Double Chocolate Cookies

Snark makes these for me every year. And every year I curse him for adding 10 lbs on me as I am stuffing them in my mouth, and hiding them from the kids. He uses Callebaut or another good-quality chocolate. It makes a difference.


1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350°F. and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Into a bowl sift together flour, cocoa and baking powders, and salt. Coarsely chop chocolate. In a double boiler or a large metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt butter with three fourths chocolate, stirring until smooth.

Remove chocolate mixture from heat and stir in sugar. Stir in eggs 1 at a time until combined well and stir in flour mixture until just combined. Chill dough, covered, at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Drop rounded tablespoon measures of dough about 1‚ inches apart onto baking sheet and stud each cookie with a few pieces remaining chocolate. Bake in middle of oven 10 minutes, or until just set. Cool cookies on sheet on rack 5 minutes and transfer with a spatula to rack to cool completely. Make more cookies with remaining dough in same manner. Cookies may be kept in an airtight container at room temperature 3 days.

Makes about 36 cookies.
Gourmet