Chocolate Orange Pillow Cookies

My aunt shared this cookie recipe with us last week, and it sounded too good not to share with you guys! So take it away Auntie Carol: 

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Hi Kelsey and Kim, I made these cookies and they are very good, decadent and easy to make when chocolate is involved. We first had these cookies at our favorite coffee shop and loved them. I found the recipe on line and made them for my new cookie this year. Every year I try and find a new recipe some times they turn out and sometimes not. This one is a keeper and I am taking it for my cookie exchange. If you are looking for something for your blog here it is. I found the recipe on the Big Oven site. Hope you like them. Love you guys

Chocolate Orange pillows

24 ounces of dark chocolate
4 ounces of unsweetened chocolate
4 ounces of unsalted butter
7 ounces of bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
8 ounces of almond meal; finely ground
6 eggs
7 ounces of sugar
1/3 cup orang liqueur
zest from 4 oranges
Powdered sugar and sugar for rolling

Directions:

Chop chocolate into small pieces. Melt butter and chocolate over simmering water. Keep warm until added to mixture.

Sift bread flour and baking powder together, add almond meal and mix together. Set aside.

Whip eggs and sugar until ribbon stage.

Mix orange zest and orange liqueur together and add to egg mixture.

Stir in dry ingredients, mixture will be runny.

Place dough in refrigerator for 4 hours or until firm.

Divide the dough into 6 equal parts, roll the pieces into 12 inch ropes. Cut into 12 equal pieces. You can also use an ice cream scoop to form the balls. This is how I did it and it worked great.

Roll pieces into balls and then roll first in sugar and the in powder sugar. The cookies must be throughly coated in the powder sugar in order to remain coated while baking.

Place on a lined cookie sheet and press down lightly.

Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes. The cookies will puff up, leaving a cracked white crust. Makes 72 cookies.