Chocolate Cherry Ganache Cookies

By pumpkinpassion

Ingredients

• 4 * 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/2 * 1 1/2 c semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 * 1/2 c unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• 1/2 * 1/2 c all-purpose flour
• 1/2 * 1/2 t baking powder
• 4 * 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 1/2 * 1 1/2 c granulated sugar
• 3 * 3 T dutch process cocoa powder
• 2 * 2 T amaretto liqueur, or similar
• 1 1/2 * 1 1/2 c dried-cherries
• 1/2 * 1/2 T salt

Preparation

Step 1

a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water melt the unsweetened chocolate, 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate chips, and the butter, stirring until the mixture is smooth, and remove the bowl from the heat.

In a small bowl stir together the flour, the baking powder, and the 1/2 teaspoon salt.

In a bowl beat the eggs and the sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture is thick and pale and beat in the cocoa powder and the Amaretto. Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, fold in the flour mixture, and stir in the dried cherries. The dough will be quite wet, almost like cake batter.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap pressed against the mixture and refrigerate at least 3 hours, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using a small scoop form the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, about 2-inches apart. Bake the cookies 10-12 minutes, or until they are puffed and shiny and cracked on top. The should be very soft when they come out of the oven. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets, transfer them to racks, and let them cool completely.
They will firm up as they cool, and are even better the next day.
Notes

I have made these both in convection and regular ovens and the convection produces a crackly crust far superior to the regular oven.