COOKIES - CHEWY CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD COOKIES

                            

7 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate

1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

1/2 cup dark-brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup unsulfured molasses

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons boiling water

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Line two baking sheets with parchment. 

Chop chocolate into 1/4-inch chunks; set aside. 

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and grated ginger until whitened, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.

In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking-soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out to about 1 inch thick; seal with wrap. Refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 325F. Roll dough into 1 1/2- inch balls; place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Chill 20 minutes. Roll in granulated sugar. Bake until the surfaces just begin to crack, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating halfway through.  

Let cool 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Cookies are best the day they are made, but can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 5 days.  

Makes 2 dozen

MY NOTE: (1) I made 1-inch balls so this amount of dough made about 27 cookies (2) I sometimes substitute 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger for the fresh ginger.

From Martha Stewart's Cookies by the Editors of Martha Stewart Living.