Double Chocolate Cookie

Posted on February 9, 2014 by nina in the kitchen

This Double Chocolate Cookie is perfect for meeting the desire for chocolate and is also one of our new favorite Christmas cookies.

The recipe is from Baking With Julia by Dorie Greenspan. My copy of this book is well stained and the binding is completely split with use. It’s a compilation of recipes from the experts who baked with Julia Child during her PBS cooking series. It is a classic reference book for bakers of all aptitudes. Rick Katz contributed this recipe.

I prefer small 1-2 bite cookies. The original recipe makes 2 dozen large cookies. I changed this to 4 dozen small cookies. I also use the microwave for melting the chocolate instead of a double boiler.

This is unlike most cookie doughs. The batter is a liquid and needs to be chilled before spooning onto baking sheets.

The batter consists of a pound of chocolate, mostly melted, except for some coarse chunks stirred in and only 1/2 cup flour. It’s almost gluten free!!!

Ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 oz bittersweet chocolate cut in pieces larger than chocolate chips (my choice is 3 of the 4 oz Ghirardelli bittersweet baking bars) Divide this mixture in half

4 oz unsweetened Ghirardelli chocolate cut in same size pieces

1 stick unsalted butter

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons espresso powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions

1. Whisk dry ingredients together in a small bowl

2. Prepare chocolate: Chop 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate into pieces larger than chip size chunks and divide in half. The first half will be melted, so only needs to be cut or chopped into small squares. The 2nd half needs to be in chunks larger than chips. These will eventually be folded into the batter.

Bittersweet Chocolate Cut Into Pieces Larger Than Chocolate Chips

3. In a large microwave proof bowl combine and heat the following slowly on the “melt” cycle or heat over simmering water. Heat mixture, stirring occasionally just until melted and smooth. Remove from heat or microwave.

1/2 of the chopped bittersweet chocolate

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter

Half the Bittersweet and All the Unsweetened Chocolate and Butter, Beginning to Melt

4. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment combine and beat the following on high for 10 minutes. The mixture will get very thick and form a slowly dissolving ribbon when the whisk is lifted and the mixture drizzles back in the bowl.

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons instant coffee powder

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

A Ribbon of Beaten Eggs, Sugar, and Flavorings

5. With the mixture on low speed, gradually add the warm chocolate mixture to the egg mixture. Use your rubber spatula to scrape the bowl. Mix until just combined.

6. Fold in the flour mixture and remaining bittersweet chocolate chunks.

7. Cover the bowl with plastic and chill in the frig several hours, overnight or up to 4 days.

Cookie Batter with Egg, Chocolate and Flour Mixtures Blended

8. Baking:

Position the racks of the oven to divide the oven into thirds. Preheat to 350 degrees F.
Line 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Mine pans are 13 x 17 1/2 inches.
To make the smaller cookies use a slightly heaping teaspoon and for large cookies use a heaping tablespoon.
Drop the dough onto the lined sheets, leaving 2 inches of space between each mound. These are spreaders.
Bake small cookies 7-9 minutes and large cookies 10-12 minutes.
Rotate the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking.
Watch the cookies closely. They will puff, then sink and crinkle and wrinkle around the edges.
Remove them from the oven too early rather than too late!
They should not appear dry and they won’t be crisp.
After cooling on the baking sheets 5 minutes, use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to cooling racks.