Chocolate Bear Paws Food

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED BEAR PAWS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, beat butter with sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add flour, spices, salt, and almonds and beat well on low speed until dough starts to come together, about 1 minute. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush 2 madeleine pans with softened butter. Press 2 packed tablespoons of dough into each mold (dough should be level with top of mold).
• Bake until edges are brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack. Turn pans upside down over rack and tap to release cookies from mold. Let cool completely on rack.
• Melt chocolate in a metal bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water, or in a double boiler. Dip each cookie on the diagonal into chocolate, then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.

NUTTY CHOCOLATE BEAR PAWS

Steps:

• Stir 3/4 cup of the peanuts into melted chocolate. Drop level tablespoonfuls of chocolate onto wax paper-covered baking sheet, spreading slightly to form oval shapes. Refrigerate 15 min. or until chocolate is firm.
• Separate remaining peanuts into halves; set aside. Place caramels and water in small microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 45 sec. Stir until caramels are completely melted.
• Spoon 1 level teaspoon melted caramel over each candy; immediately place four peanut halves into caramel at one end of each candy to resemble claws. Refrigerate 15 min. or until caramel is firm. Store tightly covered in refrigerator.

BEAR PAWS

Steps:

• Mix together all dry ingredients together except vanilla and sugar.
• Cut in butter.
• Work into dough.
• Break off small pieces and put in bear paw mold.
• Bake in preheated 350° oven for 20 minutes.
• Roll in vanilla sugar while still hot.

BEAR PAW COOKIES

Steps:

• cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Blend in chocolate syrup.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
• Blend in vanilla.
• Combine flour, powder and salt.
• Add dry ingredients alternately with milk to chocolate mixture, beating well.
• Cover and chill one hour.
• Drop batter by heaping teaspoonsful onto a greased baking sheet.
• Press 4 peanut halves or cashews into each cookie, to resemble a bear's paw.
• Bake at 375* for 10 to 12 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched.
• Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.