Chocolate Dipped Cherry Almond Nougat On Raspberry Shortbread With Caramelized Rice Cereal Food

LYDIA'S AUSTRIAN RASPBERRY SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter until soft and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and mix well.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the butter/egg yolk mixture and mix just until incorporated and the dough starts to come together. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and form into 2 balls. Wrap each ball in plastic wrap and freeze at least 2 hours or overnight, or as long as a month.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove 1 ball of dough from the freezer and coarsely grate the frozen dough into the bottom of a 9 by 12-inch baking pan or a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Make sure the surface is covered evenly with shreds of dough. With a spoon or spatula, spread the jam over the surface, to within 1/2-inch of the edge all the way around. Remove the remaining dough from the freezer and coarsely grate it over the entire surface. Bake until light golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. As soon as the shortbread comes out of the oven, dust with confectioners' sugar. Cool on a wire rack, then cut in the pan with a serrated knife.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, pink pepper and salt. Set aside.
• Place the butter and 1/3 cup sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks and beat for an additional minute. In two additions, add the flour mixture, beating on low speed until just combined between additions. Pulse in the dried cherries and chocolate chips.
• Place a piece of plastic wrap on a clean, dry surface. Transfer the cookie dough to the plastic wrap, form into a 2-inch-wide log, and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Using a sharp, thin knife, cut the log into 1/3-inch-thick rounds. Set the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet, spaced 1 inch apart, and sprinkle evenly with the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar.
• Bake until just set, 25 minutes. Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheet before removing to a wire rack.

RASPBERRY-CHERRY CHOCOLATE POPPERS

Steps:

• Special equipment: a 12-cup silicone mini muffin pan
• Add the heavy cream to a small saucepan and warm it gently over medium heat until small bubbles form around the edges. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl and pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let sit for about 2 minutes, then stir with a whisk, working from the center of the bowl outwards, until the ganache mixture is smooth and well incorporated.
• To a 12-cup silicone mini muffin pan, sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon Pop Rocks in each cup. Divide the ganache evenly among the cups and press the raspberries on top. Refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours.
• Just before serving, unmold the tarts and sprinkle with a few of the gold stars.

EDIBLE BLOOD-SUCKING CHOCOLATE TARANTULAS WITH RASPBERRY COULIS BLOOD

Steps:

• For the caramel: Place the unopened can of condensed milk in a saucepan and cover with water. Boil for 4 hours, keeping the water level constantly above the top of the can. Remove from the pan and allow to cool for 30 minutes before opening. Cool to room temperature (about 70 degrees).
• For the coconut paste: Mix all of the ingredients together, stirring well using a wooden spoon. Reserve half (for closing the holes later). Roll the paste into 12 (1 1/2-inch) balls for the spider bodies and 12 (3/4-inch) balls for the spider heads. Make a 3/4-inch hole in the center of the larger balls. Place the condensed milk/caramel into a piping bag and fill the hole. Seal the top by adding more coconut paste, enclosing the caramel.
• To assemble: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt 1 pound 13 ounces chocolate slowly in a double boiler to 100 degrees (slightly warmer than body temperature). Add the caramel oil and stir gently. Stir in the coconut, giving the chocolate a hairy appearance. Enrobe the spider bodies and heads in the melted chocolate. Join the head and body together before the chocolate sets. Place on the prepared baking sheet and put in the refrigerator to set completely, about 10 minutes.
• Melt the remaining 3 ounces chocolate and place into a piping bag. Cut a hole in the point of the piping bag to the size of a number 2 piping tip. Pipe 56 (1 1/2-inch) long and 24 (1-inch) long z-shaped spider legs onto the parchment. Allow the legs to set at room temperature. (Do not refrigerate or the legs will curl unnaturally.)
• Remove the spiders from the refrigerator. Using a dot of melted chocolate, attach the legs to the body, 4 long legs to the side of the body and 2 short legs to the front of the head. Pipe chocolate stripes onto the body. Pipe 2 eyes onto the head and, while wet, sprinkle edible gold sparkle onto the eyes.
• Place 2 tablespoons Rasberry Coulis on the center of each plate to represent blood. Serve the spiders on pools of Raspberry Coulis.
• Heat the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves completely, about 5 minutes. Put the raspberries and the sugar syrup in a blender and puree, pulsing for 6 second intervals. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds. Stir in the lemon juice.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED MACADAMIA SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually stir in flour until well blended.
• Stir in macadamia nuts.
• Place dough on wax paper and shape into a roll two inches in diameter.
• Wrap in paper and foil and chill at least two hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Cut roll into slices approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
• Bake on ungreased baking sheet for 20 minutes or until cookies begin to brown.
• Remove from oven; cool on wire rack.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl melt chocolate chips (microwave works well) and stir in shortening.
• Mix well.
• Dip one end of each cookie into chocolate mixture and place on wax paper.
• Refrigerate cookies until chocolate hardens.
• Store in cool place.

CHOCOLATE DIPPED SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 170C (fan forced) about 185/190C for conventional.
• Cream butter and caster sugar together until fluffy.
• Toss in the flour, baking powder and vanilla essence and mix till combined.
• Place spoonfulls of mixture onto a lined baking tray and lightly press with a fork to flatten a little if you like.
• Bake in oven fir 15 to 20 minutes (my friend set hers for 12 minutes and kept a check from then - her oven tends to be hot - and reconed they were perfect at 16 to 18 minutes - won't disagree with her on that).
• Allow to cool and then drizzle over with the melted chocolate of choice.

CHERRY ALMOND SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar well in a large bowl.
• Add remaining ingredients.
• Work into butter mixture.
• Shape into 4 rolls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
• Put each roll into waxed paper and chill.
• Cut into 1/4 inch slices and bake on an ungreased baking sheet at 200C degrees for 6-7 minutes until edges show some browning.

CHERRY SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Using a food processor, mix the flour, butter, sugar and salt for 20 seconds.
• Add the cherries and pulse until chopped (about 20 seconds).
• Turn out the mixture onto a work surface and gather into a smooth, compact ball.
• On a lightly floured surface, form the dough into a 7 by 9 inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick.
• Cut into 12 rectangles. Prick each cookie 3 times with a fork.
• Using a metal spatula, place the cookies about 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Bake until light golden brown (30 minutes).
• Let cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely and sprinkle with sugar.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar and vanilla until combined. On slow speed, beat in flour and salt until combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; chill until very firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until 1/8 inch thick. Cut out hearts,or the cutter of your choice, with a 2-inch cutter. Transfer cookies to an ungreased baking sheet. Chill for 30 minutes.
• Heat oven to 300F with rack in center. Press the tines of a fork into each cookie to make designs. Bake until just beginning to brown around the edges, about 19 minutes. Cookies will keep in an airtight container for about 5 days.
• Melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl, on the top of a double boiler, over 1-inch of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Stir in the oil. Dip half or one-third of each cookie into the chocolate mixture. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to dry, or place them on parchment paper in the freezer for 10 minutes.
• Serve.

WHITE-CHOCOLATE CHERRY SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spread cherries on paper towels to drain well.
• In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in drained cherries and 4 ounces (2/3 cup) of the chopped chocolate. Stir in almond extract and, if desired, food coloring. Knead mixture until it forms a smooth ball.
• Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar, flatten balls to 1-1/2-inch rounds.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until centers are set. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.
• In a small saucepan, combine remaining 8 ounces white chocolate and the shortening. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. If desired, roll dipped edge in nonpareils and/or edible glitter. Place cookies on waxed paper until chocolate is set. Makes about 60.
• To Store: Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F
• Pulse almonds with flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor until very finely chopped.
• Add butter and pulse just until a dough forms.
• Press dough evenly into an ungreased 9-inch square baking pan with your fingers.
• Cut dough into 16 squares with a sharp knife, then cut squares diagonally to make a total of 32 triangles.
• Bake until cookies are dry to the touch, 15 to 17 minutes.
• Transfer pan to a rack and run a thin knife around edge of pan to loosen cookies while hot.
• Recut hot cookies into triangles, then cool completely in pan.
• Dust with confectioners sugar just before serving.
• **Note: Cookies can be made 5 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Makes 32 cookies.