DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES/99%

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 9.7 ounces (1 box) Scharffen Berger 99% Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate (6 ounces to melt and remainder broken into small chunks)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely ground coffee
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.

In a double boiler, melt the butter and 6 ounces of the chocolate over simmering water. Stir occasionally until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.

In the meantime, use an electric mixer on high speed to beat together the eggs, sugar, coffee, and vanilla. Beat for 10 minutes until the mixture is thick.

Turn the mixer down to low speed and slowly add the warm butter and chocolate mixture. Scrape down the bowl and mix until just incorporated.

Add the dry ingredients and the chocolate chunks (and walnuts, if desired) and mix thoroughly by hand.

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop the dough, in heaping tablespoons, two inches apart onto the sheets. Bake for 12 minutes total. Rotate the sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking. Be sure not to overbake. Remove from pan with a metal spatula and cool on racks.

Makes about twenty-four 2 to 3 inch cookies. Cookies keep for two days at room temperature and for a month if frozen.