Ingredients For 40 cookies :
3/4 cup /100 gram all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
70 grams unsalted butter, sliced
226 grams semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup/130 grams granulated sugar
2 large cold eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
granulated sugar to cover (about 1/3 cup
For the filling:
115 g chocolate (white, milk, dark or ruby), chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 spoonful of canola oil (optional)
Richly chocolatey, sprinkled with sugar on the outside and filled with soft chocolate or jam in the center, these cookies are a double delight: delightful to eat and fun to make.
Although “fingerprints” is an apt name, it’s a misnomer: you use every part of your hands to form them. The cookies need to be pinched, ironed, rolled and pierced before being sent to the oven.
This is a great project for kids – little fingers are perfect for forming dimples in the dough. What you fill them with is up to you. Chocolate or jam, natural pink ruby chocolate is especially beautiful and delicious.
Recipe: Double chocolate chip cookies – step by step preparation
Prepare the cookies: mix the flour, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl. Place a medium sized heatproof bowl over a saucepan of slowly boiling water; do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl.
Toss in pieces of butter and chocolate. Heat, stirring occasionally, until butter and chocolate are melted, 5 to 7 minutes.
Remove the bowl from the pan and pour in the sugar. Don’t be alarmed when the mixture becomes grainy. One by one, add the cold eggs, beating vigorously until the mixture is thick and smooth and the whisk leaves no marks.
Whisk in the vanilla, then switch to a spatula and add the flour in 3 batches, mixing gently between each addition until the flour has dissolved into the batter. Press a piece of plastic wrap over the surface of the dough and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 4 days.
Bake the cookies: When you are ready to bake, heat the oven to 350°F / 176°C. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Pour the granulated sugar into a small bowl and, if you have one, keep a wine bottle stopper handy. Using a small cookie spoon or measuring spoon, scoop out a mountain of dough, each with a small tablespoon.
Roll the dough into balls, then coat them in sugar to coat. Place the balls on a baking tray, leaving about 5 cm of space for them to spread. Press a cork into the center of each cookie or make an indentation with your thumb.
Bake 1 sheet for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are firm. Transfer the baking tray to a rack. The indentations will rise in the oven, so you will need to press them down again. Repeat with the second sheet. Allow the cookies to cool completely.
Fill the dimples: Melt milk, dark or ruby chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. If you are using white chocolate, add the butter before you melt it and stir until smooth.
While the chocolate is still warm and liquid, use a small spoon to fill each cavity to the edges, letting the chocolate fall off the end of the spoon. Place the cookies in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to let the chocolate set.
Cookies keep for about 5 days in a covered container at room temperature. Enjoy!
