Hazelnut Double Chocolate Cookies

  • Hazelnut Chocolate Cookies

    Dear Hazelnuts,

    Oh, how I’ve missed you.  Where have you been?

    I let us grow apart, and I take responsibility for that.  I have to admit that I let pecans and walnuts rule the nut roost ’round these parts, and I forgot about how freaking good you can be- all toasted and fragrant and nutty in that “I’m a little more sophisticated and nuanced than the average peanut” kind of way.

    I’ve baked an awful lot with Nutella as of late, but I know, I know- it’s not the same as using the real thing.  The real hazelnut.  Maybe it’s because you’re really annoying to work with, though.  I’ve gotta be honest- you’re a real bitch to skin, so every time I think of making a dessert with you in it, I avoid your calls.

    My experience baking these cookies brought me back, though.  I’m willing to do the hard work in our relationship again, even if it means blanching and toasting and chopping you up (so. many. steps.).  I’m sorry.

    Love,
    -Jodi

    Adapted from the Food Network’s recipe…

    1 cup hazelnuts- blanched, chopped & toasted

    1/3 cup all-purpose flour

    1/2 teaspoon baking powder

    1/4 teaspoon salt

    8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped or in chips

    6 tablespoons unsalted butter

    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    2 teaspoons Frangelico hazelnut liqueur (optional)

    2 eggs

    3/4 cup sugar

    2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet, milk, or white)

    1. Preheat to 350º.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
    2. Blanching hazelnuts (to remove skin): in a large saucepan, bring 3 cups water to a boil.  Add 2 tablespoons baking soda and nuts; boil for 3 minutes, being careful to prevent the water from boiling over.  (The water will turn black, FYI.)  Run a test nut under cold water to see if its skin slips off easily; if so, drain the nuts in a colander with cold water running over top to help remove skins.  Dry with a paper towel and coarsely chop.
    3. Toasting hazelnuts:  spread on a baking sheet and bake in hot oven until golden, about 7 minutes.
    4. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.
    5. In a medium bowl, combine the bittersweet chocolate and butter and microwave for 1:30, stirring until melted.   (If chocolate needs more time to melt, microwave in 20-second increments.)  Add the Frangelico (if using) and vanilla; whisk until smooth, then set aside.
    6. In a large bowl, beat eggs on medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute.  Gradually add the sugar and beat until thick and pale yellow, about 6 minutes.  Gradually add the melted chocolate mixture and beat until combined.  Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture and beat until just combined, about 1 minute.  Fold in the hazelnuts and chocolate chips.
    7. Scoop heaping tablespoons of batter 2″ apart on the prepared baking sheets.  Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are slightly puffed and crackly, 12 – 15 minutes.  Allow to cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

    Tips:

    • Blanching?  Really?  So here’s the thing.  The skins on hazelnuts are bitter, which will affect the taste of your cookies- so you do need to get rid of them somehow, and you have to either blanche them (boil them), which is most effective, or toast them.  I toasted my hazelnuts when I made these cookies, then rubbed them in a kitchen towel to get about 2/3 of the skins off, and said “that’s good enough”.  (I then shook most of the skins off in the sink, then threw the kitchen towel in the laundry, which The Husband unfolded while actually doing the laundry [I know I’m lucky that he actually does the laundry] and got little hazelnut skins  e v e r y w h e r e.  Ugh.)
    • No Frangelico?  It’s okay.  You could always use hazelnut extract (just 1/2 teaspoon), or skip and not even worry about it.  (But you really should buy a bottle of Frangelico, because it’s just so cute, made to look like a monk and all.)
    • Be thankful you don’t have my oven.  Because this will happen to you if you (gosh forbid!) make the colossal mistake of putting a cookie sheet anywhere close to the lower half of the oven.
    • Want more hazelnuts in your mouth?  Try the Chocolate Hazelnut Torte, the Hazelnut Nocciolata Fudge Brownies, or the simple Nutella Fudge Brownies.
    • These freeze well.
    • Enjoy!

     

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    March 18th, 2015 | More Sweets Please | No Comments | Tags: , ,

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