chocolate 'black gold' cookies

[moominmolly]

3 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
18 oz semisweet chocolate chips (or chopped semisweet chocolate; I used Ghirardelli chips because I'm lazy and they're cheaper than the bars)
1 stick (1/2 cup) plus 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 eggs
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp instant coffee
1 Tbsp vanilla
6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups chopped pecans

In a double-boiler, melt the unsweetened chocolate, 9 oz of the semisweet chocolate, and all of the butter over just-barely-simmering water. Stir occasionally. When it's melted, remove it from the heat.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until fluffy. Add the vanilla, instant coffee, and melty chocolate mixture, and beat until smooth and combined. In a nearby small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder, and add this in to the chocolate bowl. When fully combined, add in the nuts and the remaining semisweet chocolate bits and stir.

(I suggest wandering away for 5 minutes here and letting the mixture cool/set a bit. It keeps the cookies from spreading out all over the cookie sheet.)

On an ungreased cookie sheet, drop cookie-sized lumps from your wooden spoon or whatever. They shouldn't spread too much when baking, but they will spread a tiny bit. Bake 19 - 23 minutes; tops will start to crackle a bit, but the insides will still be kind of mushy. When the cookies are done, take them out and scoop them onto cooling racks (this is vital). Let cool for a bit and then enjoy.

---

These cookies taste halfway in between brownies and chocolate-chocolate-chip cookies. If I were making them again for me, I'd use eggbeaters rather than whole eggs (easier on my stomach); I think they'd come out just fine. They're plenty rich as is. Also, I used a bit more coffee than the recipe called for and a bit less chocolate, and that worked well. The coffee somehow took the edge off of the extreme chocolate richness without actually making the cookie taste like coffee in any way. Totally great, if I do say so myself, and I'm not one of those crazy chocolate lover people.

Comments

[amber-phoenix.livejournal.com]

yum!!!

[moominmolly.livejournal.com]

Thank you! They were. I'm usually too lazy to make anything that starts with, "In a double-boiler," but these were so easy I didn't even mind. :)

[dancingwolfgrrl.livejournal.com]

You can totally cheat and melt the chocolate in a microwave any time that a recipe says to use a double boiler to do it. As proof, I submit that I have never used a double boiler! :) You just have to be careful not to burn it.

Also, yum! I'll have to add these to my list of things to try making in December.

[cuthalion.livejournal.com]

Guittard semisweet chooclate chips are noticably better than the already pretty good Ghiradelli ones. Both companies (and Scharffen Berger too) are within 20 miles of here, by the way! I am not sure why this is.

[moominmolly.livejournal.com]

I've never had Guittard! Ghirardelli chips have the advantage of being sold in the Star Market next door to our house, but if I find Guittard in my wanderings, I'll pick some up.

[msdaisy.livejournal.com]

They were scrumptiously delicious. :)

[moominmolly.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad! Yay!

[contessagrrl.livejournal.com]

These cookies taste halfway in between brownies and chocolate-chocolate-chip cookies.

Yes, I kept meaning to say this last nigh, but I feared I would start drooling on myself. They were so yummy!

[moominmolly.livejournal.com]

Hee hee! Drool is the ultimate compliment, even if it's just threatened drool.

I think it was the texture of these that I liked so much. They'll definitely stay on my mental list of easy-yet-impressive foods to make.

[regyt.livejournal.com]

These sound marvelous, except I'd use cocoa nibs instead of the nuts.

[moominmolly.livejournal.com]

Ooh! The texture difference is important; I bet that'd work well.

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

You. are. a. Goddess.

Mwah.