Adi's Cookies

Yesterday, I was just chilling out, literally, in my friend Adi's awesomelly air-conditioned dorm room when we were discussing moving and getting rid of things. She told me she had all this Belgian bittersweet baking chocolate left over from a baking course that she didn't know what to do with. So of course I generously offered to take it off her hands and bake her something super chocolatey. She, the lover of all cookies and things baked, was naturally delighted. So I set to work. Of course I immediately began research and in consulting the KAF Cookie Companion (what else, right?) found this recipe for Midnights. Using a whopping whole pound of chocolate, these cookies are not for the faint of heart. Needless to say these were a home run for Adi, after whom I have renamed these cookies. Deep, dark, moist, soft, tender.. the adjectives could keep coming. Their scent wafted all the way down the hallway and lingered for a while after. They yielded a nice amount as well, so she'll be having cookies every day for the next couple of days or so. Just the way she likes it. I used Dutch process cocoa, which makes things more chocolatey but you could use natural cocoa as well. Bake these cookies for nine minutes only or else theyll bake. They will firm as they cool. Take care not to transfer them right away or else they will break on you. I had a few casualties myself. Be patient. You will be rewarded with lovely cookies.

Adi's Cookies
1 pound bittersweet chocolate
1 cup butter or margarine
1 2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp espresso powder
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 2/3 cups white chocolate or regular chocolate chips

Place the chocolate in a large bowl. Slowly melt in the microwave until not completely melted. Remove and stir to finish the melting. Set aside.Place the butter or margarine in a bowl,and add the sugar (I added a bit of white sugar as I was lacking some brown).Cream well.Add the eggs one at a time, and beat until smooth after each addition.
Add the vanilla and espresso powder and stir until combined.Add the melted chocolate,and mix thoroughly.Add all of the dry ingredients and stir. Yup, lots of stirring going on here.

This is the final batter. Add chips if desired and blend. Refrigerate the batter for one hour or until firm. Here's what it looks like. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Scoop the batter onto parchment lined sheets or just grease your sheets. Bake cookies for nine minutes. Let the cookies sit on a rack for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cool completely.

Enjoy with a glass of milk or alone in all their chocolate decadence.