Teaser

Swamp of Sadness Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups pecans, toasted and chopped (optional)
4 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream (don't use half and half because you have it in your fridge and hey--what's the difference anyway? It will totally screw up your swamp)

Cookies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1.In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg yolks with a fork until blended.

2. In separate bowl, whisk together oil, cocoa, and vanilla until the cocoa is completely moistened. Add the cocoa mixture to the butter mixture, scraping the bowl frequently and mixing until thoroughly combined.

3. Add the flour and salt. Use a hand mixer to blend until dry ingredients are moistened. Add the toasted pecans and mix on low, just until pecans are incorporated.

4. Using a small scoop, shape cookies roughly into balls and place on a nonstick cookie sheet about 1" apart.

5. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes, checking with toothpick at 12 minutes. (Toothpick should come out clean).

6. Immediately after baking, use a small cookie scoop, melon baller, or other roundish object to make an indentation in the middle of each cookie.

Swamp of Sadness Ganache:

7. Place the chocolate a bowl.

8. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil, but be careful not to scald.

9. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and whisk vigorously until chocolate is completely melted.

10. Using a teaspoon or piping bag, fill each cookie with the chocolate. Allow chocolate "swamp" to cool; serve.

It is important that you don't let the sadness overtake you when you're making these, or you might sink irrevocably into the chocolate.