Chocolate Cookies

Directions

1. 1
   preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. 2
   in a sifter combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. 3
   sift onto a large piece of wax paper and set aside until needed.
4. 4
   heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat.
5. 5
   with the heat on, place 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, the unsweetened chocoate, and butter in the top half of the double boiler.
6. 6
   use a rubber spatula to stir the chocolate and butter until completely melted and smooth, about 6 minutes.
7. 7
   transfer the melted chocolate mixture to a 1 quart bowl and set aside until needed (you're not a true chocophile if you have not swiped at least on finger's worth of melted chocolate!
8. 8
   ).
9. 9
   place eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract in the bowl and mix with an electric mixer, beat on medium for 4 minutes until soft.
10. 10
    use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl, then continue to beat on medium for one minute until incorporated.
11. 11
    scrape down the bowl.
12. 12
    add the sifted dry ingredients and the remaining 4 ounces semilsweet chocolated and mix on low until just incorporated, about 30 seconds.
13. 13
    remove the mixer and use a spatula to finish mixing the dough until thoroughly combined.
14. 14
    using a heaping tablespoon of dough for each cookie, about 3/4 oz, portion out 12 cookies, evenly spaced, onto each of 3 nonstick baking sheets.
15. 15
    place the baking sheest on the top and center racks of the preheated oven and bake for 9-10 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to center halfway through the baking time, at that time turn each sheet 180 degrees.
16. 16
    remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature on the baking sheets, about 1/2 hour.
17. 17
    store the cooled cookies in a tightly sealed plastic container until ready to eat.