CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT COOKIES
with Gluten Free Variation
About the Recipe
This recipe provides the blueprint for my favorite chocolate cookie of all time, bar none. Possibly my favorite cookie of any type of all time. Combining the very best qualities of brownies, ganache, and flowerless chocolate cake, the results are unbelievable deliciousness.
The recipe makes 30-40 large cookies. A portion probably should be one, but most people end up eating two and sometimes three. They are irresistible.
The large recipe is actually a plus as the unbaked cookies keep almost forever in the freezer. And as they need to be baked frozen anyway, these cookies provide an ideal dessert solution when a dinner guest shows up last minute and out of nowhere. The cookies also solve the problem of a divine, home-baked dessert when on overload. Just make sure to cool the cookies completely before serving.
Freeze raw cookies today and enjoy them all fall!!!!
Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies
Ingredients
MIX TOGETHER AND SET ASIDE
100 grams all-purpose or gluten free flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
200 grams hazelnut flour, toasted
125 grams milk chocolate, chopped
155 grams skinned hazelnuts, toasted and halved or chopped
MEASURE OUT
250 grams unsalted butter
300 grams 72% chocolate semisweet chocolate
300 grams sugar
200 grams dark brown sugar
5 eggs at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Maldon salt for sprinkling before baking
METHOD
Melt butter and 72% chocolate in a double boiler. Set aside.
Whip eggs, sugar and vanilla in an electric mixer until tripled in size (ribbon stage)—about 5 minutes at medium-high speed.
Continue beating while adding the chocolate mixture in a slow stream.
Add all other ingredients and combine well.
Chill in fridge until hard.
Use an ice cream scoop (small size measuring 2 tablespoons is best) to scoop ice cream scoop-shaped round balls. FREEZE these balls at least 6 hours. They must be HARD FROZEN. Or freeze and then wrap in foil. Some or all of the balls can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months and used when needed.
Preheat oven to 375° F. Place on parchment-lined cookie sheets far apart (5 or 6 cookies per cookie sheet), sprinkle with Maldon salt and bake approximately 15-17 minutes — depending on the size of the scoop — until just set. You might want to bake one cookie as a test. Bake and let cool completely before tasting to see if 15-17 minutes was correct in your oven. Cookies should be chewy but not raw.