Chocolate-Espresso Snowcaps

These add a delicious grown-up twist to the a traditional cookie-tray favorite. I know I am guaranteed to smile when I make it each year thinking of a "baking day" full of laughter and conversation with 'Zaar chef KerrBear. From Everyday Food's December 2003 issue.***ADOPTED***

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Yields: 18-24 cookies

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 cup  unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
• 4  teaspoons instant espresso or 4  teaspoons instant coffee
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 4  tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2⁄3 cup  packed light brown sugar
• 1  large egg
• 4  ounces bittersweet chocolate (it can still be warm, just not so hot it would curdle an egg) or 4  ounces  semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled (it can still be warm, just not so hot it would curdle an egg)
• 1  tablespoon milk
•  powdered sugar, for coating

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, espresso, cocoa, baking powder and salt.
2. Don't skip the sifting process.
3. If you are using instant coffee, be sure to press the coffee pieces through the sieve so they become smaller grains that are totally incorporated into the cookies.
4. With an electric mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
5. Beat in egg until combined; mix in cooled chocolate.
6. With mixer on low, add flour a little at a time.
7. Then beat in milk until just combined.
8. The dough will be very wet-- flatten it into a disk and wrap it in plastic wrap, then freeze until firm.
9. That takes about 45 minutes, but you can freeze it longer if you want to make the cookies the next day.
10. Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit.
11. Line two baking sheets with parchment or foil.
12. Shape dough into one-inch balls.
13. The dough is still messy, so it helps to roll very fast, and sprinkle a little powdered sugar on your hands between cookies.
14. Pour powdered sugar (about 1/2 cup) into a medium bowl.
15. Working with a few cookies at a time, roll the balls in sugar two times.
16. Make sure they are completely coated and no dark dough is visible.
17. Place on baking sheets 2 inches apart, and bake until cookies have spread and coating is cracked, about 12 minutes.
18. Cookies will still be soft to the touch, but do not overbake.
19. Cool cookies on a wire rack.