Chocolate Espresso "Mayan" Cookies
I
've been using Sugar High Fridays as an excuse to carry on my campaign to come up with the deepest, darkest chocolate treats I can make (see Fiery, Dark, Dangerous Chocolate Soufflé and the Xtreme Chocolate Tartlet). So when Jennifer, the wonderful Domestic Goddess and creative inventor of Sugar High Friday, announced that this week we should all make cookies and swap recipes for the 14th monthly edition of the event, I let loose with both of the big barrels in my arsenal -- cayenne pepper and espresso -- to make a chewy chocolatey treat that will satisfy even the most discriminating chocaholics.
These little guys are sneaky little chocolate bombs. They look innocent enough on the plate, but in your mouth they explode a burst of dark, dangerous flavor that will have you checking your competition and grabbing for more. You know who you are, you chocaholics, with your pulse quickening a little now at the prospect of a chocolatier cookie than you've ever had before, so just copy this recipe down and give it a try. I know my claims for this one are bold but I don't expect any complaints when the testers weigh in...
By the way: as I did with the other forays into the world of deep, dark chocolate, I have to credit my neighborhood purveyor of exquisite handmade chocolates, Cacao, for inspiring my experiments with cayenne pepper in chocolate treats. Their cayenne-laced "Mayan" truffle still leads the pack for extreme dark chocolate pleasure, so if you are one of the above-mentioned people of quick pulse, I suggest you plan a visit to Government Street in Kittery, Maine, as soon as possible, or call the number given in the link to inquire about mail order.
Chocolate Espresso "Mayan" Cookies
Makes about 40 cookies.
3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 C (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 stick (1/2 C) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 large eggs
1 C plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3-1/2 tsp finely ground dark-roast coffee beans, such as Italian-roast
3/4 C all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp cayenne powder
1/3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 C walnut pieces (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease 2 dark metal baking sheets.
In a double boiler -- or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water -- melt the unsweetened chocolate, 1 cup of the chocolate chips, and butter, stirring until smooth, and remove from heat. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed the eggs, sugar, cayenne and ground coffee until very thick and pale and the mixture forms a ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 3 minutes. Beat in the chocolate mixture. Sift into the mixture the flour, baking powder, and salt and stir until just combined. Stir in remaining chocolate chips and walnuts, if using.
Drop batter by heaping teaspoonsful about 2 inches apart onto baking sheets and bake in batches around 7 minutes, or until puffed and cracked on top. Cool cookies on baking sheets 1 minute and then transfer to racks to cool completely.
Love the cayenne pepper ingredient. I'm sure it makes a difference in the recipe.
Paz
Posted by: Paz | November 27, 2005 at 08:03 AM
Wow Stephen, these look amazing, can't wait to try them out.
They're a beautiful entry to SHF, thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Ruth | November 27, 2005 at 10:54 AM
Stephen, intriguing recipe and beautiful picture as always. I especially like the name as my cat is called Maya...
Posted by: keiko | November 27, 2005 at 08:31 PM
ooooohh, these look so great. I love the photo too, with the chilli in the background. Can't wait to try these.
Posted by: Cin | November 28, 2005 at 07:26 AM
http://www.domesticgoddess.ca/entries.php?entry=10157
Not there? :(
Posted by: Andrea | December 01, 2005 at 09:44 PM
:\ Never mind, I seem to have missed that it said "Part I"
Posted by: Andrea | December 01, 2005 at 09:45 PM
This may just be the most delicious sounding cookie around! Love the flavor combo!
Posted by: Rorie | December 05, 2005 at 04:38 PM
omg. i just made these for my friend's bday. mine are not as good-looking as yours, but they are still delicious. i want to keep them for myself.
Posted by: snq | May 09, 2007 at 08:29 PM
Oh my. These are good!
I made these over the holiday season & they disappeared faster than anything else on the table. The best part was that the fussy "I don't like spicy things" eaters were coming back for more.
They've been elevated to an official family must-have for the holiday season.
(FYI: I substituted 100g of Lindt Excellence 85% Cocoa for the 3oz of unsweeted chocolate.)
Thanks again Stephen!
(and I do hope things are ok & that you'll be back in 2008... your blog & recipes are among my favorites!)
Posted by: Wendy Wolfe | January 08, 2008 at 11:34 PM