Biscuit au Chocolat [Baskoot bil Chocalata]

Who can resist?

 When taking requests for a dinner party, my brother in law had this look of urgency on his face.

“There’s this thing, my aunt used to make, but I don’t know what it’s called”. I rolled my eyes, the ‘I love it but I don’t know what it’s called’ issue is a hard one due to the fact that I don’t read minds. I told him to give me basically what it tasted like. “It’s like chocolaty, but gooey, with cookies in it!”.

 My eyes lit up , I knew exactly what he was talking about. Baskoot bil chocalata in Arabic, or Biscuit au Chocolat. This fudgy dessert was a childhood favorite of mine as well.

“Yes I know it!”

 “Errrm, can you make an extra one for me to take home?” he replied.

Looks like a cake!

 I first encountered this refrigerated dessert in the lazy summers we used to spend when I was younger. We had a bubbly neighbor who was an amazing cook, and had introduced me to this no bake ‘cake’. Fast forward to 2011 on a business trip to Lebanon I found it there, everywhere. Apparently it is a childhood favorite of most Lebanese people as well! I didn’t actually attempt to make it until this special request came along, and had to tweak what I remembered from memory, and after a few attempts, I was there.

A cup of cold milk and a slice of Biscuit au Chocolat had me back when times were simpler.

Ingredients:

Cookie fudgey goodness

400 gm tea or Maire biscuits (This is approx, depends on what you find)

1 stick of butter

1 cup milk

½ cup cream

1 cup sugar

¾ cup cocoa

Preparation:

In  a large bowl break the cookies with your hand. Do not use a food processor we don’t want to make cookie dust, only cookie pieces.

Heat the milk, add in the butter, then the sugar, allow to warm but not froth. Stir continuously. Add in the cocoa.

Pour the chocolate mixture over the broken cookies, and mix with a spoon until incorporated.  Allow to set for about a minute.

Line a loaf pan (or any other pan, but make sure it’s not too big for the mixture) with cellophane (cling wrap).

Make sure you use enough for it to hangover all sides about half of the size of the pan. You might need to use two pieces next to each other.

Now pour in the choco-cookie mixture, cover with the pieces of cellophane that are hanging over the sides, and press down on the loaf and wrap it tightly.

Put in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

Slice and serve cooled.

Enjoy!

What dessert takes you down memory lane? For me its this and Chocolate Pudding!