Mint Chocolate Cookies

There are certain things in food that just go so well together.. Marsala and mushroom, rum and raisin, hazelnut and chocolate.. and of course mint and chocolate. Well, these cookies have the latter two combinations and they taste damn good. Chocolate is an indulgence, and mint just takes you over the cloud. I made these in anticipation of meeting up with a friend that didn't happen until two weeks later. They were wonderful, and great for breakfast with a cup of milk.




Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
(adapted from Mel's)

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 ounces (5 tablespoons) butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
3/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
2 pounds milk chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used about 8 ounces white chocolate and the rest white almond bark, since that is what I had on hand – it worked great)
1/2 cup of chopped toasted hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed for 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low, and add egg, then yolk, beating well after each addition. Beat in peppermint extract. Slowly add flour mixture, and beat until just incorporated. Shape dough into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

Roll out 1 disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut out circles, and place 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Roll and cut scraps once. Freeze cookies until firm, about 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining disk.
Bake until cookies are dry to the touch, about 12 minutes. Transfer parchment, with cookies, to wire racks, and let cool. (Undecorated cookies will keep, covered, for up to 3 days.)

Melt chocolate over a double boiler. Submerge one side of the cookie in the chocolate. Sprinkle some chopped hazelnut over it. Refrigerate until set, up to 3 hours.