I made these cookies today for the first time. I was attracted to the ingredients, especially the combination of fennel and chocolate. The fennel is a subtle and delicate flavour in the biscuits so don't let it put you off. I used chocolate of 90% cocoa solids so they are not too sweet.

Ingredients

• 200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids or more)

• 100g dried apricots

• 1 heaped tsp fennel seeds

• 125g unsalted butter

• 200g golden caster sugar

• 1 medium egg

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 100g ground almonds

• 75g plain flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/425F/gas 7 and butter 2-4 baking sheets.

2. Chop the chocolate and apricots. Coarsely grind the fennel seeds with a pestle and mortar

3. Dice the butter and beat with the sugar in a food processor, then blend in the egg and vanilla extract.  Add the ground almonds, sift the flour and baking powder and blend. Transfer the mixture to a large blow. Sift in the chopped chocolate, apricots and crushed fennel seeds.

4. Drop generous spoonfuls, the size of a plum, of the mixture on to the baking trays, spaced well apart (the cookies will spread to about 10cm across once baked).  Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden at the edges (lower trays may take a little longer than those on top).

5. Allow to cool on the tray for three minutes, then loosen with a palette knife and leave to cool completely. The texture is best on the day, with the chocolate gooey and the edges crisp.