Skip to content

Biscuit recipe of the week: Chocolate chip cookies

Author
Alison Hilton
Published Date
May 9, 2014

launch of the Biscuit Bake-off competition, Andrew Palmer’s wife, Davina, very kindly presented MERL staff with a signed copy of her book ‘Kitchen Diplomacy: 30 years of Foreign Service Cooking’. I was amazed to discover, on reading the introduction, that Davina seems to have lived her whole life in diplomatic circles, during his career Andrew has been Ambassador in Cuba and Rome, and during their marriage they have lived in 8 different countries including Bolivia, Canada and France! Davina’s book, then, is a fascinating insight into Embassy life – and of course, food!

Andrew & Davina Palmer decorating biscuits at the  Bake-of launch
Andrew & Davina Palmer decorating biscuits at the Bake-of launch

I was pleased to find that amongst some very special, classic and exotic recipes, there were also recipes for brownies, chocolate biscuit cake, and the humble chocolate chip cookies, which is the one I’ve decided to share today!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

(makes about 30)

75g unslated butter
75g caster sugar
50g soft light brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
175g self-raising flour
A pinch of salt
50g plain chocolate, chopped (or chocolate chips)

Heat oven to 190C/375F, Gas 5

Put butter in a food processor with both sugars.Process, add the beaten egg, sifted flour and salt and process again. Turn into a bowl and add the chocolate.

Drop little mounds of the mixture on to oiled baking sheets and bake for 12-15 mins until light golden.

A perfect recipe for trying with children and entering into our Biscuit Bake-off at the MERL Village Fete on May 31st.

Click here for previous recipes, and look out for a very special recipe next week!

 

 

 

Guy Baxter at The MERL
Author
Joe
/
Published Date
September 30, 2026

Leadership changes: Guy Baxter becomes our new Director

Guy Baxter becomes the new Director of the University of Reading’s Museums and Collections, as Kate Arnold-Forster and Isabel Hughes depart.

Richard Watts with a tractor and film reels
Author
Joe
/
Published Date
September 23, 2026

Beyond nostalgia

How do we help audiences of today encounter films from the past?

Friday Fledglings brand logo – a cartoon bird jumps through autumnal leaves
Author
Joe
/
Published Date
September 17, 2026

A new Friday Fledglings brand has hatched

An iconic under-5s group deserves iconic design.

Author
Joe
/
Published Date
September 15, 2026

Digitising the Fowler archives

Learn about our project to improve access to our Fowler archives of engine drawings, including 7,171 new drawings in our database.

Robert Davey
Author
Joe
/
Published Date
September 1, 2026

Remembering Robert Davey

All of us at The Museum of English Rural Life are deeply saddened by the recent passing of Robert Davey – a valued member of our community.

Merle the bat, asleep in a glove
Author
Joe
/
Published Date
August 19, 2026

So we found a live bat in our galleries (again)

Seven years after we gave a bat a library card, another bat has visited The Museum of English Rural Life.