Chocolate Dipped Toffee Moons Food

CHOCOLATE-COVERED TOFFEE

Steps:

• Prepare a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or greased parchment or wax paper.
• In a large sized heavy-bottomed sauce pan, with a candy thermometer attached, bring all the ingredients, excluding the chocolate, to a boil over medium low heat.
• Continue to cook and stir the mixture until it reads 275 degrees F on the candy thermometer.
• The mixture will be much thicker. Stir constantly until it reaches 315 degrees F, which will happen pretty quickly. Remove it from the heat and stir until very smooth, just a few seconds.
• Pour the toffee onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Using a spatula, spread the toffee out, working quickly because the toffee will set fast.
• Using a pastry wheel or pizza cutter, VERY GENTLY (you don't want to cut so deep that it actually reaches the bottom or you may destroy your silpat) score the toffee into bite sized pieces.
• You should get about 72 pieces. Again work quickly so the toffee doesn't set before you are done.
• Allow the toffee to sit until it is room temperature and then break apart the pieces.
• Melt the chocolate over a double boiler until perfectly smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to just above room temperature. If the chocolate is too hot it will run off the toffee and not give you a nice coating, if it is too cold it will be too thick to work with.
• Set up a second baking sheet with a sheet of parchment or wax paper.
• Drop a piece of the toffee into the chocolate. Use a fork to flip the toffee over to coat the other side.
• Lift the covered toffee from the chocolate and shake gently to allow the excess to fall away.
• In order to get a nice smooth bottom, you want to scrape the bottom of the fork on the edge of the bowl, before laying it on the parchment to harden.
• If you want to sprinkle with toasted nuts and sea salt, this is the time.
• Continue dipping until they are all covered in chocolate. Allow them to sit out in a cool spot to set up or you can set them in the refrigerator for a few minutes until they are firm.
• Fill decorative bags as gifts for Valentine's Day.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED ALMOND-TOFFEE MOONS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. In large bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. On low speed, beat in flour, almonds and salt until well blended. Stir in 1/2 cup toffee bits.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Shape each ball into 2-inch-long log; bend into crescent shape. On ungreased cookie sheets, place crescents 1 inch apart.
• Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until set and bottoms are golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In 1-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave chocolate chips and shortening on High 30 seconds. Stir; continue microwaving, stirring every 10 seconds, until chocolate is melted and can be stirred smooth. Dip 1 end of each cookie halfway into melted chocolate, letting excess drip off. If desired, sprinkle additional toffee bits over chocolate. Place on waxed paper or cooking parchment paper until set.

CHOCOLATE DIPPED TOFFEE MOONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 ° F.
• Mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl.
• Add flour, almonds, toffee bits, and salt, and mix well.
• Roll dough itno 1 inch balls, then into the shape of a log, bend to make a crescent shape.
• Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie and bake for 13-15 minutes.
• Make glaze.
• In a microwave safe dish mix glaze ingredients.
• Microwave on high for 45-60 seconds, stirring once halfway through.
• After glaze is finished cooking, stir until smooth.
• Dip half of each cookie into glaze and place on waxed paper.

CHOCOLATE DIPPED PINEAPPLE-COCONUT MACAROONS

Steps:

• For the pineapple filling: Puree the pineapple in a food processor and transfer to a medium skillet along with the sugar and 1/4 cup water. Heat over medium-low and bring to a low simmer. Use a rubber spatula to stir and move the mixture around as it reduces and thickens to the consistency of very thick jam, 18 to 20 minutes (you should have about a heaping 1/2 cup). Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Let cool completely in the skillet. The pineapple filling can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance.
• Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and coat lightly with nonstick spray.
• For the macaroons: Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until frothy. Toss the coconut, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon salt together with your hands in another large bowl. Add the coconut mixture to the egg whites and combine with your hands; the mixture should pack together tightly when squeezed. Divide the mixture into 24 slightly heaping tablespoons and roll each into a smooth ball (slightly wet hands can help with rolling). Hold a ball in the palm of your hand and use your thumb to make a slight indentation in the middle. Reshape the edges of the macaroon back into a round if it cracks. Arrange about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, rotating the tray as needed for even browning, 20 to 24 minutes. Let cool completely on the tray.
• Set up a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Combine the chocolate and butter in a small bowl and microwave for 30 seconds; stir. Repeat until all of the chocolate is melted and smooth. Dip the bottom of each macaroon into the chocolate and press into the chocolate about halfway up the macaroon. Use a fork to help lift it out of the chocolate. Transfer to the cooling rack and allow to sit at room temperature until the chocolate hardens and sets up, about 20 minutes.
• Fill each macaroon with about 1 teaspoon of the pineapple filling. Store and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

CHOCOLATE COOKIES WITH DIPPING BAR

Steps:

• For the cookies: Cream the butter with the powdered sugar. Add the egg and vanilla and mix to combine. Add the flour, cocoa powder and salt, and mix together until the dough comes together. Place plastic wrap on the surface of the dough and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with baking mats or parchment.
• Roll out the cookie dough and cut out the cookies using a rectangular cookie cutter, re-rolling the scraps in order to use as much of the dough as possible. Place the cookies onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, in batches if necessary, being careful not to burn. Cookies will remain the same general size and shape after they bake.
• Remove from the oven and place the cookies on a cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely.
• Melt the almond barks in separate bowls in the microwave. Dip half of each cookie into the white almond bark and half into the chocolate bark. Immediately sprinkle or press toppings from the Dipping Bar over both sides of the cookies. Gently set on parchment paper or another nonstick surface and allow to cool before serving.