FoodBanter.com - chewy/gooey cookie recipe?

Loocie wrote:
> Hi, I have been trying to bake a chewy/gooey textured cookie, that
> stays that way after it cools down. Does anyone have any? either
> chcolate or sugar/vanilla? I liek the texture and taste of cookies
> right from the oven, but dont want them to become dry and crumbly after
> they cool down.
> thanks! Loocie

I got this recipe on this group, but no longer have the attribution, so
my apologies (and thanks!) if the original poster, who credited the BAC
book, sees this. A year or so ago, the Los Angeles Times printed an
identical recipe, supposedly from a bakery, that touted using various
types of expensive, and no doubt very good, chocolate. I won't spend
that kind of money on cookies that get inhaled by teenagers, so I use
prosaic super-market chocolate. I expect if you have a fine palette
for chocolate, better chocolate would be better.
========================
Chocolate Rads

This comes from the Bon Appetit Christmas book (page 13).

(makes about 15)

1 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder
1/2 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips (about 14 oz)
1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (about 4 oz)

Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring
until smooth. Remove from heat. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and
eggs in large bowl until pale yellow and thick, about 5 minutes. Beat
in melted chocolate, melted butter, vanilla and espresso powder. Sift
flour, baking powder and salt into small bowl. Stir dry ingredients
into chocolate mixture. Mix in chocolate chips and nuts. Cover and
refrigerate mixture until firm, approximately 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment
paper. Drop batter by 1/2 cupfuls onto prepared cookie sheets, spacing
evenly. Press with moist fingertips to form 3 1/2 - 4 inch rounds.
Bake cookies until tops become dry and crack, about 16 minutes. Cool
cookies on parchment. Remove from parchment. Cover and store in
airtight container at room temperature.

(Betsy's notes - I never put nuts in anything I bake, the original
poster said she would just add more chips, but I don't. I melt the
chocolate and butter together in the microwave, very slowly. I use
instant espresso granules, and just mortar/pestle them until they're
powdered, because that is the form my market had. I also make 1/4 cup
cookies, the 1/2 cup is just too big, and then I bake them about 1
minute less. Just look for the cracking to be complete, then they're
done. Don't press them down too flat, and they'll be plenty chewy,
IMO. Do not refrigerate too much longer or the batter will be too
hard.)