TED cookie drop: part 1

(From left to right: semi- & bitter-sweet chocolate chip, strawberry jam thumbprint - although that's a total misnomer, chocolate crackles, butter cookie with chocolate ganache)

I've been fortunate enough to attend the TED Conference in Long Beach, CA a few times and when I had my brownie company, we were sponsors - appearing as sustenance in the Google Café for the attendees as well as in the TED swag bag, as a treat for later. I've always been thankful for their support of my business and of me, so in return, I like stopping by their headquarters in New York with treats for them. It had been some time since my last visit, so I made a few (20+ dozen) cookies for the team.

The chocolate crackle cookie recipe was eagerly requested by one of the happy faces I know: Logan, and her compadre, Sam. I guess they think it's an idea, umm, I mean a recipe, worth spreading.

Chocolate Crackle Cookies
Adapted from Martha Stewart's Cookies
makes 5-6 dozen

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
granulated sugar (roughly 1 to 1-1/2 cups)
confectioner's sugar (roughly 1 to 1-1/2 cups)

Melt chocolate in either your microwave or in a heatproof bowl over a small pot of simmering water. Remove from heat and cool. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.

Using an electric mixer, on low, beat butter until smooth. Add the light brown sugar and dark brown sugar and cream on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, vanilla extract and chocolate. Mix in half the flour mixture, add half the milk. Repeat. Divide the dough between four pieces of plastic wrap, it will be pretty loose. Chill in fridge for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set up two bowls - one with granulated sugar, the other with confectioner's sugar. In hindsight I would have used a pie plate for the granulated sugar bowl instead of a deep bowl. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Using a level one-tablespoon scoop, scoop 6 pieces of dough and drop them into the granulated sugar bowl. Roll the balls in the sugar, don't worry that they aren't uniform. Now roll them into nice spheres and re-roll them in the granulated sugar. Transfer the sugared pieces to the confectioner's sugar bowl. Coat them completely. Place them on a cookie sheet, about 2-inches apart. Scoop out enough for a tray, about 15-16 balls.

Bake in the oven for 14 minutes, rotating at 7 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack, still on the cookie sheet. Cookies can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for 3 days. Separate the layers with wax paper. Enjoy!

Final note: if 5+ dozen cookies is more than you need, bake what you want and store the plastic-wrapped dough in the freezer in a freezer bag for maximum 3 months. Each plastic wrapped portion should yield around 16 cookies.