Giant Toffee-Chocolate Cookies

The word "cookie" is derived from the Dutch word "keokje", meaning little cakes. Although they have been around for hundreds of years, the first cookies were actually created purely by accident...cake-bakers would put a dollop of batter onto a cookie sheet and bake for a reduced amount of time in order to check for proper cooking temperatures. Sometime in the nineteenth century, the British took a liking to them and began to serve them with their afternoon tea, creating a new afternoon snackthat, more than a few centuries later, children of all ages still enjoy today.

Seeing as February is the chocolate month, nothing seems more fitting than to profile these delicious and easy-to-make chocolate toffee cookies.  Trust me...your children will thank you.  Their melt-in-your-mouth texture, and gooey centre are guaranteed to send your little cooks to the pantry in no time...either to help you make them or to haul out the ingredients so you can prepare them yourself. Either way, served with a glass of milk and a cup of tea, they make the perfect after school or evening snack for you to share with your child while catching up on the events of the day. 

Giant Toffee-Chocolate Cookies (adapted from Epicurious.com)

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

• 1 3/4 cups (packed) brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup of toffee bits (Skor pieces bought in your local grocery store or from your bulk food supplier)
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• Combine flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl; whisk to blend. Stir chocolate and butter in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Cool mixture to lukewarm.

  Using electric mixer, beat sugar and eggs in bowl until thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture, then toffee pieces.  Chill batter until firm, about 45 minutes.

  Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto sheets, spacing 2 1/2 inches apart. Make sure to space adequately, as these will spread to be large cookies.  Bake just until tops are dry and cracked but cookies are still soft to touch, about 15 minutes. Cool on sheets. Store in an airtight container.