Donati Family Vineyards
Bittersweet Chocolate Cookies
Makes approximately 5 dozen cookies
These crunchy chocolate cookies are a great accompaniment to the dark berry and bittersweet chocolate notes found in our 2005 Syrah.
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 oz. Fine-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped
1/2 cup hazelnuts or sliced almonds, finely chopped (not in a food processor)
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar for coating
Wish together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a bowl until combined. Beat together butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes in a stand mixer. 4 minutes with a handheld mixer. Add the egg and vanilla, beating until combined. Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and mix until combined well. Add chocolate and nuts and mix until just combined. Cove bowl with plastic wrap and chill dough until firm, about 30 minutes. Place oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll approximately 1 teaspoon of dough into a 1-inch ball, then flatten slightly with the palm of your hand to form a 1/3 inch thick disk and coast with confectioners sugar. Continue o form cookies, arranging them 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake cookies, switching position of the sheets halfway through baking, until they puff up and tops crack slightly. 8-10 minutes total, then transfer with a metal spatula to racks to cool completely. Recoat cookies with confectioners sugar.
