Cherry Chocolate Chip Fudgy Wudgies
by Nancy Baggett
February is Bake for Family Fun month, and it’s also the
month we celebrate Valentine’s Day. So, it’s a very
good time to gather in the kitchen and make some irresistible
chocolatey sweets to give as gifts or share with family or friends.
These yummy Cherry-Chocolate Chip Fudgie Wudgies are easy to make,
quick to bake, and guaranteed to fly off the plate. For an enticing
touch of holiday color, decorate the cookie tops with red or pink
colored sugar or sprinkles, or with tiny bits of candied or maraschino
cherries.
The custom of giving Valentines’ gifts–first in the
form of messages, then cards, then edible goodies–is an
old one. This recipe, however, is modern. One way to tell is that
it calls for chocolate morsels—these weren’t even
invented until 1939! (The Nestle Company created them to go in
classic Toll House Cookies, which were first made in 1931 when
a Mrs. Wakefield added chopped-up chocolate bars to some buttery
dough.) It also calls for condensed milk and baking powder–neither
of these useful ingredients was available to American home bakers
until the mid-nineteenth century.
Because these ultra-chocolatey drop cookies are very rich and
candy-like, it’s best to make 
them
fairly small. Also, be sure to use sweetened condensed milk and
not evaporated milk. (Evaporated milk is not thick enough or sweet
enough and will not work!) The sweetness of the condensed milk,
and the sugar in the chocolate and cherry jam provide all the
sugar this recipe needs. If you have trouble finding dried cherries
or prefer a more economical alternative, dried sweetened cranberries
(sometimes called Craisins) can be substituted with excellent
results. In this case, you’ll be making Cherry-Berry Chocolate
Chip Fudgie Wudgies!
Tip: It’s normal for the dough to be fairly soft when dropped
onto the cookie sheets. Nevertheless, it will set up fine and
doesn’t spread too much during baking.
2 cups (1 12-ounce package) semisweet chocolate morsels, divided
1/4 cup (½ stick) butter, preferably unsalted
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup dried sweetened cherries or dried sweetened cranberries,
chopped if very large
3 tablespoons cherry jam or cherry preserves
1/4 teaspoon almond extract or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 1/3 cups all-purpose white flour
1/4 cup unsweetened American-style or Dutch process cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Red colored crystal sugar or small bits of candied cherries or
maraschino cherries for decoration
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line several baking sheets
with baking parchment or aluminum foil. (Don’t omit or cookies
may stick to pans.)
In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt half the chocolate morsels
and butter in a microwave oven on 100 power for 1 minute. Stir
mixture well. If necessary, microwave at 50 percent power, for
20 to 30 seconds longer; stop and stir before the chocolate completely
melts, allowing the residual heat finish the job. (Alternatively,
in a large heavy saucepan warm the chocolate and butter over lowest
heat, stirring frequently, until almost melted; watch very carefully
and don’t overheat or the chocolate will burn. Immediately
set aside; stir occasionally until smooth.)
Thoroughly stir the condensed milk, cherries (or cranberries),
cherry jam, and almond extract into the melted chocolate mixture
until well blended. Add the egg, stirring well. Thoroughly stir
together the flour, cocoa, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
Stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until well blended.
Stir in the remaining chocolate morsels; dough will be soft. Let
the dough stand 5 minutes to firm up just slightly. Drop the dough
by heaping measuring tablespoonfuls, spacing about 2 inches apart
on the baking sheets. Sprinkle the cookie tops lightly with colored
sugar, or press a small bit of cherry into the center top of each
cookie. (If using maraschino cherries, pat them dry on paper towels
first.)
Bake, one pan at a time, on the center oven rack for 6 to 10 minutes,
or until barely firm when pressed in the center top; be careful
not to over-bake. (The cookies will still look shiny and fudgy.)
Set aside on a rack and allow the cookies to cool and firm up
about 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks; they are
too tender to move when hot. Let stand until completely cooled.
These cookies will keep, covered and in a cool place, for 3 or
4 days. They may also be frozen, tightly covered, for up to a
month.
Make about 40 to 45 2 ½ inch cookies.
