A dash of mystery and a smidge of longing — this is how my love affair with the chocolate espresso chew began.
Was the confection’s contrast of textures — somewhere between a meringue and a brownie — the secret to its magic?
Whatever the reason for its appeal, I found myself craving it.
Chocolate espresso chew
1/4cup flour
1/4teaspoon baking soda
1/2teaspoon salt
3cups semisweet chocolate chips
3ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
4ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter
4large eggs, at room temperature
1cup sugar
1tablespoon finely ground dark-roast coffee beans
2teaspoons vanilla extract
1cup walnuts, toasted, then coarsely chopped
Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
Melt 2 cups of the chocolate chips, the unsweetened chocolate and butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Set aside.
In the large bowl of a stand mixer on high speed, beat the eggs, sugar, ground coffee and vanilla extract until thick ribbons form and the mixture has doubled in volume. By hand, stir in the melted chocolate mixture until thoroughly combined, then add the dry ingredients, chopped walnuts and the remaining chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Have ready some large baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Make golf-ball-size scoops of dough, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake, in batches, 10 to 12 minutes; the tops will crack, but the cookies should be gooey inside. Cool on the baking sheets at least 1 minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
To toast the nuts, spread them on a baking sheet and bake in a 325-degree oven for about 6 minutes. Watch carefully because nuts will burn quickly. but you can make this simple cookie any size you want. Store in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days. For long-term freezing, wrap the cookies individually in aluminum foil and place in resealable plastic food storage bags.
Makes 30 3-inch cookies. Per cookie: 190 calories, 3 g protein, 20 g carbohydrates, 13 g fat, 36 mg cholesterol, 6 g saturated fat, 62 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber.
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