Recpe: Chili Chocolate Cookies

 
Based on a video recipe for "Michele's Chili Chocolate Cookies" from Food Wishes. Makes 20 cookies.

Read the story behind this dish in Sunday, Dinner for Two.

Ingredients 

½ cup dried currants
2 tablespoons Kahlua (or brewed coffee)
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon table salt
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 eggs (room temperature)
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips 

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350° with racks on the lower middle and upper middle positions.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 
3. In a small sauce pan, combine the dried currants and Kahula (or brewed coffee), bring to a simmer, remove from heat, and set aside.
4. Using a double boiler, melt together the unsweetened chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, and butter. (This can also be done in the microwave but you need to take care to avoid burning the chocolate.)
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
6. Add sugar and eggs to the bowl of a standing mixer and beat with whisk attachment on medium speed until fluffy and pale yellow, about 2 minutes.
7. Mix in vanilla.
8. Mix in chocolate mixture.
9. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a spatula to fold in the dry ingredients.
10. Fold in the currants and chocolate chips.
11. Using a #30 disher (2.5 tablespoons), drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets.
12. Bake for 10-14 minutes until just set, rotating and switching the baking sheets half way through.
13. Remove from the oven, cool cookies on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
14. Cool to room temperature and serve.

Bring the currants and coffee to a simmer then set aside to cool.

Carefully melt together the chocolates and butter.

Whisk together flour with the other dry ingredients.

Beat the eggs and sugar until pale yellow and fluffy.

Mix in the vanilla and the chocolate mixture.

Fold in the dry ingredients, currants, and chocolate chips.

Drop the dough onto prepared baking sheets and bake until just set.

Cool, serve, and enjoy!