Black Forest Cookies

Move over, you ‘regular’ Chocolate Chip Cookie, I have found nirvana!

Right out of the blue, I came across THE most supremely decadent Black Forest Cookies in this new book, Baked. This has got to be the first recipe I’ve made within just a day of getting the book, and that says A LOT about how interesting the recipes are (I usually flip through the pages, narrow it down to a few recipes and then begin to think about making them). This book is not your average baking guide, but is filled with nontraditional recipes that incorporate quirky ingredients and take baking to an all new level. Not surprisingly, these rich triple chocolate cookies with cherries are fittingly known as Black Forest Cookies!

The Black Forest region in southern Germany is a beautiful mountain range filled with a gorgeously rich population of trees and lakes. Here originated the Black Forest Gateaux, which consists of several layers of chocolate cake with whipped cream, chocolate, and cherries spread between each layer. It also regularly makes use of a form of cherry brandy called Kirsch.

My Black Forest Cookies, however, use some interesting substitutes, while keeping the integrity of the original Black Forest creation intact. So, white chocolate chips substitute the whipped cream, dried cherries replace maraschino cherries and well, chocolate for chocolate.

Be forewarned, waiting for the cookie dough to harden over 6 hours will be the toughest part when you know the chocolate to flour ratio is almost 10:1 (Oh sweet heavenly goodness!)

(chocolatey, not doughy!)

Given the huge amount of chocolate required, I made a third of the recipe; not a very wise decision because I had to literally fight with orangefoodie for the last few crumbs of the cookie! I have already put a bright pink post-it note in the book to flag it as my super-keeper recipe!

Do yourself a favour, make these as soon as you can, for you’re no chocolate fan if you haven’t.

Black Forest Cookies
Yield: 24
Adapted from: Baked – New Frontiers in Baking

3/4th / 80g. cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
16 oz / 450g bittersweet chocolate ((60-72% cacao)
10 tbsp / 150g. butter
6 large eggs
1 1/4th cups granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup / 6 oz. / 170g. semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup / 6 oz. / 170g. white chocolate chips
1 cup / 6 oz. / 170g. dried cherries
A tbsp of kirsch if you like (I didn’t add this)

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt together.
2. In a large bowl set over a double boiler, melt the butter and dark chocolate together until the mixture is silky smooth.
3. In a KitchenAid bowl or another large bowl, if using a hand held beater, beat the eggs and sugars in high speed until the mixture looks thick and pale. About 5 minutes.
   
4. Add the cooled butter-chocolate mixture and vanilla to the eggs until just combined.
5. Add the flour mixture and mix until it looks incorporated. Another 10 seconds.
6. With a spatula fold in the two kinds of chocolate chips and dried cherries.The dough will look more like a batter – don’t worry, this is how it is supposed to be. Refrigerate this for 6 hours or overnight.
7. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.
8. On a baking sheet linked with parchment paper or Silpat, drop the cookies by rounded tablespoons or better still, an ice cream scoop. Do not let these come to room temperature or the batter will get runny. Pop them in the oven immediately. If you have a small oven like mine, and are baking in multiple batches, then keep the cookie dough/batter refrigerated while you’re waiting.
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking time, until the cookie looks set and a few cracks begin to appear.
10. Remove from the oven and let it cool a bit before transferring to a cooling rack.

Serve warm with a slightly gooey centre. Add vanilla or any fruit ice cream if you like. Chocolate, if you’re pure evil.

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Still craving for more Cookie Recipes?!
Nutella Pinwheel Cookies
Buttery Buckwheat Nibby Cookies
Valentine Linzer Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Milan Cookies
Cheddar Cheese Biscuits