Cookie Time!

Hobby of the Day:  Baking

I promised I would try to make my way through both the Martha Stewart Cupcake book and Cookie book.  This might take me a few years people.  I didn't realize how MANY cookies Martha has crammed into her cookbook.  

Cookie: Chocolate Crackles pg. 68

Recipe: 

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate finally chopped (in list husband to chop)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup whole milk (I used 1% because that's what I had)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup confectioners sugar

Directions:

1. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan on simmering water, stirring.  Set aside and let cool. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

 I have a double boiler which makes it pretty easy, but you don't have to have one obviously.

2. With an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar on a medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla, and then melted chocolate. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the milk. Divide dough into four equal pieces. Wrap each in plastic; refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

Apologies for the blur, it's hard to pour and take a non-shaky photo.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Divide each piece into sixteen 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar to coat, then in confectioners' sugar to coat. Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. (If you don't have, just spray baking sheet)

4. Bake until surfaces crack, about 14 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.  Let cool on wire rack.  Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days. (mine didn't last that long. Thankfully we had guests for the weekend and they all disappeared!)

Voila!

I froze the left over dough, that way I can have cookies anytime.