2.4ounces1/4 cup plus one tablespoon sugar, plus additional for dipping
1tablespoonhoney
8.2ouncesbittersweet chocolate*
3tablespoonsbutter
2.6ouncesslivered almondsabout 5/8 cup sliver almonds measured before grinding ground to a fine powder
1/2teaspoonsalt
2teaspoonsnon-dutch processed cocoa powder*
Instructions
Combine the eggs, sugar, and honey in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat with the whisk attachment on high speed until the mixture reaches a thick ribbon stage.
Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, stirring to combine. Cool slightly.
Toss the almond flour, salt, and cocoa in a bowl until well combined. Add to the melted chocolate and mix until fully incorporated.
Add a quarter of the whipped egg mixture to the chocolate to lighten. Stir until no egg is visible. Gently fold the remainder of the egg mixture into the chocolate until well combined, being careful to maintain the aerated quality of the eggs.
Chill in the refrigerator until solid.
Place a few tablespoons of sugar in a small bowl. Using the
smallest cookie scoop
available (about the size of a melon baller), scoop out individual cookies, roll them in the sugar, and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan 1/2 inch apart. Freeze uncovered until very hard, about an hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Before baking, roll each cookie in sugar again. Bake 10 minutes, rotating the pan after 5 minutes to ensure even baking. Cookies should be slightly crackled but the sugar should not be browned.
Make ahead: after freezing, place the cookies in a sealable plastic bag and store in the freezer. To serve, remove what you need and continue with the directions above (i.e., dip in sugar again and bake).
*This recipe is rather persnickety when it comes to ingredients. The first couple of batches I made used the luscious Valrhona chocolate and cocoa powder. The cookies simply would not freeze, which causes them to flatten and melt during baking. They were still delicious, but not attractive. The author recommends using either Callebaut or Lindt chocolate, and Callebaut Extra Brute cocoa powder. Eventually, I caved and bought the Callebaut. The effort of hunting it down was worth it, both for this recipe and the lovely quality of the chocolate in general. If you can't find Callebaut locally, try the Lindt, as Gesine suggests. I also found that using 2 heaping teaspoons of cocoa powder (rather than leveled) seems to allow the cookies to reliably freeze solid.