In a small bowl, carefully melt the chocolate in the microwave – I use a lower power setting and stir it every 20 seconds or so.  Set it aside to cool slightly.  In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.

Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and brown sugar for a few minutes until fluffy.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined, then scrape in the chocolate and mix.  Alternately add half the flour, then the milk, then the rest of the flour, and mix on a lower speed until the dough comes together.  It will be sticky – a lot like fudge – scrape it out of the bowl onto a sheet of plastic wrap, and use the wrap to shape it into a disc before wrapping it tightly.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours – the dough needs to firm up before you can work with it.

Use about a teaspoon of dough to make each small ball (I weighed mine, 25 grams each), then roll each ball in icing sugar until it’s completely coated (rolling each a second time is also recommended for more coated cookies).  I made up a couple of pans and then put the dough back in the refrigerator until I needed it again.  Once again – this is sticky dough – I’ve also used a piece of plastic wrap or a food grade glove to portion out the dough.  It’s easy enough to roll into balls, and then into icing sugar, but getting it into even portions can be frustrating.

Place the balls onto a cookie sheet covered in parchment about 2 inches apart and bake for about 12 minutes at 350.  They’re done when the sugar coating splits and they’ve flattened somewhat.  Remove to a rack to cool – if you start in on them while warm, you won’t stop!