Chocolate Chubbies - Starting the New Year Right!

Through the ages writers of all ages, languages, and skill have penned countless poems about chocolate. People have become friends (and enemies) over chocolate. And over 5,384 recipes involving chocolate have been concocted in kitchens around the world.



This is one of the best.

I first came across this recipe last year. I had never even heard of baker's chocolate, but I knew that this would be the perfect cookie to make for my birthday. It did not disappoint. This has become one of our family's favorite recipe for parties, potlucks, special occasions, and anytime we need a chocolate fix.

The hardest part of this recipe is all the chopping required at the beginning. We don't have a fancy nut-chopper or anything, so 4 cups of nuts (2 cups of pecans and 2 cups of walnuts) takes awhile to break up. It's so worth it though! We like to spread all the nuts on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for 5 minutes (350 degrees should do it) as soon as they're chopped up. Oh yes, and you also have to chop up 8 squares of baker's chocolate (6 semisweet and 2 unsweet).



After that, the most difficult problem you'll have is keeping yourself from eating the batter. The chocolate gets melted on the stovetop with butter; eggs and sugar get beaten together; a tiny bit of flour, baking powder, and salt get added; everything gets all mixed up in one bowl.



Dumping chocolate chips and all the nuts in the batter more than doubles it... make sure you have a big enough bowl!



Warning: extremely rich! Do not eat on an empty stomach, and do not have a chocolate-chubby-eating contest! They taste best when they're warm from the oven (of course).

Chocolate Chubbies (recipe adapted from Southern Living)

6 (1 oz.) semisweet chocolate squares, chopped
6 (1 oz.) unsweetened chocolate squares, chopped
⅓ cup butter
3 large eggs 
1 cup sugar 
¼ cup all-purpose flour 
½ teaspoon baking powder 
⅛ teaspoon salt 
2 cups (12 oz) semisweet chocolate morsels
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts 

1. Chop nuts and toast in oven while chopping chocolate squares.
2. Combine first 3 ingredients in a heavy saucepan; cook, stirring often, over low heat until chocolate melts. Remove from heat; cool slightly.
3. Beat eggs and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth; add chocolate mixture, beating well.
4. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to chocolate mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in chocolate morsels, pecans, and walnuts.
5. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto lightly greased or parchment-paper-lined baking sheets. 
6. Bake at 325° for 12 to 15 minutes or until done. Cool cookies on baking sheet 1 minute. Remove to wire racks; cool.

Enjoy slowly. Makes about 3 and a half dozen.

Happy 2013!