Chocolate Espresso Cookies

It started with the WINE.  A few months ago, I was at a wine tasting and sampled a 2009 Barista, a Pinotage from South Africa.  The wine had a very distinct coffee finish.  The story I was told at the wine tasting goes something like this – in the process of making the wine, the winemaker detected flavor characteristics of coffee and hence called the wine “Barista.”  I was intrigued with the wine – completely new to Pinotage and really a novice with wines from South Africa. (http://www.baristawine.co.za/)   The wine left an impression on me and for days afterwards I thought about making something to pair (feast) with this wine.  I did make a batch of BBQ sauce spiked with coffee and chocolate.  Unfortunately, my BBQ loving husband consumed the sauce before I could buy some ribs and the wine to bring it all together.

Cheers It’s Friday ~ and a relaxing Spring evening on the deck with Chocolate Espresso Cookies and 2009 Barista Pinotage.

Chocolate Espresso Cookies
adapted from The Foster’s Market Cookbook
My secret – Scharffen Berger 62% cacao semisweet chocolate and ground espresso beans.  (grocery store chocolate chips are too sweet) 

1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into cubes and softened
1 cup sugar
1-1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons finely ground espresso beans
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
9.7 oz. Scharffen Berger Semisweet 62% cacao chocolate, chopped

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F
2.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
3.  In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time mixing and scraping down sides in between each addition.  Add vanilla and ground espresso beans.
4.  In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
5.  Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend just until incorporated.  Stir in chocolate pieces.
6.  Scoop dough on to baking sheets with a 2 oz. ice cream scoop or a heaping tablespoon.
7.  Bake 16-18 minutes. Cool on a rack.