Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookie

These are Mark's favorite. I thought this combination was odd, but Mark loves ginger cookies, and he loves chocolate so I gave them a try. I know they might sound strange, but they are unbelievable! And they make the house smell like Christmas. -- Jill Dorrough  7 ounces best quality semisweet chocolate (chips or chopped into chunks) 1 1/4 cups plus 1 TBSP flour 1 1/4 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground cloves 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1 TBSP cocoa powder 8 TBSP unsalted butter 1 TBSP freshly grated ginger 1/4 cup dark brown sugar 1/4 cup unsulphered molasses 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 cup sugar Directions: Line two baking sheets with parchment. Chop chocolate into 1/4 inch chunks; set aside. In medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cocoa. In the bowl of a Kitchen-aid fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and grated ginger until whitened, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined. In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in 1 1/2 tsp boiling water. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture, Beat in baking soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out to about 1 inch thick; seal with wrap; refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or more. Heat oven to 325. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and roll in granulated sugar; place 2 inches apart on baking sheets, and back until the surfaces crack slightly, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes; transfer to wire rack to cool completely.