CI'S THICK AND CHEWEY TRIPLE-CHOCOLATE COOKIES

THICK AND CHEWY TRIPLE-CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen. Published September 1, 1999.

If you like bursts of warm melted chocolate in your cookies, include chocolate chips in the batter. The addition of chips will slightly increase yield of cookies.To melt the chocolate in a microwave, heat at 50 percent power for 2 minutes, stir, then continue heating at 50 percent power for 1 more minute. If not completely melted, heat an additional 30 to 45 seconds at 50 percent power. We recommend using a spring-loaded ice cream scoop to scoop the dough. Resist the urge to bake the cookies longer than indicated; they may appear underbaked at first but will firm up as they cool.

2	cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces)
1/2	cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2	teaspoons baking powder
1	teaspoon table salt
16	ounces semisweet chocolate , chopped
12	ounces semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups)
4	large eggs
2	teaspoons vanilla extract
2	teaspoons instant coffee or espresso powder
10	tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks), softened
1 1/2	cups packed light brown sugar (10 1/2 ounces)
1/2	cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl; set aside.

2. 2. Melt chocolate in medium heatproof bowl set over pan of almost-simmering water, stirring once or twice, until smooth; remove from heat. Beat eggs and vanilla lightly with fork, sprinkle coffee powder over to dissolve, and set aside.

3. 3. In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 seconds. Beat in sugars until combined, about 45 seconds; mixture will look granular. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in egg mixture until incorporated, about 45 seconds. Add melted chocolate and chips in steady stream and beat until combined, about 40 seconds. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl with rubber spatula. With mixer at low speed, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overbeat. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until consistency is scoopable and fudgelike, about 30 minutes.

4. 4. Meanwhile, adjust oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Leaving about 1 ½ inches between each ball, scoop dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheets with 1¾-inch ice cream scoop.

5. 5. Bake, reversing position of the baking sheets halfway through baking (from top to bottom and front to back), until edges of cookies have just begun to set but centers are still very soft, about 10 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets about 10 minutes, slide parchment with cookies onto wire racks, and cool to room temperature. Cover one baking sheet with new piece of parchment paper. Scoop remaining dough onto parchment-lined sheet, bake, and cool as directed. Remove cooled cookies from parchment with wide metal spatula and serve.

TECHNIQUE

Double Chocolate Cookies Techniques

Size Matters! The balls of raw dough should be about the size of a golf ball. Don't skimp.

Clean & Neat: If you dip the scoop in cold water between scoopings, the fresh dough releases from it beautifully.

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