Double Chocolate Espresso Crackle Cookies

 

Assumptions are tricky business.  Take for instance, don't assume that after you scream at kindly beg your beloved felines to stop scratching the hell out of your brand new couch, that they will refrain from doing so.  Don't assume that just because you've never before worked this hard in your life, that you'll get that raise.  Don't assume that just because you had the best. date. ever. the cute boy will call.  And don't assume that just because he didn't means the world will stop turning.  And for God's sake don't assume that people can read your mind, unless of course you're hanging out with Sookie Stackhouse (if you are, what fun!).  And never assume you have the proper ingredients on hand before you start a recipe.  Do a little digging first.  Don't do what I do.

You're going to laugh when I tell you what kind of chocolate I used in these cookies.  For some reason I thought the recipe called for cocoa.  Not sure why in hell I thought that as I haven't seen the recipe in a year.  I assumed cocoa was listed amongst the ingredients, and I was dead wrong.  Semi-sweet and milk chocolate chunks all the way.  There was not nearly enough Callebaut chocolate on hand, but luckily further frantic digging in my cupboard produced an unlikely hero - the 99 cent IKEA chocolate bar I hastily grabbed at while waiting 30 minutes in line.  Who knew my impulse buy would come to my rescue?  I'm not super proud I had to swap in cheap lesser quality chocolate, but I kind of figure it all balances out with the Callebaut.  Not my finest culinary moment, but hey, sometimes a girl has to do what a girl...

So there I was on a Friday night, in my bunny hug hoodie and leggings and wool slippers, singing along to David and Freddie and mixing up a mighty fine cookie dough.  (Sometimes I'm positive I put the "ee" in "geek" and I'm down with that.)  One of the beautiful things about this cookie is that you can break it up in stages...do the dough up the night before and bake the cookies off in the morning.  The dough is quite soft, so it does that need that extra chilling time.  I love tossing the dough in icing sugar and making a mess, but hey, it's only sugar.

If you need a cookie recipe to add to your pile this holiday season, look no further.  These babies are soft and oh so fudgy - perfect for stashing away in the freezer and for sending across the country to loved ones, or just down the road.  Chocolate lovers will rejoice!  And look how darn pretty they are, all crackled up.  A cookie plate needs a little drama, no?  I found this recipe scrawled in a recipe binder from years ago, but I've switched things up quite a bit.  For instance, the original calls for just 2/3 can of condensed milk.  And what is going to happen to the other 1/3?  If you're like me, it would just sit in my fridge and drive me mental.  Or it would go in my coffee, and like I need that.  Plus the recipe calls for shortening instead of butter, and I just think that's weird.  I'll save my shortening for pie dough, thank you very much.  And I added the espresso because when I was searching for chocolate I found instant espresso.  Hooray!  What else did I do.  Oh, increased the flour to balance out more condensed milk. I think that is all...Below is what my recipe ended up looking like after I played around on that Friday night.  Pretty good,  all things IKEA considered.  Now excuse me a moment while I detach claws from couch. 

Double Chocolate Espresso Crackle Cookies

1/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cups (312ml) semi sweet chocolate chips or chunks (substitute IKEA chocolate if you dare)
1 tsp instant espresso powder
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 300ml can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups (375ml) milk chocolate chunks/chips
3/4 cup icing sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 350*F.  Line 2 bake sheets with parchment.  In a glass bowl melt butter and chocolate in microwave on medium, OR, do what I did and melted chocolate and butter in a large saucepan on the stove over medium heat.  Add the espresso powder after it's melted.  Stir in the sugar and eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition.  Let cool 5 min.  Mix in the condensed milk, and vanilla.  Add the flour, baking powder, salt and milk chocolate chips.  Mix well to combine.  Dough will be soft.  Refrigerate over night, or for 8-12 hours.
Have your sifted icing sugar in a shallow bowl.  Between the palms of your hand, roll pieces of chilled dough to form 1 1/4 inch (3 cm) balls.  Drop balls into icing sugar and toss lightly until well coated.  Place on prepared bake sheet and flatten just slightly.  Repeat with remaining dough, spacing about 1 1/2 inch apart.  Bake for about 10 minutes, until beginning to feel firm in centre.  Let cool on bake sheet on wire rack for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.  Makes about 45-48 cookies.