FOUR SEASONS HOTEL CHOCOLATE GINGER COOKIES

This cookie has made the rounds in the blogosphere lately, so I jumped on the bandwagon. The key to success is to underbake the cookie, resulting in the most amazing texture and flavor – the molasses and chocolate marry and become one, producing a decadently chewy chocolate-molasses flavor in every bite. Of course, you must use the very best chocolate you can afford.

These cookies are definitely worth making, but I will warn you: they are rich, sweet and very chocolatey. They are not a cookie that I will make again, because they are too sweet for my taste, but I have given them to friends who have swooned over them. Truth be told, while I was test-tasting some, I admit to swooning, too. They are that good.

Thanks to Kristin, of The Schell Cafe blog, for procuring this recipe. She actually hunted down the pastry chef at the Four Seasons Hotel, who gave her the recipe. Of course, it made huge quantities, so Kristin worked this recipe till she got the right ratios and was able to reduce it down to a manageable size for home cooks.

Four Seasons Hotel Chocolate Ginger Cookies Source: The Schell Cafe Rating: 9 out of 10 PRINTABLE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS: 12 oz. chocolate chips (I used Hershey’s Special Dark + Nestle Chocolatier Dark Chocolate Morsels, 53% cacao) 3 cups + 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour (Pillsbury unbleached) 2-1/2 tsp. ground ginger 2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. ground cloves 1/2 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg 2 Tbsp. natural cocoa powder 2 tsp. baking soda 2 Tbsp. crystallized ginger, finely chopped 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature (If using unsalted butter, add 1/8 tsp. salt) 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup molasses bowl of granulated sugar for dusting + some coarse sanding sugar for tops Whisk together first 9 ingredients in large bowl. Cream butter and brown sugar in another large bowl until light and fluffy. Slowly add molasses, scraping well after each addition. Gradually add dry ingredients and mix only till combined. Cover bowl and refrigerate overnight for best results. Heat oven to 350F. Using rounded tablespoonfuls of dough, roll in wet palms to form balls. Roll balls in sugar to coat. (If using sanding sugar for tops, then roll part of the ball in sanding sugar and place, sanding sugar up, on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake till puffy and just starting to crack. A toothpick inserted in center will return with some, but not too much, dough sticking to pick. These cookies are best when slightly underbaked and will continue to cook as they cool. My cooking time was approximately 9-10 minutes. Cookies deflate as they cool, also, and are supposed to be thin with a slightly crunchy, crispy edge and soft chewy insides. Yield: about 52 cookies

Merry Christmas, everyone! Thanks for stopping by.