Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies from 100 Cookies

Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies - made dough January 11, 2023 from 100 Cookies by Sarah Kieffer 

1 1/2 cups (213 grams) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (50 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder

2 teaspoons ground espresso

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

14 tablespoons (198 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar

3/4 cup (150 grams) brown sugar

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk

5 ounces (142 gams) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons cocoa nibs, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, ground espresso, baking powder and baking soda.
3. Slice 4 tablespoons butter into 4 pieces and place them in a large bowl. Melt the remaining 10 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the butter until dark golden brown and gives off a nutty aroma, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour the browned butter, scraping the bottom and sides of skillet for all the browned bits, over the 4 tablespoons butter in large bowl. Stir until all the butter is melted and combined.
4. Stir in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and salt until combined. 
5. Whisk in the egg and yolk until fully combined and the batter is smooth and glossy, about 45 seconds. Let rest 2 to 3 minutes then whisk again for another 45 seconds.
6. Add the flour mixture and use a rubber spatula to combine.
7. Fold in the chopped chocolate and cocoa nibs, if using, mixing to distribute evenly.
8. Form dough into golf-ball-size dough balls (about 45 grams each). Evenly space on baking sheet, about 6-7 cookies per sheet.
9. Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until edges are set and middles are barely past the raw stage. For a more crisp edge, bake 10-11 minutes.
10. Let rest on baking sheets for several minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

When I get onto a new baking book, you'll soon be able to tell as there will be a flurry of recipes from it on my blog in a short amount of time. Such is what’s happening with 100 Cookies by Sarah Kieffer. 

Since I borrowed this one and can't keep it forever, aka let it gather dust on my bookshelves, I got into a frenzy of typing up the recipes I wanted to try. And I know myself well enough that whatever I don't make "right away" is likely going to languish in my cyber files for...well, forever seems like a good estimate.

I didn't want to try ALL the recipes in this book (some weren't to my taste) but there were a decent number that caught my eye and taste buds. This was one of them. I'm not a coffee or espresso drinker but I've heard deployed service members like caffeine (helps with their long shifts) so I'm always open to coffee/espresso-flavored baked goods.

Since the author was kind enough to include weight measurements as well as volume ones, I weighed all the ingredients out for greater adherence to how she intended the recipe. That turned out to be a good call as this dough came together beautifully and is probably one of the easiest doughs I've worked with: not too soft or sticky, not dry or crumbly, but just easy to portion into dough balls.

As always, I chilled and froze the dough before baking and baked directly from frozen dough. That helped make a chubby cookie that didn't spread thin so this didn't fall prey to the too-much-water-in-the-butter issue that's been plaguing me for the past half year.

Taste-wise, this was rich and you can definitely taste the espresso. If you like the flavor, this is a great chocolate and espresso combination with a fudgy middle and crisp (but not hard) edges.