Dark Chocolatey Cookies

I was feeling in need of deep dark chocolate this evening, the kind that kind of takes over your mouth and holds it hostage. Being a great supporter of the Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe by Cook's Illustrated--albeit with some adjustments--I considered giving the Triple Chocolate Cookie a go... until I examined their recipe and realized the good people at Cook's Illustrated must have gone temporarily insane. Sixteen ounces of semi-sweet chocolate? That would equate to something like five family-size Cadbury Dairy Milk bars in every bite--ah, my mouth just clenched in a sugar seizure at the mere thought. No, pure chocolate can never be too wrong, but I wanted a chocolatey cookie, not chocolate.

It was all up to me. I rolled up my sleeves, got out my trusty, adjusted Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, and just did a little more adjusting. The final cookie was pretty good: crisp exterior, chewy interior, deep-dark chocolatey, and not too sweet.

There was a downside: spreadage. Meaning a slightly flat cookie. I made some notes as to how the problem could be fixed, and you can find them at the end of the recipe.


Take My Mouth Hostage Cookies (adapted from Cook's Illustrated Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe)
(makes four cookies--what would I do with three dozen?)

8 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons (45g) butter, melted and cooled until warm
4 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 egg yolk
Dash of vanilla extract
2 tablespoons chocolate chips
* 1-2 tablespoons chopped pecans (optional)

1. In small bowl, whisk: flour, cocoa, coffee, baking soda, salt, and pecans.
2. In another small bowl, blend: butter, sugars, yolk, and vanilla.
3. Mix the contents of the two bowls together, stirring in the chocolate chips at the end.
4. Refrigerate the dough.
5. When the dough has chilled and firmed up, preheat oven to 160'C/325'F. Get out your baking sheet and line with parchment paper. Divide the cookie dough into four mounds.
6. Bake for 10-11 minutes.
7. Transfer cookies, parchment paper and all, onto rack to cool a bit because, right out of the oven, they'll just fall apart—all hot, gooey chocolate--if you try to pick one up.

NOTE: Regarding the spreadage, the next time, I might consider trying one or more of the following:
-use an extra tablespoon of flour, so 9 tablespoons (the cookie was almost too buttery, if such a thing is possible)
-instead of melting the butter, just really soften it up
-let dough chill in fridge longer
-try baking at higher temperature--170'C/340'F--for shorter time
-use baking powder instead of soda—about 1/2 teaspoon