I'm almost there, it's chocolate day! All the cookies are made and only two need to be frosted before assembling the cookie trays.
Chocolate-Dipped Peppermint Cookies
Sift together:
1 1/4 cups of flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Cream together:
1/2 cup/stick of softened butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
Dipping:
4 oz. dark chocolate-chopped
2 candy canes, crushed for sprinkling
- After combining the flour and wet mixture, for the dough into a log and wrap it up in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for 1 hour to firm it up before baking.
- Slice the dough into 1/4" slices with a sharp knife and place onto a cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350°F. for 12-15 minutes or until the edges start to get golden. Cool on a rack
Chocolate & Peppermint
- Once the cookies have cooled and you have crushed the candy canes, it is time to melt the chocolate pieces in a double boiler until melted smooth.
- Dip the cookies rounds into the chocolate to the halfway point and place the cookie on a parchment sheet. Immediately sprinkle a few peppermint pieces to decorate the cookie.
This recipe made 26 cookies, and don't they look so pretty?
Peanut Clusters
I had a jar of roasted peanuts and since I was melting chocolate I continued melting more for peanut clusters.
This is so simple to do, just pour the peanuts into the melted chocolate, stirring to coat them all. Using a teaspoon, drop a cluster onto a parchment paper and let them set up.
Coconut Clusters
Of course, I didn't stop at the clusters as I had a half bag of coconut left over from making the coconut cookies. Well, I just melted more chocolate and mixed it together and dropped them onto the parchment too.
Chocolate Fudge
I hope you didn't think I was done yet, did you? It has been a few years since I have made fudge and thought why not add that to the cookie trays too.
This is so simple to make, but it does take time for the fudge to come to a boil. Patience is key, as you have to stir it almost the entire time not to scorch the chocolate. Using a heavy bottom pan helps a lot.
Recipe
The recipe is on the back of the Marshmallow Fluff container.
Line a large pan with parchment and bring the first 5 ingredients to a boil. Once it comes to a boil stir for 5 minutes. Add the vanilla, chocolate, and nuts and pour into your large pan or 2 9x9 pans. Sprinkle some extra walnut pieces on top and let the fudge set up completely before cutting into squares.
Can you imagine how tasty this fudge is? I actually had a piece and that is not on my keto diet, oops!
Toffee Almond Bark
1 cup butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
1 Tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup slivered almonds lightly toasted
Sea salt
Lightly toast the almonds being careful not to burn them and line a cookie tray with parchment paper.
In a large-heavy saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, corn syrup, and water and cook it over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture begins to boil. Allow it to boil without stirring until it reaches a hard-crack stage about 300° F. I use a candy thermometer to test the temperature. Remove the toffee from the heat.
Quickly add the almonds and pour the mixture onto the parchment paper smoothing it out to make it even. Let the toffee cool and harden for a few minutes.
Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave or use a double boiler method then spread it onto the toffee brittle. Sprinkle the chocolate with more nuts and large sea salt crystals, if desired.
Let the almond bark harden completely and break into chunks for serving.
Yay, I made it through chocolate day and only have two cookies to frost before assembling the trays this weekend. All the cookie recipes are in the links below if you are interested. Stay tuned for the final post and see how nice the Christmas Giveaway Cookie Trays turn out.
Round 1- Cuccidati and Sesame Cookies
Round 2- Cranberry-Pistachio Shortbread and Coconut Cookies
