Preparation Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, plus overnight refrigeration (optional)

INGREDIENTS

Peanut Brittle

• 90 g unsalted butter, cubed
• 200 g caster sugar
• 125 mL water
• 150 g raw unsalted peanuts

Cookie Dough

• 140 g dark brown sugar
• 75 g raw caster sugar
• 115 g unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 175 g plain flour
• 40 g wholemeal plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 140 g dark chocolate

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F fan-forced. Roast the peanuts on a lined baking tray for 7 minutes until just golden and aromatic. Set aside. Line a large baking tray with aluminium foil, and drizzle with a little olive oil. Use your fingers to spread the oil, ensuring all the foil is greased.
2. Combine the butter, caster sugar and water in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring gently until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Turn the heat to medium high, and bring the toffee to the boil. Boil uncovered for 10-14 minutes, until the toffee turns a golden brown colour. Do not stir, but watch the toffee carefully as it will change colour quickly.
3. Once the toffee changes colour, work quickly. Use a wooden spoon to stir the peanuts into the toffee, and spread out into a 1 cm thick slab over the foil. Leave to set. Once cooled, use the handle of a large knife or similar to smash the brittle into small pieces.
4. Get started on the cookie dough while the peanut brittle is setting. Beat the raw caster sugar, brown sugar and butter on medium speed for 8-10 minutes, until pale, creamy and thick. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula every few minutes. The mixture will reach a ‘wet sand’ stage first, but should end up looking like tan-coloured whipped cream.
5. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat for another minute to combine.
6. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flours, baking soda and salt. Turn the beater to low speed, and add the dry ingredients to the wet one spoonful at a time until combined. Once incorporated, scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the peanut brittle and beat again on very low speed for 30 seconds.
7. Line 2 large baking trays with greaseproof paper. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls and place on the trays with about 7 cm/3 inches of space between each cookie. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. If you don’t have time, then bake the cookies straight away. If you refrigerated the cookies, place them on the freshly lined trays before baking.
8. Ensure the oven is still at180°C/350°F fan-forced. Bake cookies for 13 minutes from the fridge, or 10 minutes from room temperature. Turn the trays after 8 minutes. Leave the trays to cool on wire racks for 10 minutes, then place the cookies directly on the wire racks and cool until just warm.
9. While the cookies are baking, melt the dark chocolate in the microwave, or in a small heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Set aside to cool slightly while the cookies are cooling. Once the cookies and chocolate are both just warm, use a piping bag or spoon to drizzle each cookie with some chocolate.

Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.