Chocolate Chocolate-chip Cookies
Rich, deeply chocolate, and chewy on the inside, these cookies keep extremely well. The trick is not to over bake them; take them from the oven and let them cool and they will firm up.
2 cups walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut up
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon espresso or regular instant coffee granules
4 eggs
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate pieces
1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. On a rimmed baking sheet, spread the nuts. Toast in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until you can smell the aromas; set aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, in a bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. In a double boiler over boiling water, combine the butter and semisweet and unsweetened chocolates. Cook over low heat until both melt and the mixture is smooth. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the coffee granules; set aside to cool slightly.
5. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment if you have one, or the whisk, beat the eggs with the brown and granulated sugars on medium speed for 1 minute. Beat in the chocolate mixture and vanilla until the batter is smooth.
6. Beat the flour mixture into the batter just until the dry ingredients are thoroughly combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand. Fold in the nuts and chocolate chips or pieces.
7. Scoop 1/3 cup of the batter onto a baking sheet, leaving 1 1/2 inches between the mounds. You should be able to get 8 cookies on a sheet. Using your fingers, pat the batter into 3-inch rounds. Do the same with more batter on the second sheet. Refrigerate both sheets for 10 minutes to firm the batter slightly.
8. Set the oven at 350 degrees.
9. Bake the cookies for 18 to 20 minutes or until the tops almost lose their sheen. Remove the cookies from the oven and leave to cool on the sheets for 20 minutes. Carefully transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool. To store: layer the cookies with waxed paper in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 4 days or freeze for 1 month.
- Julie Riven