Patti's Holiday Chocolate Delights by Rev. Carol A. Ingle (Raven)

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Patti's Holiday Chocolate Delights

Fudgy, brownielike and decadent, these fantastic cookies will satisfy any chocolate lover.

Ingredients:

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
48 chocolate-covered almonds, (dark, milk or white chocolate) (about 1 cup)

Preparation:

Place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave on Medium in 30-second bursts, stirring after each burst to ensure even melting, until completely melted. (Alternatively, melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot water, stirring constantly.) Let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until creamy. Add the melted chocolate; beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients with a spoon until just combined. Refrigerate the dough until barely chilled, 15 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheet, 2 inches apart.

Bake the cookies, one batch at a time, until puffed and slightly dried on top, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently press an almond into the center of each cookie. Let cool for 5 minutes on the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Allow the pan to cool slightly between batches.

Tip:

Melted dark and white chocolate drizzled on top of cookies is a special treat. Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on High for 1 minute. Stir well, then continue microwaving on High in 30-second bursts until two-thirds of the chocolate has melted, stirring well after each burst. Remove the bowl and continue stirring until all the chocolate has melted. Cool for 5 minutes at room temperature. Use a pastry bag fitted with a fine writing tip to pipe the melted chocolate or dip tines of a fork in chocolate and drizzle.