Fudge Drops - bittersweet chocolate

Method

• In a double boiler, or in the microwave, gently melt together the chocolate and butter.
• To avoid heating the chocolate too much and possibly burning it, the best method is to heat till the butter is melted and the chocolate has partially melted, then remove from the heat.
• Stir till all the chocolate melts.
• In a separate bowl, beat together the sugar and eggs till they're thoroughly combined.
• Add the hot melted chocolate, then stir in the remaining ingredients, including the chocolate chips, if you're using them.
• Refrigerate the batter-like dough for 1 hour, to make it easier to handle.
• Preheat the oven to 325F Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets, three if you have them.
• Drop the cookie dough by tablespoonfuls (about the size of a small ping pong ball) onto the prepared baking sheets.
• A tablespoon cookie scoop makes this task extremely simple.
• Leave about 2" between the dough balls, as they'll spread as they bake.
• Bake the cookies for 11 to 12 minutes, until their tops are shiny and cracked.
• They won't crack until the very end, so keep a close eye on them; when they're cracked all the way across the top surface, they're just about done.
• The point is, you want these baked all the way through, but just barely; additional baking will make them crisp rather than chewy.
• Remove the cookies from the oven, and top each with a kiss-shaped chocolate, a nonpareil, or a bittersweet chocolate wafer, if desired.
• Wait 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool.