Continuing to explore excellent combinations, the kitchens of Full Moon Cuisine decided to visit an age old pairing: chocolate and mint... but with the volume turned up. The result was a cookie bringing in four times the chocolate and still with plenty of mint flavor to please your diners. With a little bit of time, you'll have some excellent treats. Here's what you'll need:

- 2 tbsp butter (at room temp)
- 2 large eggs (at room temp)
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 6 oz chocolate (I used a combination of bittersweet and semisweet)
- 5 oz (half a bag) of mint-chocolate baking chips
- Pinch of salt

Note: This recipe will make approximately two dozen cookies.

To begin, preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Using a microwave safe bowl, or a double boiler, melt the chocolate (semisweet and bittersweet: chocolates one and two) with the butter together, stirring often. If you use a microwave, heat the chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring after each. Once melted, stir, and then set aside to cool.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder (chocolate number three), then set aside. Using an electric mixer, in a separate bowl, combine the sugar, eggs (one at a time), and vanilla together. Once combined, slowly add in your dry ingredients (in thirds) and mix until just combined. Takes your cooled chocolate and add to your mixture, then finish by adding in your mint chocolate baking chips (chocolate number four). Park in your fridge for about 10 minutes to let the dough firm up a bit.

On parchment paper lined cookie sheets, portion out 1 1/4" wide mounds of the dough, using damp fingers to gently press down to flatten. Park in your oven for approximately 15 minutes, turning the trays halfway through to help ensure even cooking. By now, your house will smell of warmed chocolate mint, a truly welcoming scent. Once finished, let the cookies rest on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then let them finish cooling on wire cooling racks.

Take a classic pairing, chocolate and mint, and then present them in a whole new way by upping the amount of chocolate (odds are, your diners will not complain about having more chocolate!). With the mint to add a nice smooth flavor, these cookies are guaranteed to have your diners asking for more. To help prepare even more perfect pairings of chocolate and mint, the kitchen will be staying open late. Care to place an order?

Want to know what this challenge is all about? Check out my journal and feel free to send in recipes for cookies! http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3096204/