Chocolate Chunkers

These cookies created a new record at the office: two minutes after I sent out the e-mail saying I had cookies I had to send out another e-mail saying they were all gone. Two minutes! I may have said these were the most epic cookies ever but I stand by it.

To begin with these cookies have five different types of chocolate in them (unsweetened, bittersweet, semi-sweet, milk chocolate and white chocolate) plus cocoa powder. The recipe called for either milk or white chocolate, but I did not have quite enough of either. I ended up using up a lot of chocolate and nuts that had been left over from other recipes. Now, I'm not saying you should only use this recipe to use up extra chocolate chips because you really don't want to wait that long, but having extra chocolate chips is an excellent reason to make these cookies (or, you know, it is a day of the week that ends in 'y').

The amount of mix-ins (chocolate and raisins and nuts) is greater than the amount of  batter. This is a situation I am totally in favor of. The only thing I was a little concerned about was the raisins. I am suspicious of raisins in cookies. Because you see the raisin and you think it is a chocolate chip and it isn't and that is always tragic. But, because there are so many other types of chocolate you do not suffer the same disappointment. in fact the raisins add sweetness and moistness.

One of the people who ate these said they tasted like trail mix in a cookie, which is a pretty accurate description. These are not a very elegant cookie, perfect for picnics or after a soccer game but not so much for high tea. These are one of the favorite cookie recipes I've ever made and I definitely recommend them.

Chocolate Chunkers

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
3 tbsps unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, coasely chopped
1 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 lare eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla
6 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped into chunks, or 1 cup store-bought chocolate chips or chunks
6 oz premium-quality milk or white chocolate, chopped into chunks, or 1 cup store bought chocolate c hips or chunks
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped nuts, preferably salted peanuts or toasted pecans
1 cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden) or finely chopped moist, plump dried apricots
1. Sift together flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder.
2. In a double boiler or a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, melt butter, bittersweet chocolate and unsweetened chocolate, stirring occasionally. Remove the bowl from the heat and let cool.
3. Beat the eggs and sugar together on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until they are pale and foamy. Beat in the vanilla extract, then scrape down the bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the melted butter and chocolate, mixing only until incorporated.
4. With a rubber spatula, scrape down the bowl, then, on low speed, add the dry ingredients. Mix just until the dry ingredients disappear into the dough, which will be thick, smooth, and shiny, Scrape down the bowl and, using the rubber spatula, mix in the semi-sweet and milk (or white) chocolate chunks, nuts and raisins.
5. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes. The tops of the cookies will look a little dry but the interiors should still be soft. Remove the baking sheet and carefully, using a broad metal spatula, lift the cookies onto a cooling rack to cool to room temperature.
6. Repeat with the remaining dough, baking only one sheet of cookies at a time and making sure to cool the baking sheets between batches. If, when the cookies are cooled, the chocolate is still gooey and you'd like it to be a bit firmer, just pop the cookies into the fridge for about 10 minutes.

From Baking: From my home to yours by Dorie Greenspan

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