Korova Cookies

1 . In a bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Put the butter in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until the butter is soft and creamy. Add both sugars, the salt, and vanilla extract and beat for another minute or two. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the sifted dry ingredients. Mix only until the dry ingredients are incorporated-the dough will look crumbly. For the best texture, you want to work the dough as little as possible once the flour is added. Toss in the chocolate pieces and mix only to incorporate.2. Turn the dough out onto a smooth work surface and squeeze it so that it sticks together in large clumps. Gather the dough into a ball, divide it in half, and shape each ball into logs that are 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Make sure you haven't got an air channel. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill them for at least 1 hour. (Wrapped airtight, the logs can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for I month.) 3. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325u00b0F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 4. Working with a sharp thin-bladed knife, slice the logs into rounds that are 1/2 inch thick. The rounds might break; just squeeze the broken-off bit back onto the cookie. Place the cookies on the parchment-lined sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them. 5. Bake only one sheet of cookies at a time, and bake each sheet for 12 minutes. The cookies will not look done, nor will they be firm, but that's just the way they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies stand until they are only just warm or until they reach room temperature - it's your call. Repeat with the second sheet of cookies. NOTE: The dough can be made ahead and chilled or frozen. If you've frozen the dough, just slice the logs and bake the cookies 1 minute longer. Packed airtight, baked cookies will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days; they can be frozen for up to 1 month.