Double chocolate cookies and favorite cookbooks

I have lots of cookbooks and food magazines, yet I have the feeling that I cook from the same ones over and over again – I’ve tried using all of them more often, but there is always one or more ingredients lacking, or I don’t have enough time to make certain recipes, and when that happens I turn to my favorites in search of inspiration.

Martha’s cookie book, for instance, comes to my rescue every time I want to bake cookies but don’t know which recipe to choose – there are so many options there that if there’s no peanut butter, jam, coconut or nuts in my pantry I’ll always find something else to bake.

[that said, I’m always searching for cookbooks with good cookie recipes – I’ve had my eye on this one for a while and I hope the “search inside” tool is available soon]

Days ago I had nothing but chocolate in my pantry to bake with and ended up searching for a recipe on that cookbook: these cookies were easy to make and turned out delicious – a treat for chocolate lovers. If you don’t have white chocolate around, use dark chocolate chips in the batter or even milk chocolate, for a different twist.

Double chocolate cookies
slightly adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks

170g (6oz) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped – I used one with 53% cocoa solids
½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (45g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
150g white chocolate chips or chunks

Melt the dark chocolate with the butter in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; let cool slightly.
Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Put chocolate mixture, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Fold in chocolate chunks. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F; line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop drop portions of dough per cookie onto prepared sheets, spacing 5cm (2 in) apart. Bake until cookies are flat and surfaces crack, about 15 minutes (cookies should be soft). Cool on sheet over a wire rack for 5 minutes, then slide the paper onto the rack and cool completely.

Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.

Makes about 30