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Saturday, November 21, 2009

Countdown to thanksgiving - Day 2

The Cookie Monster!


 Earl Grey Bocca Di Nonna

It's starting to look like a bakery in my house, there are recipes, supplies, baking tools, magazines and ingredients all over the place...I just love this time of year from now 'till Christmas. (I have a great recipe coming for the perfect sugar roll out cookie but that will have to wait for after Thanksgiving...)

A few weeks ago, my mom came home with a magazine from Better Homes and Gardens called 100 Best Cookies that we just can't put down.  I found the site that has all the recipes and posted it below so you don't have to spend the $5.99...check it out and let me know what your favorite cookie is.

There are so many great recipes in it we had a hard time choosing...but one cookie jumped out at me and I think it may be my favorite cookie of the moment.


Earl Grey Bocca Di Nonna - Which translates to Grandmothers Kisses in Italian (My Honors Italian Class is really Paying off)


I belong to the Italian club at school and had to bring in cookies to get club credit.  We made these a couple of days ago for the club and taste test them for Thanksgiving....Tasting is an understatement...these cookies weren't tasted, they were gobbled up, that's how good they are. 


The only down side, if there is one...they said in the recipe that they last in the Fridge for 3 days, so you have to make them closer to Thanksgiving!  (Which is a good thing cause they will not last longer then 3 days because you will eat them up anyway)

Which is what my family did...and then there were none left for my club:-(

So this is me, frosting Funfetti Cookies at the last minute because my family ate them all.

Oh, and speaking of Italy....did I mentioned I work as a Lifegaurd to save up money for a school trip to Italy with my Italian class this April break??

I wonder if they will have these cookies there,  sure hope so!

 So without further ado...here is my new favorite cookie,




In a small bowl, stir together 2/3 cups all purpose flour and 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder;

set aside

The recipe calls for Dutch Process Cocoa--I am not sure if this is or isn't Dutch Processed, but I always use Scharffen berger unsweetened cocoa...

In a large bowl, beat 3/4 cup softened butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.


Add 1 cup sugar and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla until light and fluffy, scraping side of bowl occasionally.

Beat in 1 1/2 cups finely ground blanched almonds. (Mini Chopper to the rescue once again :-)


Beat in flour mixture just until mixture is combined.

This is what the mixture looks like after all ingredients are combined.

Recipe says to cover and chill dough about 1 hour or until it is easy to handle...



I left it overnight and it was easy to work with.
24 hours later....

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil; set aside.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls about 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.

Press each ball to flatten slightly.  Use a glass sprayed with pam or your hands will work fine.  Bake in preheated oven for about 12 -14 minutes

I had 2 different results with the way the cookies looked...some were lacy, some, like the ones above were not.
 
Lacy Cookies...

Carefully take cookies off cookie sheet and cool on rack...once cooled, match up cookies of the same size to get ready for the filling.

The Filling:

Earl Grey Ganache:

In a small saucepan, bring 1/3 cup whipping cream to boiling. Remove from heat.

Add four Earl Grey tea bags (or a tea ball containing 4 teaspoons of loose Earl Grey tea). Cover and let stand for 15 minutes.

Remove tea bags or ball from cream. Squeeze tea bags well or press tea leaves in tea ball with the back of a spoon to release any liquid.

Return cream to boiling. Remove from heat.

Immediately add 4 ounces finely chopped milk chocolate. Stir until chocolate melts and mixture is shiny and smooth. Cool to room temperature.

Spread about 1 teaspoon of the Earl Grey Ganache on the flat side of each of half of the cookies.

 
Top with the remaining cookies, flat sides down.

Busted...I can't believe I ate the whole thing!

With Love & Cupcakes

Cookteen

The Recipe:

Ingredients

  • 2/3  cup all-purpose flour
  • 2  tablespoons Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3/4  cup butter, softened
  • 1  cup sugar
  • 3/4  teaspoon vanilla
  • 1-1/2  cups finely ground blanched almonds
  •   Earl Grey Ganache (below)

Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir together flour and cocoa powder; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in almonds. Beat in flour mixture just until mixture is combined. Cover and chill dough about 1 hour or until it is easy to handle.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil; set aside. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls about 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. Press each ball to flatten slightly.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until firm. Cool on cookie sheet on a wire rack. Remove cooled cookies from cookie sheet. Spread about 1 teaspoon of the Earl Grey Ganache on the flat side of each of half of the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies, flat sides down. Makes 28 sandwich cookies.
Earl Grey Ganache: In a small saucepan, bring 1/3 cup whipping cream to boiling. Remove from heat. Add four Earl Grey tea bags (or a tea ball containing 4 teaspoons of loose Earl Grey tea). Cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Remove tea bags or ball from cream. Squeeze tea bags well or press tea leaves in tea ball with the back of a spoon to release any liquid. Return cream to boiling. Remove from heat. Immediately add 4 ounces finely chopped milk chocolate. Stir until chocolate melts and mixture is shiny and smooth. Cool to room temperature.
6. Place sandwich cookies in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.


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