Pure Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Pure Chocolate Chunk Cookies - made dough July 23, 2013 from Pure Chocolate by Fran Bigelow

The title of this recipe is completely "truth in advertising".  It really is pure chocolate.  I used 85% Lindt bittersweet and tried a smidge of the cookie dough to see what it tasted like.  It was almost a little too dark chocolate for me so I ended up experimenting and rolling the dough balls in confectioners' sugar before baking.  It turned out to be the right move because the sweetness of the sugar was a perfect complement to the dark fudginess of the cookie itself. You can skip it if you're more of a dark chocolate purist but it's a good option if you have more of a sweet tooth than a chocolate tooth.

The texture is soft, moist and fudgy - all good things in a chocolate cookie.  BUT you'll only achieve that texture as long as you don't overbake it and if you use a good-quality chocolate. I made mine small since I knew these would be rich and just under 10 minutes was the perfect length of time to bake them in my oven.  Err on the side of underbaking than risk overbaking.

12 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups cake flour, sifted then measured
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch chunks
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted, for rolling (optional)

1. In a double boiler, melt the semisweet and unsweetened chocolates over low heat until melted and smooth.  Let cool to lukewarm.
2. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, sugars and vanilla extract until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, stopping several times to scrape the bowl.  Pour in the melted chocolate and mix to combine.
3. Fold in the sifted flour by hand until no traces of white remain.  Fold in the bittersweet chocolate chunks.  Chill for 1 hour.
4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.
5. Using a scoop or large spoon, scoop 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie, roll in sifted confectioners' sugar (if desired) and place on lined cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between cookies.
6. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until cracked and puffed on top. For smaller cookies, bake 9 to 10 minutes.  Let cool on sheets for about 10 minutes.  Transfer to racks to cool completely.