Double Chocolate Espresso and Cashew Cookies

Up until about 3 weeks ago if you had asked me where I would want to live, I would've said London, without a doubt in my mind.  This summer I was in Rome for 1 and a half months, which is the longest I've ever been since I moved away when I was 2, and I came to a realization -- I really love Rome.  It may not be as cosmopolitan or dynamic as London, but I love Rome.  God knows it isn't easy to find a good job in Italy at the moment, but if there was a decent job waiting for me in Rome, I'd go there in a heartbeat after I graduate.  Maybe I'll do my masters there.

These were my goodbye cookies.  I had brought these to work, to my colleagues who are some of the nicest people. Flann O'Brien Restaurant and Pub on 17 Via Nazionale, Rome, please make sure you tip well.  The waiters there are very nice, though I don't recommend the lasagna or the cannelloni.

In David Lebowitz's words, these cookies are quite close to heaven.  Deliciously soft and chewy and chocolatey, and easy to make.  They're even better the next day actually.  

Recipe from The Great Book of Chocolate
About 24 cookies
Ingredients
1/2 pound (2 sticks) [230g] butter
1 cup [200g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup [180g] firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp instant espresso powder
2 cups [280g] all-purpose flour
2/3 cup [65g] cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup [100g] cashews
3/4 cup [100g] semisweet chocolate chips

Method
Preheat oven to 160C [325F].  Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper or oil them lightly with vegetable oil
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs vanilla and espresso powder. Mix well.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix into the creamed butter mixture.
Fold in chocolate chips and cashews
Scoop the cookie dough into large balls (about 4cm) and place them at least 5cm apart from each other on the baking sheets.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cookies are just flat.
Let cool about 10 minutes before transferring from baking sheet to the cooling rack