
1 Shot Espresso or 1/2 Teaspoon instant coffee diluted in 25 ml hot water

1 Melt the Chocolate and Butter in a Bain Marie (water bath)
2 Heat the other ingredients to a gentle simmer then add to the Chocolate mix
3 Whisk together until smooth and shiney
4 Allow to cool
5 Place into a bolw and whisk until pale and thick (don't over whisk)
6 Place into a piping bag and pipe onto half the cookies
7 Place the remaining cookies on top and squash down