Chewy Chocolate Cookies (ATK)

• servings: 16 cookies

Ingredients

1/3 cup granulated sugar (about 2½ ounces), plus 1/2 cup for coating

1½ cups (7½ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 cup (3 ounces) Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon table salt

½ cup dark corn syrup (see note)

1 large egg white

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened (70 degrees)

⅓ cup (about 2½ ounces) packed dark brown sugar (see note) •

4?ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into ½ inch pieces (see note)

Directions

1. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18- by 12-inch) baking sheets with parch- ment paper. Place ½ cup granulated sugar in shallow baking dish or pie plate. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl. Whisk corn syrup, egg white, and vanilla together in small bowl.

2. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter, brown sugar, and remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low, add corn syrup mixture, and beat until fully incorporated, about 20 seconds, scraping bowl once with rubber spatula. With mixer running at low speed, add flour mixture and chopped chocolate; mix until just incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping bowl once. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no pockets of flour remain at bottom. Chill dough 30 minutes to firm slightly (do not chill longer than 30 minutes).

3. Divide dough into 16 equal portions; roll between hands into balls about 1½ inches in diameter. Working in batches, drop 8 dough balls into baking dish with sugar and toss to coat. Set dough balls on prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart; repeat with second batch of 8. Bake, reversing position of the baking sheets halfway through baking (from top to bottom and front to back), until cookies are puffed and cracked and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone), 10 to 11 minutes. Do not overbake.

4. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes, then use wide metal spatula to transfer cookies to wire rack; cool cookies to room temperature.

Notes

The Right-Sized Chunk

TOO SMALL

Tiny chocolate pieces will melt and disappear into the dough when baked.

JUST RIGHT Half-inch chunks contribute chocolate flavor while staying intact.

We recommend using the test kitchen's favorite baking chocolate, Callebaut Intense Dark L-60- 40NV, but any high-quality dark, bittersweet, or semisweet chocolate will work. Light brown sugar can be substituted for the dark, as can light corn syrup for the dark, but with some sacrifice in flavor. A spring-loaded ice cream scoop (size #30) can be used to portion the dough.

EQUIPMENT TESTING: Chocolate Chippers We hate clogging our kitchen drawers with unnec- essary equipment, but chipping chocolate into the right-sized pieces with a chef's knife is so tiresome that we wondered: Could a tool designed for the task make things easier? We found two models, both shaped like mini pitchforks with tiny tines. The top chipper, Lehman's Porcelain-Handled Chocolate Chipper ($6.95), was comfortable to hold, didn't damage our cutting board, and broke uniform pieces of chocolate without excess force. Given its modest price tag, we're happy to add this handy tool to our drawer. For complete testing results, go to www.cooksillustrated. com/feb09. CHOICE -Meredith Butcher CHIPPER