Deep Dark Chocolate (6 page)

Triple Chocolate– Spanish Peanut Cookies

makes
about 2
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/
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dozen cookies

LISA ALLEN, BAKER AND CO-OWNER OF THE PACIFIC WAY
Bakery and Café in Gearhart, Oregon, created these rich, semisoft chocolate cookies years ago when she had a surplus of Spanish peanuts left over from an ice cream–making experiment. Lisa discovered just how well a salty ingredient complements chocolate. Now, it’s your turn. Just so you know, the recipe can easily be doubled.

These dipped cookies are best enjoyed within 3 days and should be stored at room temperature. (Since the dipping chocolate is not tempered, the coating will have a smooth, non-glossy surface. After several days, it will begin to mottle.) Undipped cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 2 months.

1 cup salted and roasted Spanish peanuts

½ cup premium unsweetened cocoa powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

6 ounces premium dark chocolate, melted

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or leave it ungreased.

In a medium bowl, mix the chocolate chips and Spanish peanuts until blended. In another medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt until well blended. Set aside.

In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer set on low speed, beat the butter until creamy. Add the granulated and brown sugars and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg until well blended, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the vanilla until blended. On low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients and beat until just blended, again scraping down the bowl as necessary. Stir in the chocolate-peanut mixture.

Drop the dough, by rounded tablespoonfuls, onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake until set and the tops have lost their sheen, about 12 minutes. Pull the parchment paper with the cookies onto the counter and let the cookies firm and cool slightly before transferring from the parchment to a wire rack to cool completely. (If not using parchment, let the cookies firm and cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring.) Repeat with the remaining cookie dough, reusing the parchment paper.

Meanwhile, place 2 wire racks on a sheet of parchment or waxed paper to catch any chocolate drips. Dip half of each cookie into the melted chocolate. Place the cookies on the racks to set, for up to 2 hours, depending on room temperature. For a fast set, after 10 minutes, you can slip the wire rack into the refrigerator to chill for no longer than 5 minutes.

Variation

My kids love my
Lunchbox Chocolate–Spanish Peanut Cookies
. Follow the main recipe, stirring in ½ cup raisins with the chocolate chips and spanish peanuts until blended. Proceed as directed, but eliminate dipping the finished cookie in chocolate.

Black Magic Chocolate Espresso Cookies

makes
about 4 dozen cookies

JAVA GURU JIM ROBERTS, COFOUNDER OF COFFEE PEOPLE,
created these supernatural cookies to carry in his northwest coffeehouses. Ultra-chocolaty, they’re big, bold, and rich, with jolts of bittersweet chocolate and espresso. High-energy, adult cookies, they are slightly crunchy on the outside with a scrumptious soft center loaded with chips.

If you don’t have access to an espresso machine, it’s fine to use 2 teaspoons of instant espresso, such as Medaglia d’Oro, to 1 ounce of hot water.

16 ounces (1 pound) premium dark chocolate, chopped

2 ounces premium unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

1½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar, divided, plus more if needed

3 To 4 tablespoons espresso (see head note)

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup premium semisweet chocolate chips

¹
/
₃
cup very finely ground espresso coffee beans (see note, below)

Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.

Place the dark and unsweetened chocolates and the butter in a medium heatproof bowl and set in a wide pan or skillet of hot water. Set aside for 5 minutes, stirring 4 or 5 times, and let melt completely.
Stir until smooth. In another medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt until well blended. Set aside.

Transfer the chocolate mixture to a stand mixer and add the brown sugar and
²
/
₃
cup of the granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until well blended. The mixture will appear grainy. Add the espresso and vanilla and beat until blended. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until fully blended, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. On low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients and beat until just blended, again scraping down the bowl as necessary. Do not overbeat. Beat or fold in the semisweet and milk chocolate chips until blended. Let the dough rest for about 20 minutes, until it thickens and is easy to scoop, or refrigerate until slightly chilled, checking frequently. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the remaining
¹
/
₃
cup granulated sugar and the ground espresso.

Scoop up about 2 tablespoons of the dough and gingerly roll it between your hands to form a 1½-inch ball (if the dough sticks to your hands, keep a bowl of cold water nearby and occasionally dip your hands, shaking off the excess). Drop the ball into the sugar-espresso mixture and roll to coat. Place on the prepared baking sheet and flatten slightly. Repeat to make more cookies, placing them 2½ to 3 inches apart on the pan.

Bake until slightly firm and the tops are cracked and dull, 12 to 15 minutes. (The first batch may take about 15 minutes, but as the dough thickens, the cooking time decreases.) Pull the parchment paper with the cookies onto the counter and let the cookies firm and cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. (If not using parchment, let the cookies firm and cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring.) When cool, dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough, reusing the parchment paper.

Note

What you need here is superfine coffee powder, typically called Turkish grind on commercial machines. For authentic Turkish coffee, you can use a hand-held Turkish grinder, or ask your coffee shop or vendor to grind it for you.

Baby Loves

makes
24 sandwich cookies