Chocolate Toffee Cookies

(notice my new silpat liners on the right? and also my new 3 tier cookie rack? Santa was good to me!)

Its the new year and what do I bring you? salad? something low fat/carb-free/zero calories? guess again. Its chocolatey, loaded with toffee and goes well with ice cold milk. You guessed it, the chocolate toffee cookie! They are rich, rich, rich and that is fine with me. Melanie has never led me astray yet, these are another My Kitchen Cafe hit! Make sure you use actual chopped chocolate and that you are not sneakily substituting chocolate chips. Chocolate chips, while lovely in many recipes, have wax around them to help them hold their shape and therefore, when using chocolate that is to be melted for cookies, use REAL chocolate and chop it up. And don't be grossed out because I just told you chocolate chips have wax, its a scant amount and you'll get over it. Meanwhile, start chopping!

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound semisweet chocolate, chopped (I like the Bakers brand)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 3/4 cups brown sugar, (unless noted, always pack brown sugar when measuring)
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
5 1.4-ounce chocolate-covered English toffee bars (I used Skor bars), coarsely chopped

Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in small bowl. Place chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on 50% power for two minutes. Stir and continue microwaving in one minute (50% power) increments, stirring after each minute, until chocolate and butter are melted and combined. Cool mixture to lukewarm.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar and eggs in bowl until thick, about 3 minutes. Beat in chocolate mixture and vanilla.

Stir in flour mixture, then chopped toffee bars. Chill batter until firm, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Drop batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto sheets, spacing two inches apart. Bake just until tops are dry and cracked but cookies are still soft to touch, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Let them cool on the PAN for at least 5 minutes before you move to the RACK. they are too soft to move any earlier. :)
(Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)