“Gluten-free” has become almost a food fashion statement in recent years, but I always wonder how someone can live without good pizza, pasta, baguettes, croissants and many delicious sweet creations.
This cookie is for everyone – whether you eat gluten-free or don’t. When you bake these cookies your house will smell like warm chocolate … perfect for the spring season. Yes, you really taste chocolate!
And be sure to save those egg yolks….for the pastry cream, flan or crème brûlée, vanilla ice cream… – all good, traditional and gluten-free!
Flourless Chocolate-Walnut Cookies, Ultra-chocolatey!
Recipe adapted from gourmet notes by Kaku Ming
Makes 40 cookies
Ingredients:
½ cup (2.2oz./70g) unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch processed
2 cups (7oz./200g) confectioners’ sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large egg whites (3oz./ 90g), at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup (4oz./120g) raw walnuts, lightly toasted and roughly chopped
2/3 cup (4oz./120g) dark chocolate chips (50-60% cacao)
Position 2 racks in the upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In a medium-size bowl, combine the cocoa powder, sugar and salt. Mix well and stir in the walnuts. Add the egg whites and vanilla. Mix until the mixture has slightly thickened. Do not overmix. Stir in the chocolate chips.
With a ½-ounce ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop the batter onto baking sheets. They will be about 2-inches in diameter, have 2-inches space between cookies batter (20 cookies each cooking sheet pan). Bake cookies until tops are lightly cracked and glossy, about 15-18 minutes. In a half way baking, switch the baking pans top and bottom.
Store in an airtight container or cookie jar at room temperature for up to a few days.
