Flourless Chocolate Pecan Cookies

The James Beard award winning pastry chef, Dominique Ansel, came up with the recipe for these simple gluten free chocolate cookies--clearly this guy is a genius!  Dark, moist and chocolatey, they are more like molten brownie pieces than your traditional cookie.  They are easy to make, but require an overnight rest in the refrigerator so planning ahead is essential.

The dough can be made ahead of time and kept for up to three days in the refrigerator.  Once baked, the cookies should be consumed within two days or stored in the freezer.

Flourless Chocolate Pecan Cookies
Adapted from recipe by Dominique Ansel, reprinted by The Star Tribune.
Makes about 2 dozen

3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp corn starch
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips (over 60 percent cocoa content, about 15 ounces), divided
3 eggs
4 Tbsp pecans, roughly chopped, toasted

In a microwave-proof bowl, melt butter in microwave oven.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, corn starch, baking powder and salt.  Add eggs and whisk until fully incorporated.

Melt 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips in a glass bowl in the microwave (microwave 30 seconds on high, stir, repeat two more times). Stir melted butter into melted chocolate.

Slowly whisk melted chocolate and butter mixture into the egg mixture (if chocolate-butter mixture cools and begins to solidify, briefly reheat before incorporating).

Using a spatula, gently fold remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips, as well as pecans, into the batter.  Cover batter tightly with plastic wrap, pressing wrap to cover surface of batter. Refrigerate overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Using your a spoon, break dough into 1 1/2- 2Tblsp size pieces. Roll dough into balls. Place balls at least 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and gently press the tops of each ball of dough to form a thick disk.

Bake in the oven’s middle rack until cookies are just beginning to crack on top but the dough is set on the edge and has a soft spot in the center (about the size of a quarter), about 8 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on baking sheets until cookies further set, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Carefully slide parchment paper onto a wire rack and cool cookies completely.