Absolutely deep dark chocolate fudge cookies

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.04
  
       Title: ABSOLUTELY DEEP DARK CHOCOLATE FUDGE COOKIES
  Categories: Biscuits
       Yield: 2 Servings
  
            Stephen Ceideburg
 
 MMMMM--------------------------COOKIES-------------------------------
     1/2 c  Unsweetened cocoa
   1 1/2 c  All-purpose flour
       1 ts Baking soda
       1 ts Salt
       8 oz Semisweet baking chocolate,
            -broken
       4 oz Unsweetened baking
            -chocolate, broken
   1 1/2 c  Firmly packed light brown
            -sugar
     3/4 c  Unsalted butter
       3    Eggs
       1 ts Vanilla
      18 oz Semisweet chocolate chips
 
 MMMMM-----------------OPTIONAL CHOCOLATE GANACHE----------------------
       1 c  Whipping cream
       2 tb Unsalted butter
       2 tb Granulated sugar
      12 oz Semisweet baking chocolate,
            -broken
  
   To prepare Cookies: Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
   
   Sift together cocoa, flour, baking soda and salt onto a sheet of wax
   paper. Set aside.
   
   Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom of a double boiler over medium
   heat. Place semisweet and unsweetened baking chocolate in top half of
   the double boiler. Tightly cover the top pan with plastic wrap and
   heat 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir chocolate until
   smooth. Keep at room temperature.
   
   Place brown sugar and butter in the bowl of electric mixer and beat on
   medium speed 1 minute. Scrape down bowl and beat on high speed
   additional 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl. Add eggs, 1 at a time, while
   beating on medium, stopping to scrape down bowl after incorporating
   each addition.
   
   Add vanilla and beat on medium 30 seconds. Add melted baking
   chocolate and beat on low 10 seconds more. Scrape down bowl and beat
   additional 30 seconds. Add flour mixture and beat on low until
   thoroughly combined, 20 to 30 seconds. Remove bowl from mixer, add
   chocolate chips and mix thoroughly with rubber spatula.
   
   Using 2 baking sheets, portion 6 to 8 cookies per baking sheet by
   dropping 2 level tablespoons batter per cookie onto each sheet. Place
   pans on top and middle shelves of oven. Bake 18 to 22 minutes,
   rotating sheets from top to bottom about halfway through baking time.
   Cool cookies on pans 5 to 6 minutes.
   
   Transfer cookies to wire rack. Repeat procedure until all cookies
   have been baked. Cool cookies thoroughly before storing in sealed
   plastic container.
   
   To prepare Chocolate Ganache: Heat cream, butter and sugar in medium
   saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, stir to dissolve sugar.
   Bring mixture to boil.
   
   Place chocolate in stainless steel bowl and pour boiling cream over
   chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool to room
   temperature. (Ganache can be made 3 to 4 days ahead and refrigerated.
   Reheat, stirring. Bring to room temperature before using.)
   
   Put ganache in a serving bowl, so guests can dip their cookies in
   before eating. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.
   
   Adapted from "Death by Chocolate" Marcel Desaulniers.
   
   Makes 3 to 3 1/2 dozen cookies.
   
   From the Oregonian's FOODday, 2/9/93.
   
   Posted by Stephen Ceideburg
  
 MMMMM