EARTHQUAKE COOKIES IN A JAR

Earthquake Cookies in a Jar image

Yield makes about 40 cookies

Number Of Ingredients 14

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup almond meal (also known as ground almonds)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
12 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons brewed coffee
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon rum
Decorating Sugar:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

Steps:

Sift together the flour, baking powder, almond meal, and salt. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a stainless steel bowl over a pan of simmering water.
In an electric mixer fitted with a whisk, whip together the eggs and sugar at high speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until they become fluffy. Add the melted chocolate mixture and mix until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients slowly (better to take your bowl off the mixer for this part so flour doesn't fly around your kitchen) and mix until incorporated. Stir in the coffee, vanilla, and rum. Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate for about an hour. It will become firm.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Put the granulated sugar in one bowl and the confectioners' sugar in a second bowl.
Using a sturdy spoon, scoop the chilled dough into 1-inch scoops and place them 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Roll each individual cookie between your hands until it is a smooth ball, dip in the bowl of granulated sugar, then in the bowl of confectioners' sugar, coating each one fully. Return them to the cookie sheet.
Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the sugar cracks and the cookies just start to firm up. (They are especially delicious with a little softness in the center.) Allow them to cool on a rack, then store airtight.