CONTEST COOKIES: Chocolate-Orange Decadence Cookies

CHOCOLATE-ORANGE DECADENCE COOKIES
An original recipe by BumbleBeeBoogie

2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon orange zest, finely minced
8 ounces good quality bittersweet or semisweet slab chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups raw walnuts or pecans, or a combination of both, coarsely chopped
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Grease and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper, or grease 2 non-stick cookie sheets.

In a small bowl, cream the eggs, sugar, vanilla and orange extracts.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and orange zest.

Put the chopped slab chocolate pieces into a bowl or a large measuring cup in a microwave oven; heat on medium power for 2 to 2-1/2 minutes; stir to mix; cool slightly.

Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture; stir to blend. Then add the slightly cooled melted slab chocolate chunks to the egg/flour mixture; beat to blend. Add the chopped nuts and the 6 ounces of chocolate chips and stir to thoroughly mix.

Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F. Set the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.

Scoop rounded tablespoons of batter and place them 1-1/2 inches apart on the cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the surface of the cookies look dry but the centers are still gooey.

Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the cooling racks. Cool completely before stacking or storing in a tightly sealed container for 2 to 3 days.

Makes 30 2-1/2-inch cookies

NOTE: To bake the cookies at a later date, roll the cookie dough into a log; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough up to 2 days, or freeze up to 2 months. When ready to bake, cut the log into 3/4-inch slices; place 1-1/2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes at 350 degrees F.