Double chocolate ginger cookies

/5

PRESENTATION

Why are these double chocolate ginger cookies the best? You might ask. Well, for starters, the flavor combination of the candied ginger and chocolate is delightful. Mostly, though, the crunchy outside of the cookies, and the soft gooey inside are what makes them irresistible.

They say size matters, and it is particularly true when it comes to the chunks of chocolate in a cookie. The double chocolate ginger cookies are larger than the normal ones: there is more to love, and eat, on each of them.

Finally, when re-heated in the microwave for a few seconds, the full bliss of a fresh cookie will hit you once again. If this won't be enough to label these cookies as "best", I don't know what will!

If you love cookies you can't miss these recipes:

INGREDIENTS
For 12 cookies
Flour 2 cups (275 g) - plus 2 tablespoons
Unsweetened cocoa powder ⅓ cup (30 g) - Dutch processed
Eggs 1
Egg yolks 1 - large
Butter ¾ cup (170 g) - unsalted, melted
Brown sugar 1 cup (180 g) - light brown
Granulated sugar ½ cup (100 g)
Vanilla extract 2 tsp (10 g)
Salt 1 pinch
Baking powder 1 tbsp (14 g)
candied ginger ½ cup (50 g) - cut into tiny cubes, about 1/4 "
Dark chocolate 7 oz (200 g) - broken into pieces (or chocolate wafers)

Preparation of the cookie dough

In a medium bowl mix the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt. Set aside.

In another larger bowl, place the 2 sugars. Using a hand held mixer or a whisk, add the melted butter in a stream while mixing. After a couple of minutes the sugar will be lighter.

Add the egg and the yolk and continue to mix for 2 more minutes, then add the vanilla. Continue mixing on high speed for 3 minutes until the concoction looks lighter and fluffy. 

Sift the flour mix into the bowl and mix until just incorporated. Do not overmix.

Scrape the sides of the bowl until you get a cohesive mass. Cover with parchment paper of wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

When the time has passed and the dough has chilled, using a 1/3 ice cream scoop (or eyeball it) divide the dough into 12 portions.

Flatten out each portion to cover the palm of your hand.

Place in the center of the dough about 5 dime-size pieces of chocolate and 2 or 3 mini cubes of ginger. Close and roll the cookie so no filling is visible.

Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.

Transfer the cookies to a lined baking sheet, separating them abundantly: they spread!

It would be wise to either bake 6 at a time or use two baking sheets.

Once all the cookie are set, place some more chocolate pieces on each of them pressing softly with the palm of your hand until the cookie has flattened lightly.

Now place the cookies back in the refrigerator until the oven warms up, about 20 minutes.

Pre-heat oven at 350° convection. Remove the cookies from the refrigerator and place directly on the middle shelf of the oven.

Bake only one tray at a time for 10 minutes exactly. The cookies will be soft, but they will harden upon cooling to room temperature.

Let the cookie cool in the pan until it is safe to lift them with a spatula, about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Enjoy!

How to store

The cookies will be best when eaten fresh out of the oven, however they can be refrigerated uncooked for up to 1 week and baked directly adding 1 minute to the baking time.

If frozen once cooked, they can be re-heated in the microwave, wrapped in a paper towel, for about 20 to 30 seconds.

Advice

If you bake the cookies longer they will loose the "gooey" factor, and will be "just another" chocolate cookie.