It’s been almost a month since my last post. Once again I’m saying “Wherever does the time go?” Between new baby grandson who, by the way, is the cutest little peanut you could imagine, and several trips to the Oregon coast the month of February just slid by and here we are in March . I’ve been doing lots of baking but just haven’t had time to blog about it. The cookies I last posted, Molded Chocolate Shortbread Cookies, were a pain to make, but they were a BIG hit with my family, so I made them again with a different cookie dough recipe and filled the molds with melted white chocolate instead of the dark.
For some reason the white chocolate I used was easier to work with than the blend of dark chocolates in my previous attempt to make these cookies. The design is crisper and they popped out of the molds much easier. The shop where I buy many of my baking supplies has several flavors of melties and I’m looking forward to trying butterscotch and mint.
I love cookie stamps and molds and have acquired a nice collection of them over time. I’m always looking for cookie recipes that retain a sharp design after its cut and baked. I have posted several good recipes, but most of them are duds that get tossed. I am a dark chocolate lover and found this recipe at King Arthur Flour. The cookie has a rich chocolate flavor and keeps the design better than any chocolate recipe I’ve ever tried…definitely a keeper. I’m a big fan of KAF products and bought several new ones (for me) around the holiday. My favorite is “Triple Cocoa Blend” that has the bright flavors of natural cocoa blended with the richness of Dutch process cocoa. The espresso powder that the recipe calls for intensifies the chocolate flavor. If you like dark chocolate I know you will enjoy this cookie. As the photo shows, the baked cookies have a nice sharp design (the scalloped edges are almost perfect) and they don’t puff up in the middle which would interfere with the decorative molded chocolate on top. A winner all the way.
White chocolate on a dark chocolate cookie or dark chocolate on a vanilla cookie…either way they are delicious. What’s your favorite? BTW, they keep very well for up to a week if stored in a zip lock bag. They freeze well too.
Could our little monkey buns be any cuter? I don’t think so!
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup black cocoa
- ¼ cup Dutch-process cocoa
- 1½ cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- .2 cups chopped white chocolate bar, or other good-quality white chocolate
- To make the cookies: Beat together the sugar, butter, salt, baking powder, and espresso powder until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- Whisk together the cocoas and flour, then beat into the egg-butter mixture until well blended.
- Shape the dough into a 1" thick rectangle, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- While the dough is chilling, make the chocolate topping. Heat 1 cup of the white chocolate in the top of a double boiler (or in a microwave in 30-second increments) until almost fully melted.
- Add an additional ½ cup chocolate, stirring until smooth and fully melted; this is a basic way of tempering the chocolate.*
- Place the chocolate molds from your butter cookie set on a baking sheet, and spoon the melted chocolate into the molds. You'll need about a heaping teaspoon of chocolate per mold.
- Once all the molds are filled, gently tap the pan to help remove any bubbles in the chocolate. Allow the chocolate to set until hard.
- Once the chocolate is hard, gently remove each piece from its mold, then refill the molds with chocolate (re-tempering it if necessary). Repeat the process until you've used up all the chocolate.
- To bake the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets, or line with parchment.
- Sprinkle both sides of the chilled dough with extra cocoa, to keep the dough from sticking. Roll it ⅛" thick.
- Cut out rectangles of dough using the cookie stamp from your butter cookie set; it helps to dust the stamp with extra cocoa as well. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are firm and you start to smell chocolate.
- Remove the cookies from the oven, and allow them to cool completely.
- To assemble the cookies: Gently spread a thin layer of melted white chocolate on the back of each chocolate piece (to act as glue), then place one on top of each cookie.
- Allow the chocolate pieces to harden in place before serving.
- Yield: about 2 dozen cookies.
That face!He has so much character already♥
Lovely cookies..love the white on choco look..will do..I JUST hate working w/ choco cookie batter.I make a darn mess!
Thanks for this Cathy:)
I thought of you when I made this dough, Monique. My guess is that you will like it. It reminds me of an Oreo cookie or those dark chocolate wafers – so good with white frosting or whipped cream. Please let me know what you think if you try it.
Cathy Farley recently posted..Another Version of Le Petit Ecolier Biscuits
Yummy looking cookies, Cathy. I have made the buttermilk bread several times…it makes the best toast!
Your little guy is adorable.
Thanks, Marigene. I’m a very proud grandma and love that little guy to pieces. I agree with your opinion of the buttermilk bread. It makes great sandwiches. Thanks for stopping by.
Cathy Farley recently posted..Another Version of Le Petit Ecolier Biscuits
Love white chocolate. So glad you continue to do such great research. 🙂 Your grand is precious.
Thanks, Madonna. I don’t cook or bake as much as I used to and enjoy trying new things, especially if they are a bit of a challenge.
Cathy Farley recently posted..Another Version of Le Petit Ecolier Biscuits
Can you imagine if the two of us got to visit KAF and take some baking classes there?! I’m dying to do that, one day– and I’d have to bring an empty suitcase to buy out their store. I love their products! You had me a white chocolate… these are so beautiful, Cathy. That’s an adorable little cookie in the last shot. Congratulations!
I would love to go shopping with you at KAF, Debby. That would be so much fun. I know I would want to buy everything. That’s the way I am when I go to Bob’s Red Mill. I come home with way too much stuff that I just have to buy. Thanks, Debby, he is an adorable little cookie. Sure do love him.
Cathy Farley recently posted..Another Version of Le Petit Ecolier Biscuits
Your new grand baby is adorable Cathy. What a cutie. I’ve never worked with stamps but they certainly take things to a new level in beauty. Very French, which you know I would like. Hope you’re having a lovely weekend.
Sam
Thanks, Sam. Stamps and molds are fun to work with and my family really enjoys the cookies. Happy weekend to you too. Sad to see Downton Abby come to an end.
Cathy Farley recently posted..Another Version of Le Petit Ecolier Biscuits
What a sweet little guy! They do have a way of taking our time. I have learned that time slips away when I am talking to the little ones. I have never tried to use molds. Your final products are so beautiful! I know it isn’t easy and will need to gather my patience to do this! ….along with a few molds!
Precious grandbaby! Love the cookies. Your molds would be great for my polymer clay…………. but, after using them on clay they are not food worthy any more.
Oh my but are these cookies every beautiful. You have a lot of patience to make these. I don’t know which I’d like best – they both look delicious.
I’m glad you had better luck with your new batch of cookies. They certainly do look pretty. And speaking of looks, your grandson is a cutie.
Karen (Back Road Journal) recently posted..Laundry Rooms, A Luxury Or A Necessity
The wee cookie steals the show 😉 What a cutie, Cathy! Your petit ecolier look delicious too 🙂
Have you considered using shortbread dough to press into the molds? I’ve done it before, then removed the dough and baked it off– if you freeze the molded dough before baking (and use a non-spreading recipe) they retain their shape in the oven!
You must have the patience of a saint to make these cookies and have them come out so beautiful…..Your new grandson is adorable….he will love your cooking baking when he gets older!
These are so beautiful Cathy, I’ve never seen anything like that! Your grand baby sure is a cutie pie!