Chocolate Whoppers

Ingredients

• 6 ounces semisweet baking chocolate
• 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
• 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter or margarine (not spread)
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons powdered (not granular) instant coffee or espresso
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup (4 ounces) walnuts, chopped
• 1 cup (4 ounces) pecans, toasted (see box, page 85), coarsely chopped

Method

1. Place oven rack in middle of oven. Heat to 350°F. Line cookie sheet with foil (see Double Batching, page 84).

2. Microwave both chocolates and the butter in a medium bowl on high 1 minute, then stir. Repeat at 30-second intervals until chocolate and butter have melted and mixture is smooth. (Or melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth.) Let cool slightly.

3. In another medium bowl, with mixer on high speed, beat eggs, sugar, coffee powder, vanilla, salt and baking powder until lighter in color and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and beat in chocolate mixture (which may still be quite warm). Add flour and beat just until blended. Stir in remaining ingredients.

4. Using a scant 1/3 cup batter per cookie (see Tip), drop 5 mounds on each cookie sheet, 1 in the middle and 1 toward each corner (dough is gooey). Don’t flatten tops.

5. Bake 13 to 15 minutes, no longer. Surface will be dry, shiny and cracked, but inside will be soft.

6. Slide foil off cookie sheet onto countertop. Cool cookies on foil, or remove to a wire rack to cool.

■ Makes 13 large cookies. Per cookie: 375 calories, 5 g protein, 35 g carbohydrate, 27 g fat, 47 mg cholesterol with butter, 33 mg cholesterol with margarine, 112 mg sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 3/4 other carbohydrate, 5 1/4 fat