Nutty Brookies: Testing out new appliances with their own recipes

Gremlins have hidden my old toaster oven.  It is very annoying.  Now that I have purchased a replacement it is almost certain that we will find the old one soon.  Murphy's Law and all that.  It was a very good little appliance for 22 years, a wedding present, and so I replaced it with the same brand (Delonghi), and high hopes for performance.  Somewhere in another dimension, it is sitting in my garage but the entrance to that location is not accessible at the moment.  Being the time of year for miserable weather for baking, I was very much not happy that I had to turn on the regular stove to make dinner last week.  I detest the stove we got to replace the old one when it died and would never purchase that brand again.  You blew it, GE.  There is no insulation and you can get second degree burns just by touching the front control area when the oven is on.  And it has an idiotic broiler in the bottom "drawer", you have to lie on the floor to use it.  Bottom line, never get a stove online.  Go check it out in store first.  Annnnyway, here is this new toaster oven to test out and I decided to give one of the recipes in the manual a bake to break it in.  

This is basically a brookie or a "drop brownie" recipe though it is technically named a chocolate nut cookie.  I have made similar cookies before and this one is more brownie like and less flourless cake like.  And heavy on the nuts!  I am pleased with both the new appliance and the recipe!  Extremely happy with the front glass insulative quality.  The double pane glass is a huge upgrade from the old one.  Making enchiladas in it tonight!  I am giving approximate temps as I used a program function and a thermometer to check.  It is also a convection oven so that makes a difference in time and temp. 

Chocolate Nut Cookies
makes 18-24

8 oz semisweet chocolate chips
6 tbsp unsalted butter (I used salted and reduced salt in recipe)
1 tbsp instant coffee powder (I used Pero)
2 tsp vanilla
1⁄3 cup flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt (I used ¼ tsp)
¾ cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped (yes, you can reduce this amount)
1 cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped (I used sliced almonds) (consider adding some chocolate chips instead!)

Lightly toast the nuts in a dry skillet for a few minutes over medium heat, until slightly colored and fragrant.  Allow to cool, then chop.

Preheat oven to 350ºF or 325ºF convection.

Heat the chocolate chips, butter, and instant coffee in a small saucepan over low heat, or in a microwave in 30-second increments.  Stir until smooth, add vanilla, and cool for 10 minutes.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl, and set aside. 

Whisk the sugar and eggs together in a large bowl until light in color and slightly thickened.

Fold the chocolate mixture into the eggs, then add the flour just until combined.

Stir in the nuts.

Drop the dough by rounded spoonfuls onto parchment lined sheets and bake for 12-14 minutes depending on the size of scoops.  *Note that the cookies will be less shiny the longer the dough sits before baking, but still tasty.  This is one of those bake-right-away recipes that does not benefit, at least visually, from a rest period.

Remove with paper to a wire rack to cool, then serve.