Deep Dark Chocolate Fudge Cookies

Tracee · 07-03-2006, 01:32 PM

Instructions:
----------------------------------COOKIES----------------------------------
1/2 c Unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 c All-purpose flour
1 ts Baking soda
1 ts Salt
8 oz Semisweet baking chocolate,
-broken
4 oz Unsweetened baking
-chocolate, broken
1 1/2 c Firmly packed light brown
-sugar
3/4 c Unsalted butter
3 Eggs
1 ts Vanilla
18 oz Semisweet chocolate chips

-------------------------OPTIONAL CHOCOLATE GANACHE-------------------------
1 c Whipping cream
2 tb Unsalted butter
2 tb Granulated sugar
12 oz Semisweet baking chocolate,
-broken

To prepare Cookies: Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Sift together cocoa, flour, baking soda and salt onto a sheet of wax paper.
Set aside.

Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom of a double boiler over medium heat.
Place semisweet and unsweetened baking chocolate in top half of the double
boiler. Tightly cover the top pan with plastic wrap and heat 12 to 15
minutes. Remove from heat and stir chocolate until smooth. Keep at room
temperature.

Place brown sugar and butter in the bowl of electric mixer and beat on
medium speed 1 minute. Scrape down bowl and beat on high speed additional
30 seconds. Scrape down bowl. Add eggs, 1 at a time, while beating on
medium, stopping to scrape down bowl after incorporating each addition.

Add vanilla and beat on medium 30 seconds. Add melted baking chocolate and
beat on low 10 seconds more. Scrape down bowl and beat additional 30
seconds. Add flour mixture and beat on low until thoroughly combined, 20 to
30 seconds. Remove bowl from mixer, add chocolate chips and mix thoroughly
with rubber spatula.

Using 2 baking sheets, portion 6 to 8

s per baking sheet by dropping
2 level tablespoons batter per

onto each sheet. Place pans on top
and middle shelves of oven. Bake 18 to 22 minutes, rotating sheets from top
to bottom about halfway through baking time. Cool

s on pans 5 to 6
minutes.

Transfer

s to wire rack. Repeat procedure until all

s have been
baked. Cool

s thoroughly before storing in sealed plastic container.

To prepare Chocolate Ganache: Heat cream, butter and sugar in medium
saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, stir to dissolve sugar. Bring
mixture to boil.

Place chocolate in stainless steel bowl and pour boiling cream over
chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool to room
temperature. (Ganache can be made 3 to 4 days ahead and refrigerated.
Reheat, stirring. Bring to room temperature before using.)

Put ganache in a serving bowl, so guests can dip their

s in before
eating. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.