Chocolate Turtle Cookies

These cookies are sold at The Golden Pear, a specialty foods and coffee shop just blocks away from the most elite seacoast real estate in Southampton, New York. The cookies were featured in Chocoaltier magazine, and editor in chief Barbara Albright was on "Live" on the Kathy and Regis show to demonstrate this chocolaty treat. It ended up in Cooking with Regis and Kathy Lee Cookbook and now here it is for you!

• Ready In: 44 mins
• Yields: 24 cookies, about

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons instant espresso powder (I grind coffee beans in the coffee grinder)
• 2  teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 12  ounces  semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 4  ounces  unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1⁄4 cup unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 4  large eggs, lightly beaten (at room temperature)
• 2  cups  coarsely chopped walnuts (or pecans)
• 12  ounces  about 2 cups  semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2  cups pecan halves, for decoration

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. In a small cup, dissolve the espresso powder in the vanilla extract.
5. In the top of a double boiler over hot, but not simmering water, melt the coarsely chopped chocolates with the butter, stirring frequently until smooth.
6. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a large bowl. Using a wire whisk, stir in 1/2 cup of the sugar. Gradually stir in the eggs. Mix in the remaining 1 cup of sugar and the espresso/vanilla mixture. Stir in the flour mixture. Stir in the chopped nuts and chocolate chips.
7. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. Insert 5 pecan halves around the bottom of each cookie to represent the "turtle's" 4 legs and head.
8. Bake the cookies, 1 baking sheet at a time, for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookie's tops start to crack. Do not overbake; the cookies should be soft and fudgy.
9. Cool the cookies on the sheets, set on a wire rack.
10. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. These cookies freeze well.