Black and White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

My flea marketing friend, Janet, gave me this older issue of Bon Appetit from August 2006. Now, if you knew Janet, you'd question why in the world she even had this magazine! She never cooks or bakes and even goes out for breakfast! She's never used her oven. But she a generous person just the same! Thanks Janet!

So to the cookies. These chocolate cookies sounded really great and they were very chocolatey, probably because I used Valhrona cocoa powder that I'd bought at Whole Foods a while back. And the addition of the brown sugar gave them a nice mellow caramel flavor that you don't always get in a chocolate cookie. I didn't have white chocolate chunks so I used white chocolate chips. I think they'd really be better with the chunks, though. I did omit the pecans but adding them would certainly make the cookie more chunky.
They were quite easy to make and I made mine kind of on the large size.

Whisk your dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
Then beat the sugars, shortening and butter til fluffy.
Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the dry, stir and add the white chocolate and nuts.
Drop cookies ( I used a cookie scoop) and flatten slightly before baking.


Black and White Chocolate Chunk Cookies ( from Bon Appetit August 2006 issue)

Nonstick veg. oil spray
2 cups AP flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup ( 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
12 oz. coarsely chopped high quality white chocolate
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Spray baking sheets with non stick spray. ( I used parchment )

1. In medium bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
2. In mixing bowl, beat sugars, shortening and butter til fluffy.
3. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
4. Add dry ingredients and stir to combine.
5. Stir in white chocolate and pecans.
6. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls, spacing 2" apart. Flatten slightly.
7. Bake cookies til just set, about 13 minutes.
8. Cool on wire racks.

*Cookies can be made 3 days ahead.*