Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Not too long ago I received an email from America's Test Kitchen which had a collection of their favourite cookie recipes for all occasions. I can't find the article at the moment, but one of the cookies listed were these Chewy Chocolate Cookies.

I love chewy cookies. Anyone who knows me and has tasted my biscuits knows that a crunchy biscuit will never come out of my kitchen. I will underbake biscuits rather than risk them becoming crispy. I am not a crunchy cookie girl.

I love America's Test Kitchen recipes. They do tend to be a bit more heavy on the ingredient list, but they are very reliable in their quality. This recipe is no exception, these cookies are awesome!!

They are rich and chocolatey and richness is nicely offset by their sugar coating. Mine weren't as cooked as they probably should be (ATK mention that there should be some defined cracks happening on the top), but as I said above, I'd much rather them be undercooked than crispy. I do think that ATK have been taking their portion sizes from Nigella though as they said the mix makes 16 cookies. I got 48 out of mine.

My co-workers were my taste testers for these cookies. I had been taking in Dorie's World Peace Cookies because I had some dough frozen in the freezer, but there were a couple of people there that just weren't sold on World Peace in the form of a salty-chocolatey biscuit. These cookies, on the other hand, were a solid winner. Everyone loved these cookies. If only I could put the dough in the freezer for a bit more instantaneous gratification.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies
from America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated Magazine

1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/2 cup for coating
1 1/2 cups plain flour
3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt plus 1/8 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1 large egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
170g unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

(The original recipe also calls for dark chocolate chips. I left these out)

Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 190 degrees C. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place ½ cup granulated sugar in shallow baking dish or pie plate. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl. Whisk corn syrup, egg white, and vanilla together in small bowl.

In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter, brown sugar, and remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low, add corn syrup mixture, and beat until fully incorporated, about 20 seconds, scraping bowl once with rubber spatula. With mixer running at low speed, add flour mixture and chopped chocolate; mix until just incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping bowl once. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no pockets of flour remain at bottom. Chill dough 30 minutes to firm slightly (do not chill longer than 30 minutes).

Divide dough into biscuit sized portions. I used a tablespoon measure; roll between hands into balls. Working in batches, drop 12 dough balls into baking dish with sugar and toss to coat. Set dough balls on prepared baking sheet, spacing out evenly; repeat with remaining dough. Bake, reversing position of the baking sheets halfway through baking (from top to bottom and front to back), until cookies are puffed and cracked and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone), 10 to 11 minutes. Do not overbake.

Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes, then use wide metal spatula to transfer cookies to wire rack; cool cookies to room temperature.