| My MIL found the recipe that I had left at her house last year. Here it is for anyone that would like to try it: INGREDIENTS; Cookie Base: 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 2 tablespoons water 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips TOPPING; 1 1/2 cups ( 9ounces) semisweet chocolate chips 3/4 cup (about 5 ounces) crushed peppermint candy ( crush with a rolling pin into smal pieces) DIRECTIONS: Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Have ready two baking sheets. Prepare the cookie base. In a medium bowl, stir the flour, baking soda and salt together. Sift the cocoa powder onto the flour mixture and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on low speed, mix the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, water and vanilla until smooth, about 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. Add the flour mixture, mixing just until the flour is incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips. Leaving a 3-inch border empty on all sides, use a thin metal spatula to spread half of the dough on one baking sheet into a rough rectangle that measures about 11 by 8 inches and is about 1'4 inch thick. Use the palms of your hands to help pat it into an even layer. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough on the second baking sheet. Bake one baking sheet at a time until the top looks dull, not shiny, and feels evenly firm at the edges and center, about 14 minutes. As soon as each baking sheet comes out of the oven, sprinkle 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips over the cookie slab. Let the chocolate chips sit for 5 minutes to soften and melt, then use a small metal spatula to spread the melted chocolate over the cookie, covering most of the cookie. While the chocolate is still warm. sprinkle half the peppermint candy evenly over the slab. Let the cookie bark cool on the baking sheets on a wire rack until the chocolate topping is firm, about 2 hours. Or, to speed the cooling, cool the cookies on the baking sheets for about 30 minutes, then refrigerate them, still on the baking sheets, just until the chocolate topping firms, then remove from the refrigerator. The cookie bark will become crisp as it cools. Break each cookie slab into about twelve 5 to 6 inch long irregular pieces. The cookies can be stored layered between sheets of wax paper in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 5 days. |