Cookie Cake Bars

Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C and grease and line an 8×8 square baking tin.

Place the cookies into a mini food chopper and blitz until you have 2 1/2 cups of crumbs. Tip the cookie crumbs into the greased tin and smooth until level using a spatula or wooden spoon. Place it in the oven for 8-10 minutes until ever so slightly browned on the edges and puffy. Remove from oven. Leave it to cool whilst you make the cake layer.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder together in a small bowl, leave to one side.

Place the butter and sugar into a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed. Mix in the eggs and vanilla, scraping the sides when necessary. Mix until well incorporated, 1-2 minutes on medium-high speed.

Add in the flour mix and mix on low until just incorporated, then add in the milk and mix until well incorporated and smooth.

Pour the batter on top of the cooled cookie base and smooth with a spatula or wooden spoon.

Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes, then turn the oven down to 325 F/160 C and bake for a further 10-15 minutes. In the final 10-15 minutes keep checking to make sure the cake doesn’t burn. If the edges are getting a bit brown, cover them with foil. Cake is done when a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven.

Let it cool in the tin completely, before removing and slicing into 9-12 bars. Cake bars will keep in an airtight container, at room temperature, for 3 days