Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is another great recipe I found on the Guittard website, from David Lebovitz. These cookies are pretty much pure chocolate. They're very rich and moist and go great with a tall glass of milk. The dough is more like a batter and the top of the cookies come out like brownies, crispy and crinkley. I found the title to be a little misleading to me. Yes, they are chocolate and they do have chocoate "chips," but when I think of a chocolate chip cookie, well you know what a chocolate chip cookie is. Just fyi, this isn't your typical chocolate chip cookie with some cocoa in the dough.

I made 2 batches. The first one I refrigerated for 30 min., the dough was still a little sticky but I used it anyway. And flattened as the recipe says. They came out thin and very fragile. The second batch I put the dough in the freezer while the first one baked (about 10 min.) and it came out stiffer. I didn't flatten these and they came out thicker than the first batch and held their shape a lot better. Point being, wait until the dough is stiff (you can try freezing for a few min. like I did). Flatten if you'd like, but I thought it was better not.

Oh yea, and I won't be posting for a few days, but maybe Wednesday or Thursday i'll be back with more goodies.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe comes from Room for Dessert by David Lebovitz, published by HarperCollins Publishers, 1999. David says, "These are the best chocolate cookies I''ve ever made." The recipe calls for a total of 13 ounces of chocolate, for the batter and for the chips.

Makes: About 2 1/2 dozen 2-inch cookies

8 ounces (approximately 1 1/3 cups) E. Guittard 64% L'' Harmonie or 61% Cacao Semisweet Chocolate Wafers, chopped

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

2 large eggs, at room temperature

7/8 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

5 ounces (1 scant cup) E. Guittard 64% L'' Harmonie or 61% Cacao Semisweet Chocolate Wafers chocolate, chopped into chips

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

1. Melt the eight ounces of chocolate and the butter in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. 2. When the butter and chocolate have melted, remove from the heat.

3. Using an electric mixer, whip the eggs, sugar, and vanilla at high speed until the mixture is stiff (this takes a few minutes). Stir in the melted chocolate mixture.

4. In another bowl, stir together the flour and baking powder, then add them to the chocolate mixture. Add the chocolate chips and the nuts.

5. Chill the dough until it is firm enough to handle, about 30 minutes.

6. To bake the cookies, position the oven racks in the center and upper part of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Form the dough into 1 1/2-inch rounds* and set them onto the baking sheets spaced about two inches apart. Press each slightly to flatten.

7. Bake for about 9 to 10 minutes, until just set, but still moist and shiny in the center.

* Tip from the Kitchens of E. Guittard: Alternatively, you may shape the dough into logs and then slice to form the cookies. On a lightly floured surface or with the assistance of a sheet of plastic wrap surrounding the dough ball, roll the dough with your hands to form two 8-inch logs, 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the dough logs in plastic and chill until firm, at least 30 minutes. Slice the logs into 1/2-inch-thick cookies, and place them on the baking sheets which have been lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 9 minutes. Remove from the oven while they are still shiny and molten in the center but cooked on the outer edges.