Chocolate and coffee make the very finest companions: It’s actually been scientifically proven.
Ever since reading about the study of sweetness, we’ve been perfecting a delectable recipe for chocolate espresso-bean cookies. Soft inside, crispy outside, and bursting with mocha flavor, these oven-baked treats will keep you reaching for more. Set your oven to 350 degrees, and let’s rock ‘n’ roll.
Use a chef’s knife to roughly chop one and a half cups of dark-chocolate-covered espresso beans. These tasty morsels can be purchased at most specialty grocery stores -- ask around or try the candy aisle. The beans should be cut into small pieces, about the size of mini chocolate chips. Set these aside (don’t worry, they’ll be back later) and nibble on a few while no one’s looking.
Now grind up a handful of fresh Kahwa espresso into superfine powder. Get a large bowl and combine your dry ingredients, starting with three and a half cups of flour and one teaspoon of salt. Stir in one teaspoon each: baking soda, cinnamon, and the freshly ground Kahwa coffee.
In a separate bowl, combine one cup of white sugar, one cup of dark sugar, and two sticks of softened, unsalted butter. Pro tip: Skip the microwave, which always over-does it, and pull your butter out of the fridge about an hour before starting this recipe. It will be ready to use at just the right consistency when needed.
With a hand mixer on medium-high speed, blend the sugar-butter mixture for a few minutes until it’s smooth and fully combined. Beat in two teaspoons each of organic vanilla extract and your favorite coffee liquor, then slowly blend in two large eggs. Add one teaspoon of half-and-half and mix well. Looking good, no?
Drop it down to slow-and-low with your hand mixer, and add the dry ingredients about a half-cup at a time until everything is softly blended. Don’t over-mix, or you’ll get tough cookies, literally.
Gently fold in the chopped espresso beans from step one. The moment of truth has arrived.
Using wet hands, roll large teaspoons of the finished dough into balls and press gently to flatten, placing them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle the tops lightly with coarse sea salt, and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until your cookies are fragrant and lightly browned on the edge. Use a spatula to gently place these treasures on a wire rack to cool.
Our original recipe makes several batches, for a total of about three dozen cookies, which should be enough to share. Your friends and family will thank you!
