Biscuits Très Chocolat
Very Chocolate Cookies
If chocolate shops were chocolate chips, Paris would be one super-loaded cookie: the city is blessed with dozens of excellent chocolatiers, fine artisans who pride themselves on selecting the best chocolate, or even processing their own cacao beans.

Whenever I walk by one of these chocolate shops, my feet propel me inside of their own accord. I take deep breaths to stock up on the rich scents, study the selection carefully, ask the salesperson for advice, and walk away with the chocolate bar of my choice, elegantly wrapped and safely tucked at the bottom of my purse – were I to be the victim of pickpockets, I’d rather lose my wallet.

As a result, I always have one or two or six half-eaten bars in my secret chocolate stash (why I keep it a secret is beyond me, since Maxence doesn’t even like the bittersweet stuff I am partial to), from which I break off little chunks to nibble on with my post-lunch coffee shot.

As far as espresso companions go, it’s hard to beat a simple square of ebony chocolate, but these tiny turbocharged cookies follow very closely. Crispy and crumbly, they get their intense chocolate flavour from four different sources: the velvet of melted chocolate, the smooth bite of chocolate chunks, the strength of cocoa powder, and the raw crunch of cacao nibs.

60g all-purpose flour

60g whole wheat flour

30g unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

140g good-quality bittersweet chocolate

30g roasted cacao nibs (see box)

110g unsalted butter, at room temperature

100g (packed) light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or kosher salt (or 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Variation: Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of ground piment d’Espelette (or any moderately hot ground chile powder) to the flour mixture: the heat of chile is a delightful match to the warmth of the chocolate.

 Makes about four dozens bite-size cookies
Special equipment: a baking sheet
Chilling time: 20 minutes

1. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flours, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

2. Melt half of the chocolate (70g) in a double boiler, or in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring from time to time to dissolve. (Alternatively, place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on low for 10 seconds at a time, stirring with a fork in between.) Set aside. Chop the remaining 70g chocolate into chip-sized bits, combine with the cacao nibs, and set aside.

3. Place the butter in the bowl of a food processor, and process until creamy (you can also do this by hand in a medium mixing bowl, armed with a sturdy spatula). Add the sugar, salt, and vanilla, and mix until combined. Pour in the melted chocolate and mix again.

4. Add the reserved flour mixture, and mix until just combined. Transfer the dough into the bowl you used for the flour mix: the next step needs to be done by hand. Fold the chopped chocolate and cacao nibs into the dough, working with a wooden spoon and/or your hands to incorporate them. The dough will be quite thick, but don’t overmix it.

5. Cover the dough with plastic wrap, and chill for 20 minutes. (You can chill it for up to a day – the dough will be a bit harder, but it will soften as you work with it. You can also wrap it tightly and freeze for up to a month.)

6. Preheat the oven to 180° C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the fridge. Carve out rounded teaspoons of dough, shape them into slightly flattened balls with the tips of your fingers, and place them on the prepared baking sheet, separating them by a centimetre. Put in the oven to bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops are just set: the cookies will still be a little soft, but they will harden as they cool. Transfer the sheet of parchment paper cautiously to a rack, and let cool completely. The cookies will keep for 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature, or they can be frozen for up to a month.

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