Chocolate Sparkle Cookies

This recipe is from the executive pastry chef, Thomas Haas, of the Senses Bakery in Vancouver. The Vancouver Sun proclaimed it "the best cookie in the world." I just baked it this morning and had it with my morning coffee...it's like heaven...tastes like a baked truffle! Cooking time is chilling time.

• Ready In: 9 hrs
• Yields: 36 cookies

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 lb  semisweet chocolate or 1⁄2 lb bittersweet chocolate (I used Valrhona 70% cocoa)
• 3  tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 2  eggs
• 1⁄3 cup sugar, plus more for rolling
• 3⁄4 cup  ground almonds or 3⁄4 cup  almond meal
•  powdered sugar, for garnish

Directions

1. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over, but not touching, simmering water.
2. Remove from the heat.
3. Cut the butter into a few pieces and mix into the chocolate until melted.
4. Beat the eggs with an electric mixer, gradually adding the sugar until ribbons form (about 4 minutes on medium-high).
5. Fold in the chocolate-butter mixture.
6. Gently add the ground almonds.
7. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
8. Heat the oven to 325 degrees.
9. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
10. Use a cookie scoop to form the dough into 1-inch balls.
11. Roll the balls in granulated sugar, place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart and immediately place in the oven.
12. Bake until the center of the cookies is no longer wet, 9 to 12 minutes.
13. When slightly cool, lightly dust the cookies with powdered sugar.