Jacques Torres' mudslide cookies

You may or may not know that Jacques Torres is often known as "Mr. Chocolate."  The guy is famous for his chocolate creations, so when I came across this recipe online I knew that I had to try it.  I mean, if it's a recipe from Mr. Chocolate, it's gotta be good, right?  Right!

These cookies are so decadent and chock-full of rich chocolate flavor. You can definitely tell that you've used high-quality chocolate in these cookies.

I adapted this recipe slightly from the original since I didn't want to waste my time letting the dough chill in the refrigerator. Who's got time to do that when there are cookies to be eaten?

Hope you enjoy this as much as my friends, family and coworkers did! Of course, these are best enjoyed with a nice glass of milk.

Ingredients

• 6 oz. (about 1 1/2 cups) unsweetened chocolate, in chips or chunks (I used Baker's chocolate)
• 32 oz. (about 8 cups) bittersweet chocolate, in chips or chunks (I used Ghirardelli baking chips)
• 3/8 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cup walnuts (optional - I did not use)

Directions

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Melt the unsweetened chocolate and 16 oz. (4 cups) of the bittersweet chocolate over a double-boiler (a simple double boiler can be set up by putting a metal bowl over a simmering pot), stirring periodically.

Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer until light and fluffy and add the eggs one at a time, blending until mixed.

Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the butter mixture and mix just until combined.

Add the melted chocolate and mix until combined and stir in the nuts (if using) and the remaining 16 oz. (4 cups) of bittersweet chocolate. 

Use a cookie scoop to measure out the dough evenly and place on a cookie sheet (I love using my Silpat for this). Place cookies at least 2 inches apart.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, until crusty on the outside (they should still be gooey on the inside). Allow to cool before eating. 

Yield: About 4 dozen cookies, if using a medium cookie scoop.

Source: Slightly adapted from Jacques Torres, via the NY Times