Mocha Chip Cookies

Yield : Approximately 48 large cookies, 96 small

Ingredients :
8 ounces unsweetened chocolate
24 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
8 eggs, room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
4 tablespoons Medaglia D'oro instant espresso
3 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
3 to 4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks
6 cups ground walnuts or pecans, optional

Instructions :

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. (300°F if convection)
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove from heat and place a large stainless steel bowl on top of it. Add in the 8 of unsweetened chocolate and the 24 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate and butter in a bowl and let melt without stirring. Sprinkle the instant espresso over the melted chocolate and stir to blend.
  • Warm your unopened eggs in a bowl of warm (not hot) water, then crack them open into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar and immediately beat until light. Add the vanilla extract.
  • Meanwhile, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. At this point you should have 3 bowls of mixtures.
  • Stir the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Blend in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chunks and nuts. Chill until the dough sets up. You can freeze the mixture at this point, wrapped tightly, to use at a future date. (Thaw before shaping and baking!)
  • Scoop out in 2 ounce balls (about 1/4 cup) for large cookies, less for smaller cookies. Place 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until just set around the edges, but tops should not look wet (about 10 to 12 minutes).
  • Remove from oven and let cool right on the baking sheets. Store in an air-tight container.

To serve : Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with a big class of cold milk.

This extremely rich cookie was created by Krista Kern, an equally talented pastry and savory chef, currently a Chef de Cuisine at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. She taught this cookie at the Mystic Cooking School in a "Mocha Madness" class in March, 1998.