Chocolate Toffee Cookies

I'm not a huge sweets lover.  And even if I do eat sweets, cookies aren't my downfall.  But these... cookies... will make you weak in the knees.  They are so up my alley.  Dark chocolate, nuts, a bit of toffee, fudgey on the inside crunchy on the outside.  It's almost like eating a dark chocolate brownie.  Except better.

This time of year you are inevitably looking up recipe after recipe for Christmas Cookies.  These aren't necessarily a Christmas Cookie.  There's no red or green sugar sprinkled on top.  You don't wrap them in that teeny tiny muffin cups with holly leaves with red berries and there is certainly not frosting involved.  We also made our share of those kinds.  So if you've already made your Christmas cookies, don't wait until next year, just flag these for another time.  Maybe after you've crashed your January diet.

I discovered them from an old co-worker who would by request bring them in for any of the zillion work celebrations and when I tried them, okay just smelled them, I knew I had to have the recipe.  (Seriously, put them in an airtight container and when your husband opens it up from the other room, you will not be able to resist.  These are my husband's absolute favorite)  Anyone I have made them for has always asked for the recipe.

They are perfect with a glass of milk (of course) but the bittersweet chocolate in them could be good with a glass of Zinfandel as well, because I love dark chocolate with Zinfandel.  Sometimes I like to reheat mine in the microwave for just 10 seconds or so to warm them up.

Trish's Tips:  If you haven't used a double boiler before, make sure your water doesn't touch your bowl.  This is how you gently melt the chocolate without burning it.  Make sure to really let the chocolate mixture cool to lukewarm or else you can 'cook' your eggs.  You can make these cookies as big or small as you want.  The true name is Giant Chocolate Toffee cookies, but since I'm making these for Christmas and want to have some variety, I made mine a bit smaller.  Make sure to not overcook, or you will lose the fudgey interior.  I start checking them at 10 minutes, but it really decides on how big you make them.  They are done when the top just begins to crack, but are still melty on the inside.

Chocolate-Toffee Cookies
Adapted, almost exactly Bon Appetit March 2000

Ingredients:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 lb bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate, chopped
4 large eggs
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 TBL vanilla extract
5 - 1.4 oz Heath or Scor bars, chopped (About 1 cup crumbled)
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:
Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl; whisk to blend.  Stir chocolate and butter in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth.  Remove from over water.  Let mixture cool to lukewarm.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar and eggs in bowl until thick, about 3-5 minutes.  Beat in chocolate mixture and vanilla.  Stir in flour mixture, then toffee and nuts.  Chill batter until firm, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350.  Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.  Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto sheets, spacing about 3 inches apart.  Bake just until tops are dry and cracked, but cookies are still soft to touch, about 10-15 minutes.  Cool on sheets.