Culinary SOS: Mocha cookies from Euro Pane

Dear SOS: I am in love with a cookie from Euro Pane in Pasadena. It is the mocha cookie. We were in the restaurant last weekend, and I asked for the recipe, and they laughed at me. I thought you might have a better chance.

Thanks,

Lisa Richmon

Hawthorne

Dear Lisa: It’s love at first bite with these cookies! Crisp yet chewy and oh-so wonderfully rich, there’s no shortage of chocolate in Euro Pane’s mocha cookie recipe (it includes a shot of espresso, which helps to deepen the flavor of the chocolate), which we were able to snag from owner Sumi Chang. Enjoy!

Euro Pane’s mocha cookies

Total time: 50 minutes, plus chilling time for the dough

Servings: Makes about 2½ dozen cookies

Note: Adapted from Sumi Chang of Euro Pane in Pasadena.

10 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/4 cup (½ stick) butter

1/2 cup (2 ounces) pastry flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 tablespoons espresso, at room temperature

3 1/2 cups dark chocolate chunks (chopped into ¼ inch squares)

1. In a metal bowl set over a simmering pot of water, combine the chopped bittersweet chocolate with the butter. Heat the chocolate and butter, stirring frequently, just until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool the melted chocolate (it should cool to the point where it is no longer hot but still melted and not yet thickening), 10 to 15 minutes.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the eggs. With the mixer running, rain in the sugar until the eggs are light and fluffy (they should approximately double in volume), 2 to 3 minutes.

4. With the mixer running, add in the melted chocolate and the espresso, then the flour mixture, mixing just until combined.

5. Gently fold in the dark chocolate chunks using a large spoon or spatula.

6. The cookie dough will be very soft; cover and chill the dough until it is thickened and scoopable, at least 1 hour.

7. Shortly before baking the cookies, heat the oven to 350 degrees.

8. Scoop the chilled dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Scoop a generous mound using a large spoon or a 1-ounce (2 tablespoon) ice cream scoop. Space the mounds a few inches apart as the dough will spread as it bakes; you should be able to fit about 6 cookies on each baking sheet.

9. Bake the cookies until the tops of the cookies are puffed and crisp and the edges of each cookie are set, about 15 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through for even baking. The cookies will still be soft in the center as they are removed from the oven but will firm up as they cool.

10. Place the sheets on a rack until the cookies are cooled.

Each cookie: 204 calories; 3 grams protein; 26 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 12 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 29 mg cholesterol; 21 grams sugar; 50 mg sodium.