BlogHer, Rocco DiSpirito, Wine and Chocolate Oblivion Cookies

I am off to the BlogHer Food Conference this weekend in San Francisco, but first I have been invited to share a dinner with a group of foodbloggers at the St. Supery Vineyards in Napa, hosted by Rocco DiSpirito and Bertolli. What a way to kick off the weekend!  However, this leaves little time to write a new post, so I will tide things over with one of my favorite posts from the TasteFood archives on Chocolate.  I can’t think of a better food product to tide anything over, can you?

As we tighten our purse strings, eat out less, purchase fewer perceived must-haves, it is important that we take a moment to focus on the simpler things in our lives that bring us pleasure.  Family and friends: yes, absolutely.  Good health and happy children: mais bien sûr.  Beautiful sunsets and autumn foliage: thank you so much.  However, what I specifically have in mind is chocolate.

For those of you who have read my previous post on Swiss Chocolate, I apologize if I repeat myself.  Perhaps the increased frequency in my chocolate references is another barometer of the state of the world as we know it.  Whatever the case, it would be a shame not to share this recipe, because it is sinfully good in an intensely chocolate way.  Not only that, and more importantly, it promises to bring a smile to the faces of those who taste it.  And, right now, generating smiles on the faces of people we know and touch is a very good thing.

Chocolate Oblivion Cookies
Makes approximately 30

14 oz. (400 grams) dark chocolate (70%)
1/4 cup (55 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (340 grams) granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup (60 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 oz. (200 grams) coarsely chopped dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips

Melt 14 oz. chocolate and butter in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth.  Remove from heat.  Beat sugar and eggs in bowl of electric mixer until thick and very pale in color, 3 minutes.  Add chocolate and vanilla to eggs.  Mix well.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.  Stir into chocolate mixture.  Add chopped chocolate.  Stir to combine.  Refrigerate batter 30 minutes, to allow to thicken.  (Do not refrigerate longer, or the batter will begin to harden.  If this happens, allow batter to soften slightly at room temperature before proceeding.)
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Drop heaping tablespoons of batter onto parchment.  Bake in pre-heated 350 F.(180 C.) oven until tops crack, about 12 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool completely on parchment.
Cookies can be stored refrigerated in an airtight container up to 4 days. (They also freeze well.) Allow to come to room temperature before serving.