Saturday, June 12, 2010

Chocolate Rads



What’s this? Another chocolate cookie? Well, yes... But this recipe is Molly Wizenberg’s, so how was I expected to resist? The only “problem” with this recipe (if one can call it a problem) is that it makes close to 4 dozen cookies; they freeze well, though, so I recommend that course of action if they must remain in a two-person household. Also, ideally, do as I say, not as I do: since chocolate is the main ingredient here, use the best quality you can find. As for me, I desperately have to empty my pantry before the move to Texas, so I used three different kinds of chocolate, at least one of which the Legal Chef would object to. The cookies were great, though, I’m certainly not complaining!

1 lb bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
4 Tbsp unsalted butter or margarine, melted and cooled slightly
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp instant espresso
½ cup cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
2 cups good-quality semisweet chocolate chips




In the top of a double boiler or metal bowl set over gently simmering water, melt the bittersweet chocolate, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat, and set aside.



In a large bowl, combine the sugar and eggs, and beat with an electric mixer until thick and pale yellow, about 3-5 minutes. Add the melted chocolate, melted butter, vanilla extract, and espresso powder, and beat to mix thoroughly.



Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into small bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture, and stir with a rubber spatula to just combine. (The batter will be fairly gluey and thick.) Stir in chocolate chips. Place the bowl in the refrigerator, and chill until the batter is firm but not too hard, about 30 minutes.



Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Drop the batter with a spring-loaded ice cream scoop – about 2 Tbsp per scoop – onto the prepared sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space around each blob of dough. With moist fingertips, press down on each blob to flatten it slightly. Bake the cookies until tops look dry and crackled, about 11-13 minutes. Do not overbake. Transfer the cookies on the parchment paper to a wire rack, and allow to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Remove finished cookies from the parchment paper, and store them in airtight container.





Note: These cookies freeze beautifully, and they can be frozen for up to a month. Allow them to come to room temperature before serving or eating.

No comments: