Midnight Crackles Recipes

Steps:

• Put the butter, sugar and chocolate in that order into a 2 quart saucepan. Put the pan over low heat and warm the ingredients, stirring occasionally, until they are melted and smooth. Scrape everything into the bowl of a mixer or into a large bowl.
• Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves.
• Working with a mixer with a paddle attachment, if you have one, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, beating until the eggs are well blended into the chocolate. With the mixer still on low, add the dry ingredients, mixing just until the dough is smooth and shiny; it will clean the sides of the bowl and form a ball. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, divide it in half, wrap each piece in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or for up to 3 days. (If the dough is solid, leave it on the counter for 30 minutes before proceeding.).
• Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350°F Line two baking sheets with parchment or a silicone mat.
• Working with 1 tablespoon of dough at a time, roll the dough between your palms to form firm, shiny balls. (If the dough breaks as you work, squeeze and knead it a bit, then reroll it between your palms.) Place the balls about 1 inch apart on the baking sheets and lightly press each one down a bit with your fingertips.
• Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cookies should be delicately firm and crackled across the top. (It's better to under- than over bake.) Remove the sheets from the oven, let the cookies rest on the sheets for 2 minutes, then, using a wide metal spatula, gently transfer the cookies to a rack; cool to room temperature.
• Repeat with the remaining dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

Steps:

• In small microwavable bowl, microwave baking chocolate uncovered on High 1 minute. Stir; microwave 1 minute longer, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted and smooth.
• In large bowl, beat butter, oil, granulated sugar and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until light and fluffy. Beat in melted chocolate and eggs until well blended.
• In small bowl, dissolve coffee granules in water. Add coffee mixture and vanilla to batter; beat until well blended. On low speed, beat in flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes for easier handling.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Place sugar crystals in small bowl. Shape dough by rounded tablespoonfuls into 1 1/2-inch balls; dip tops of balls in sugar. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls, sugar sides up, 3 inches apart.
• Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until tops look dry (do not overbake). Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring. Set aside, and let cool. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Mix butter and brown sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla, and then the melted chocolate. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the milk. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Wrap each in plastic; refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
• Divide each piece into 16 (1-inch) balls. Roll in granulated sugar to coat, then in confectioners' sugar to coat. Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
• Bake until surfaces crack, about 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers up to 3 days.