Ingredients
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups Valrhona cocoa powder
6 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
5 1/2 cups walnut halves, toasted and coarsely chopped (see NOTE)
8 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
Preparation
Position oven racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven; preheat to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
Combine the cocoa powder, confectioners’ sugar, salt, chocolate chips and walnuts in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, then gradually add the egg whites and vanilla extract. Increase the speed to medium; beat for 3 minutes (and no more). The mixture will have thickened only slightly.
Use a 2-ounce (4-tablespoon; 1/4-cup) disher or scoop to transfer 6 mounds of dough to each baking sheet, spacing the mounds at least 3 inches apart.
Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, then rotate the baking sheets top to bottom and front to back; bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until small, thin cracks appear on the surface of the cookies.
Pull the parchment paper with the cookies onto a wire cooling rack; let the cookies cool completely before removing them from the paper.
NOTE: Toast the nuts in a medium, dry skillet over medium-low heat for several minutes or just until fragrant and lightly browned, shaking the pan as needed to prevent scorching. Cool completely before using.
