Chocolate chip cookie cake

Beat half a pound of soft room temperature unsalted butter with a cup of lightly packed light brown sugar, half a cup of granulated sugar and two teaspoons of vanilla extract for a few minutes, until nice and fluffy.

Add two room temperature eggs and mix on high speed until incorporated.

Whisk 330 g all purpose flour with a teaspoon of baking soda and half a teaspoon of salt in another bowl, plus half a teaspoon of cinnamon if a little warmth is wanted.

Add the dry ingredients a little at a time with the mixer on low speed.

As soon as the flour is incorporated add 340 g semi-sweet chocolate chips and one to one and a half cups of white chocolate chips, and beat only until incorporated; beating too much makes a tough cookie.

Line the pan with parchment paper and rub the butter left on the wrappers over it.

Dollop the dough onto the parchment and spread it, keeping it really thick so it spreads with the heat of the oven instead of going thin and overbaking.

Bake at 375F on the centre rack for exactly 18 minutes; under bake rather than over bake, so the edges are baked and crisp and the centre is still gooey.

Cool completely; it can then go in the freezer for a little while or overnight and be iced the next day.

Beat 8 ounces of room temperature cream cheese with 4 ounces of soft unsalted butter, four cups of granulated sugar and one to two teaspoons of vanilla extract, first on low then on high until nice and fluffy.

Fill a piping bag fitted with an open star attachment and pipe little stars or rosettes around the border of the cake.

Variation: add a few drops of food coloring to the icing for colour.

Serve plain or topped with ice cream.