Prepare the Oven and Baking Trays: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/Gas Mark 4). Line two large baking trays with non-stick baking parchment. You'll want to ensure your oven is at the correct temperature before the cookies go in, so they bake evenly and get that lovely golden-brown edge.

Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and a pale yellow colour. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes. The sugars should be well-incorporated, giving the mixture a smooth, almost whipped texture.

Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the vanilla extract and mix until a delightful sweet aroma fills your kitchen. The mixture will look glossy and smooth.

Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, and fine sea salt. This ensures the leavening agent and salt are evenly distributed, preventing any pockets of unmixed flour. The dry mixture will be uniform in colour.

Combine Wet and Dry & Fold in Chocolate: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of dry flour. Gently fold in the chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky. After testing this recipe five times, I finally got it just right – stopping mixing at this exact point is key for chewiness!

Portion and Add Caramel: Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and flatten them slightly in your palm. Place one caramel half in the centre of each flattened dough portion, then gently fold the dough around the caramel, rolling it into a neat ball. Ensure the caramel is completely enclosed. Arrange the dough balls about 5cm apart on the prepared baking trays.

Bake Until Golden: Bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through for even baking. The edges of the cookies should appear lightly golden brown, and the centres will still look a little soft and puffed up. As they cool, they will flatten and set. My husband, who's usually picky, asked for seconds the first time he tried these straight from the oven, with the caramel still gooey and warm!

Cool and Enjoy: Once baked, remove the trays from the oven and sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt, if using. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking trays for 5-10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This resting period allows the caramel to set slightly and prevents the cookies from breaking apart.