Holiday Baking #10: Chocolate Toffee Cookies

 This post was almost about lemon ricotta cookies that were supposed to have been tangy, fluffy, and delicious.  Too bad they turned out more like wimpy pancakes than cookies and left my daughter and I high and dry without any cookies for our cookie exchange.   We were running low on time and needed something safe and different...and that's where these delicious little babies from Smitten Kitchen came in.  Chewy, fudgy, and filled with toffee goodness...we knew it'd be hard to go wrong with that combination.  They were every bit the "homerun" we were looking for and I'm already daydreaming about the next time we can make these,  just as much so I can snitch the dough as for the decadent cookies! 

NOTE:   These cookies made great GLUTEN FREE cookies, since they call for such little flour.  Just sub an all-purpose gluten free flour in place of the regular flour and no other adjustments are needed! 

Click here for printable recipe.  

The ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (or an all-purpose gluten free flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1-3/4 cups  brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
5 (1.4-ounce) chocolate-covered English toffee bars (such as Heath), coarsely chopped* (I used an 8-ounce  bag of Heath toffee bits)
1 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped

Directions:  Combine flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl; whisk to blend. Stir chocolate and butter in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth.  

(Check out our super fancy double boiler--a metal bowl nested into our sauce pan. Despite its laughable appearance, it worked great!)

Remove from over water. Cool mixture to lukewarm.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar and eggs in bowl until thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in chocolate mixture and vanilla.

Stir in flour mixture, then toffee and nuts. Chill batter until firm (almost fudge-like in consistency), about 45 minutes. 

(Evil Dough Alert:  This dough is so good you could practically put this in  a pan and serve it up as fudge.) 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Drop batter by spoonfuls onto sheets, spacing two inches apart. 

Bake just until tops are dry and cracked but cookies are still soft to touch, about 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on sheets. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

Let cool completely before serving. 

Slice and bake option: Since the dough is very thick after refrigeration, thereby  making it hard to scoop, it is suggested that you can roll the dough into a log about 1-1/2- inches in diameter before chilling it. When you're ready to bake the cookies, cut it into 1/2-inch slices and bake as directed. You can store the dough log in the freezer, wrapped in waxed paper and then two layers of plastic wrap for up to a month, just baking the cookies off as you need. Cookies baked straight from the freezer may need an additional minute or two in the oven, depending on their thickness.  

Enjoy!

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Holiday Baking #9: Easy Chocolate Pretzel Bites

  The hardest part about this super quick and simple, but addicting treat, is unwrapping all those Hershey kisses.  Lucky me though, I have a few kids who are willing to do an amazing amount of work with just the promise of a kiss or two....chocolate kisses that is.  I love the salty-sweet combination on these and I was surprised at how addicting they were.  These pretty little chocolate-pretzel bites would be perfect in a bowl at a party or as a fun lunchbox dessert. 

Don't forget to check out a yummy variation on these:    Easy Turtle Bites (made with Rolos)!

Click here for printable recipe. 

The ingredients:

1/2 lb. mini pretzels (I used the "Snap" variety, the recipe called for "Rings")
48-50 milk chocolate Hershey Kisses or Hugs or Rolos (NOTE:  Hugs, Kisses, and Rolos have different melting temps, so don't try to do the different varieties in the same batch)
1/4 cup milk chocolate M&M's

Directions:  Place the pretzels on a baking sheet,

then place a chocolate kiss in the center of each pretzel.

Bake at 275 degrees for 2-3 minutes or until the chocolate is softened.  (NOTE:  The Hershey Kisses took the full three minutes in my oven, but the striped Hershey Hugs were done much more quickly and the Rolos took closer to 4 minutes.  I'd check them every thirty seconds or so).  Before fully pulling them out of the oven, push in a test M&M to see if it's melted enough to push down easily. 

Remove from the oven.  Place an M&M candy on each, pressing down slightly so chocolate fills the pretzel.   (the "bite" closest to the camera was my test one and you can see how it wasn't quite ready yet)

Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes or until chocolate is firm.  Store the candies in an airtight container at room temperature. 

Enjoy and try not to eat too many!

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Come back every day through December for a new holiday goody recipe! 
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Holiday Baking #8: Brownie Crackles

When I started this goody-a-day posting, I knew that it was going to be a challenge.  Even with having a daughter that loves to bake and a  stockpile of goody recipes/pictures from the last few months, I still was pretty sure than 31 goodies in one month would probably do me in....or rather make my waistline go out.   That's where my awesome friends came in.  I thought about asking other food bloggers to guest post, but thought that everyone would be busy with their own holiday posting.  So instead I asked some of my baking friends I know in real life.  I wasn't sure how people would react when I asked them, but it turned out that most of them were quite excited to have a chance to share one of their special recipes with the world.   Turned out to be a good thing for both of us...can't beat that!  

And with that, here's my first guest poster....Bonnie! 

Here's a little about Bonnie: A Northern VA gal -- middle aged mama of three grown children -- one granddaughter. Considers baking a creative outlet and loves recipes of the "semi-homemade" variety. Also enjoys writing her personal history one story at a time and blogging. New Years Resolution: posting a picture a day on her blog http://ernieandbonnie.blogspot.com.

Thank you, Bonnie!  Love your recipe and your pictures totally rocked!

Click here for printable recipe. 

BROWNIE CRACKLES
Posted by Bonnie M.

Ingredients:

1 pkg. fudge brownie mix (13x9-inch pan size)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 egg

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup canola oil

confectioner's sugar and/or sprinkles

Directions:

In a large bowl, stir together the dry brownie mix and the flour.

Add the egg, water and oil. Mix all until well blended.

Place confectioner's sugar and other sprinkles in small, shallow bowls.

Drop dough by tablespoons or small cookie dough scooper into sugar (or sprinkles) to coat.

Roll into balls and place 2-inches apart on greased or parchment lined baking sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 min. or until set.

Remove from oven and gently push a peppermint kiss into the center of each. Let set for a couple of minutes then remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Makes about 3 dozen. (Experiment and use different flavors of kisses. I rolled some of the dough balls in confectioner's sugar, some in green & white sprinkles, and some in red & white peppermint sprinkles.)

Enjoy! 

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Holiday Baking #7: Chocolate-Peppermint Cake Roll

When I was a teenager, I spent my days worrying about how to get the right kind of height on my massive bangs and then how to get my hand unstuck from the hairspray plastered hairbrush afterward.  Teasing and spraying, spraying and teasing.  It was quite the technological feat defying gravity like that you know!  

And check out these side wings.  Oh yes.  I was the envy of all my friends with those babies. (If any of my high school friends happen to be reading this, just play along please.  These nice blog readers don't need to know the truth about my geeky social status in high school.) 

Okay, okay.  You can stop laughing now.  I took great pride in that hair and still daydream about having a little of that teenage hair back again. Thick hair that is 100% free of grays and never once flops unwashed and unbrushed at the end of a long day. 

  Oh, great.  I'm feeling kind of old and frumpy now.  I think I'll go put on my Golden Oldie 80's music and see if I can get my groove back before going on.      

Alrighty.  A little Depeche Mode and I'm feeling better already!  ;)

Thankfully, styles have changed now and even more thankfully, my teen daughter has not inherited my teen obsession with hair.  Her hair is long and lovely and rarely sees a drop of hairspray.  Instead, her current obsession is cooking.  She loves baking even more than I do and one day hopes to open up her own bakery.  I'm homeschooling her this year (it's an 8th grade tradition in our family) and it's been so fun to see her branch out and develop this talent/interest of hers. 

This recipe for Chocolate-Peppermint Cake Roll is her baby.  I was making food for book group and she really wanted to make something chocolatey and minty for me.  She found this recipe at cooks . com, determined that it wasn't quite adequate for what she was looking for, and tweaked it to be what she envisioned.  You'll see in the pictures that she did not follow the directions exactly as listed, but it still turned out to be a beautiful and popular dessert at book group.  The cool mintiness of the whipped cream added just the perfect touch to the chocolate cake. 

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:    (mint extract not pictured) 

4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 squares (1-ounce each) unsweetened chocolate
2 Tbs. sugar
1/4 tsp. baking soda
3 Tbs. cold water
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Powdered sugar (for sprinkling)

Filling:
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp. mint extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy (optional)

Directions:  Line 15 x 10 x 1-inch pan (cookie pan or jelly roll pan) with wax paper.  Set aside. 

Beat eggs and 3/4 cup sugar at high speed until very thick (5 minutes). Add vanilla extract.

In small microwaveable bowl, melt the unsweetened chocolate squares by microwaving on high for 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval.  After about 2 minutes the chocolate squares should be melted.  To melted chocolate, thoroughly mix 2 tablespoons sugar, baking soda and water.  Fold into egg mixture. Sift flour, baking powder and salt.

Fold into batter, turn into jelly roll pan and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

Lightly sift confectioners' sugar onto linen like towel. When cake is done, immediately invert onto towel and peel off paper.  (NOTE:  We did NOT peel off the paper, rather we just rolled it up with the parchment paper rather than the towel. 

Roll up cake very gently, rolling towel in it, cool on wire rack at least 1 hour.

Whip the cream. Add mint flavoring, crushed peppermint candy, and powdered sugar. (We waited until afterward to sprinkle on the candy).  Unroll cooled cake and spread filling.

Reroll, wrap lightly in foil and freeze until ready to serve. 

Slice into 1/2-inch slices and serve cold with additional sprinkled powdered sugar, if desired.

Makes 15-20 half-inch thick slices.  Enjoy!

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Holiday Baking #6: Jam Filled Cream Cheese Cookies

I have this strange problem and I don't know how to fix it.  Sheesh, hunny!  No, I am not referring to the mountain of laundry that is almost up to my waist, although it might be related to my actual problem.  No, my problem is....the more I blog, the sillier I get (and the higher the laundry pile grows).  Not sure why it happens, but it is a recurring actual phenomenon that brings my family much amusement and a tad bit of embarrassment as well.   So all you recipe fans are seeing a whole new side of me this December....for better or worse! 

So a few days ago I went to my first ever COOKIE EXCHANGE!!!  I was seriously so excited, even though I could only stay for a few minutes.  We each brought a couple dozen cookies, then went home with a plate full of everyone else's.   It was a baker's dream!    

While I was there I met Kari, who I quickly discovered was a fellow food blogger.  I was so excited to have someone to "talk shop" with and before I left I made sure we traded website addresses with each other.   I quickly fell in love with her all-baking blog, Virtual Goody Plate, and her idea for daily posting in December.  I immediately "borrowed" her idea for the goody-a-day and bookmarked several of her goodies to try.  This beautiful cookie recipe was the first one on my list.  I was bringing the treats to book group and was looking for one more unique recipe and this fit the bill perfectly.  The process was a little more time consuming than most of my baking projects, but they turned out so cute and pretty and unique and festive and fun and...they were worth every second. 

Click here for printable recipe.

From Virtual Goody Plate

The ingredients: 



1 pkg. (8-ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1 egg yolk (for egg wash)
1/2 tsp. water (for egg wash)
1-1/2 cups jam, jelly, or preserves (make sure it contains pectin)
Coarse sugar (for sprinkling)
Star-shaped cookie cutter (4-inches across at the widest point)

Directions:  In a large bowl, using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add flour and salt; beat until just combined. 

Divide dough into 3 portions;

flatten each portion into a disk and flouring a piece of parchment paper generously, roll each disk until very thin (about 1/8-inch thickness). 

Stack dough (still in parchment) on a baking sheet; refrigerate 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix egg yolk with water.  Working with 1 dough sheet at a time, peel off parchment (don't try to cut the dough without peeling it first.  Trust me, it doesn't work.) 

With a star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out cookies and place 2-inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets. 

Spoon 1/2 teaspoon jam into the center of each star  

and brush exposed star points with egg wash.

Shape cookies by folding points to center and pinching or pressing to seal. 

Make sure they seal well or they will open during baking.  Brush tops lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. 

Bake until cookies are lightly golden brown, about 12-15 minutes.   (Hope you had some parchment paper or you'll be scrubbing your pan tonight.)

Let cool completely.  Carefully peel away any baked egg wash or spilled jam. 

Voila!  Beautiful, unique looking, great tasting cookies!  Store covered, for up to 4 days at room temperature.  Enjoy! 

 

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