July 2012
I’m not a person who likes to take things apart in order to understand them and then put them back together again. I’m not a fixer-upper. I would never describe myself as “handy.” However, when I have a craving for a really rich, chocolaty ice cream sandwich at the height of a summer’s heat spell, I can be quite self-sufficient, and of that, I am proud!
“Self-sufficient” is not to say I eat the entire tower o’ ice cream sammy by myself. That would just be self-destruction, at least in the temporary, oh-god-whhhhy-am-I-so-full sense of self-destruction.
Chocolate, Chocolate-Chip Cookies
Note: I used about 3/4 of this batter in a 9×13 inch glass pan, which yielded more of a brownie, from which I could cut the circles to hold the heaping scoops of organic, mint, chocolate-chip ice cream. I used the remaining batter to make a stone pan’s worth of cookies. The sizing is flexible, but keep an eye on the oven to avoid a sad, burned catastrophe.
Ingredients
~1/2 lb dark chocolate (El Rey Bucare Bittersweet 58% Cocoa)
2 2/3 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup pure cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) organic unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons bourbon
3 large eggs (local/free-range)
1 cup roasted, salted almonds, chopped
2 cups organic semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions
Preheat oven to 375° F.
Melt dark chocolate using a Maria bath; stir until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.
Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.
In a separat mixing bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, turbinado sugar, vanilla extract and bourbon.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat in melted chocolate.
Gradually beat in flour mixture.
Stir in almonds and 2 cups chocolate chips.
Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until cookies are puffed.
Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Enjoy!