Today, I have decided to step into the kitchen. I know, you’re probably telling yourself “this is a cooking blog, isn’t this normal?” And you’d be quite right. I fact, I should say that I am participating in the Un Tour En Cuisine project.

The idea is quite simple: we are 20 participants, and each has to make a recipe off the blog of one of the other participants. Which blog you are supposed to choose the recipe from is determined by drawing lots.

Joana, from La Table des Saveurs, had to pick one of my recipes, and I myself headed off to La Cuisine de Poupoule.

I have to admit I was a bit at a loss when I visited her blog, as most of Poupoule’s recipes are made using a Thermomix or Kitchenaid… both processors noticeably absent from my kitchen. Oh well, never mind! Originally, I had chosen to make her recipe for Jerusalem artichoke soup with honey and curry. I don’t remember having ever had Jerusalem artichoke (or if I did, it didn’t leave any indelible memory), so I thought it was a good time to try.

That was until Poupoule posted the recipe for Pierre Hermé’s cookies. At that moment, I’ve had a sort of epiphany! I really like cookies, but that’s not something I do often. And since I’ve never baked cookies for the blog, the choice made perfect sense to me. Moreover, it’s a recipe by Pierre Hermé, one of France’s top pastry chefs (most famous for his macarons), so we’re not going to complain, right?

I purposely left out the white sugar, because I feared the cookies might be too sweet and I think that, for me at least, I would use less sugar still. Moreover, I found there were missing a crunchy element such as walnuts, pistachios or hazelnuts. However, I still find the cookies to be quite good. This recipe is a keeper… and can easily be done with a regular food processor. So if, like me, you do not own a Kitchenaid, that is not a problem.

Makes 20 cookies

• 110g/3.8 oz. softened butter
• 100g/3.5 oz. brown sugar
• 90g/3.17 oz. caster sugar (I left it out)
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 225g/7.9 oz. flour
• ½ sachet baking powder (1 teaspoon)
• 75g/2.6 oz. chocolate chips

Take the butter of out the fridge 20-30 minutes before using and leave it to soften. If you don’t have much time, zap it in the microwave in 20-second flashes on MEDIUM.

Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F.

In your food processor, cream together the butter, sugar(s) and salt.

Add the vanilla and egg, and mix until fully incorporated.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder, and add to the butter mix in 4 batches (about 4 tablespoons at a time). Do not hesitate to open the processor and scrape down the sides.

Last, add the chocolate chips at slow speed so they don’t melt.

Using a spoon or ice cream scoop, form balls and place them on a baking paper-lined baking sheet. The ice cream scoop helps creating even-sized cookies that will bake more evenly.

Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the edges start browning.

Cool on a wire rack before diving in.

Enjoy!