Chocolate-Toffee Cookies
Makes 27 cookies

Shop:
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder (NOT baking SODA)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (this is about a bag and a third of chocolate chips usually)
1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter (helps to chop this into pieces for easy melting)
1 3/4 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (splurge and buy the real stuff, NOT imitiation extract)
5 (1.4-ounce) chocolate-covered English toffee candy bars (such as Heath or Skor), coarsely chopped (1 bag of heath bar pieces, found next to the chocolate chips)
1 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped (you can leave these out)
parchment paper (near aluminum foil)

Cook:
1. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl; whisk to blend.

2. Make a double boiler. Get a pot and fill with about an inch of water. Find a bowl that fits on top of the pot. Turn the stove on low. Stir the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Be sure to constantly stir the mixture since you don't want the chocolate to burn. Be careful because there will be steam escaping from beneath the bowl (I use a towel or tongs to hold the bowl in place while I stir).

Remove the mixture from the heat and cool to lukewarm. While it cools, using an electric mixer, beat the sugar and eggs in a separate, large bowl until thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in the chocolate mixture and the vanilla (add the chocolate mixture little by little). Stir in the flour (little by little otherwise you end up with a face full of flour) mixture, then the toffee and (optionally) nuts. Chill the batter until firm, at least 45 minutes and up to one day.

3. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop the batter by ice-cream scoopfuls (this makes WAY too large of cookies. I use a small spoonful, maybe about 1/2 to 3/4 the size of a golf ball) onto the baking sheets, spacing them about 2 1/2 inches apart. Bake the cookies just until dry and cracked on top but still soft to the touch in the center, about 15 minutes (with the smaller size, it's usually about 12 minutes, but it really depends on your oven. Watch the cookies carefully. You can test if they are done by using a toothpick like for brownies. If it comes out clean, it's done). Cool on the baking sheets. (The cookies can be prepared two days ahead; store in an airtight container at room temperature.)