... a man you don’t meet every day
Marc David Richard Rigby
July 27, 1969 – January 21, 2011
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Marc's Xmas Baskets 2010: Chocolate Cherry Toffee Cookies
2 ¼ c. all-purpose flour
½ c. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar
¾ c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
1 c. plump, moist, dried sour cherries
3 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped into chunks about the size of the cherries
1 c. English toffee pieces for baking, such as Skor Bits
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two heavy baking sheets, not non-stick, with parchment paper and set aside. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together into a bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars until light in colour and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla. Stir in the flour-mixture in three additions, blending just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in the chunky ingredients and mix until they seem evenly distributed. (The dough may be frozen at this point for up to 4 months: wrap the dough securely in plastic wrap then in a plastic freezer bag. Thaw the dough in the refrigerator without removing its wrapping before portioning the cookies and baking.)
2. Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets and place them in the centre of the oven. Bake the cookies for 15 to 18 minutes, or until barely set in the centre and just firm around the edges. Rotate sheets once or twice. Cool the cookies on the tray for 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before storing. Store the cookies in airtight containers, layered between sheets of parchment or waxed paper, for up to 5 days.
Makes 40 large cookies