Chocolate Moose Cookies Food

CHOCOLATE MOOSE COOKIES

Steps:

• Chocolate Glaze:Whisk to combine confectioners' sugar and cocoa in a bowl. Stir in milk, and whisk until smooth.
• Cookies:Whisk to combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter and confectioners' sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Divide dough in half; wrap each in plastic, and chill 1 hour or up to 1 day.
• Roll out dough between 2 sheets of parchment to 1/8-inch thickness. Transfer to a baking sheet. Chill 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a 5-inch moose-shaped cookie cutter, quickly cut out shapes from dough (if dough begins to soften, chill 5 minutes more). Reroll scraps and cut out more shapes. Transfer shapes to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Chill 30 minutes.
• Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are crisp, about 8 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.
• With an offset spatula, spread glaze on cookies. Allow glaze to set for 30 minutes before serving. Glazed cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

CHOCOLATE COOKIE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Crush 16 cookies; sprinkle into an 8-in. square dish. Drizzle with milk. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine 2/3 cup cream and chocolate chips. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 45 seconds. Stir; microwave 20-40 seconds longer or until chips are melted. Stir until smooth; cool to room temperature. , Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat remaining cream until soft peak form. Fold into chocolate mixture. Spread a third of the chocolate mixture over crushed cookies. Separate eight cookies; place over chocolate mixture. Repeat. Top with remaining chocolate mixture. Garnish with remaining whole cookies. Cover and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before serving.

CHOCOLATE MOOSE

Steps:

• Prepare the moose:
• I use dome molds *(see tip, below) to make the moose. Any type of half-sphere or round mold will work. If you use a sheet of molds, like I do, make sure the tempered chocolate is in a wide bowl. Fill each mold with chocolate and tap the sides with the handle of an offset spatula to remove any air bubbles. Invert the molds over the bowl of chocolate and allow the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Scrape the top of the molds clean with the edge of the spatula and place the molds upside down on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. The excess chocolate will drip from the molds. When the chocolate has begun to harden but is not completely set, about 5 minutes later, scrape the edge of each chocolate shell clean with a sharp paring knife. This makes it easier to unmold the shells, keeps the chocolate from breaking as it contracts, and gives the dome a clean rim. Place the molds on a baking sheet in the refrigerator until completely set, about 5 more minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and unmold. The molds I use allow me to just push against one edge of the shell and slide it out of the mold. Depending on your mold, you may need to lift the chocolate from the mold. Set the chocolate aside.
• To make the antlers:
• You will need two antlers for each moose. Use a small offset spatula to spread some tempered chocolate over a maple leaf template placed on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. Keep the thickness of the chocolate as even as possible, about 1/8 inch thick. Repeat until you have enough antlers for each moose.
• To make the eyes:
• Pour a small amount of the tempered chocolate into a cornet. Use the cornet to draw small horseshoe-shaped eyes onto a sheet of parchment paper. Fill in the center of the horseshoe completely. Make two eyes for each moose and set aside to finish later.
• Prepare the mousse:
• Place a 1-quart saucepan half filled with water over high heat and bring it to a simmer. Make a double boiler by setting a large mixing bowl over the simmering water. Place the chopped chocolate in the bowl and heat until completely melted, stirring occasionally. Make sure no water or steam comes in contact with the chocolate, because it can cause the chocolate to seize (harden). It is important to allow the chocolate to melt completely, or you will have lumps in the finished mousse. As soon as the chocolate is melted, remove it from the heat and set aside until ready to use.
• Place the whole egg and egg yolks in a medium-size mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer set on medium-high speed until light in color and thick, about 7 minutes. The egg mixture will gain in volume due to the incorporation of air. Keep whipping while the sugar cooks.
• Place the water and sugar in a 1-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Insert a candy thermometer and cook the sugar mixture until it reaches 250°F (121°C), what is called the soft ball stage. Remove it from the heat and pour the hot sugar down the side of the mixing bowl into the whipping eggs. Be careful not to pour the hot sugar directly onto the beaters, or it will splatter. Continue to whip with the electric mixer set on medium-high speed until the outside of the bowl is warm but not hot, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Pour the heavy cream into a medium-size mixing bowl and whip to soft peaks with an electric mixer set on medium speed. At this stage the whipped cream has the most volume. If you overwhip the cream, you will lose volume and the mousse will not be as light and airy as it should be. If you are using Grand Marnier, fold it in with a rubber spatula, being careful not to deflate the cream.
• Fold the egg mixture into the whipped cream. If the egg mixture is too hot, it will melt the whipped cream. If it is too cool, it will not fold well. Use a rubber spatula and fold gently just until the two are combined. You should still see streaks of each in the mixture. Carefully pour the warm melted chocolate into the mixture. If the chocolate is too warm, it will melt the whipped cream. If it is too cool, the chocolate will seize (harden) upon contact with the cooler mixture and you will have pieces of chocolate in your mousse. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the chocolate until completely incorporated. The chocolate mousse should be the same color throughout, with no streaks.
• Assemble the moose:
• Fill each shell with the chocolate mousse, filling almost to the rim. Place them in the refrigerator until set, about an hour. Remove from the refrigerator. Invert the filled shell and place on the center of a plate. Use a sharp paring knife to trim the antlers where they will stick to the shell. Use a small amount of tempered chocolate to "glue" two antlers to the head of each moose. Loosen the eyes from the sheet of parchment paper. Melt the bottom of each eye with the blade of a hot paring knife and stick the eyes onto the moose head, under the antlers. Fill a cornet with the sour cream and draw a pupil in the center of each eye. Place one raspberry, tip side out, in the front for the nose. To make the mouth, lay a large strawberry on its side and slice it into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Slice as many strawberries as necessary to make ten mouths. Place one slice under each nose.

THE BEST CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Whip 1 cup of the heavy cream to soft peaks in a medium bowl (see Cook's Note). Set aside.
• Add the egg, egg yolks, sugar, espresso powder, vanilla extract, salt and 1 tablespoon water to a medium heatproof bowl and whisk to combine. Set the bowl over a medium saucepan of gently simmering water (do not allow the bowl to touch the water). Whisk constantly until the mixture is pale, hot to the touch and has almost doubled in volume, about 4 to 6 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula, if necessary. Remove from the heat and continue whisking until cooled, about 2 minutes.
• Put the chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and set over the saucepan of gently simmering water (do not allow the bowl to touch the water). Stir occasionally with a rubber spatula until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and gently stir for about 3 minutes to cool slightly.
• Whisk the egg mixture into the melted chocolate in 3 additions until combined. (The mixture may get very thick.) Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture in 3 additions until it is fully incorporated. It is important that the chocolate mixture is not warm to ensure that it combines smoothly with the whipped cream without seizing up.
• Divide the chocolate mousse among four 4-ounce ramekins and chill until firm, about 1 hour.
• Whip the remaining 3/4 cup cold heavy cream to stiff peaks. Top each chocolate mousse with whipped cream and serve. (For a softer texture, allow the ramekins to sit at room temperature while you whip the cream.)

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Beat egg yolks in small bowl with electric mixer on high speed about 3 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Gradually beat in sugar.
• Heat 1 cup whipping cream in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat until hot. Gradually stir at least half of the hot whipping cream into egg yolk mixture; stir back into hot cream in saucepan. Cook over low heat about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens (do not boil). Stir in chocolate until melted. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, just until chilled.
• Beat 1 1/2 cups whipping cream in chilled medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture. Pipe or spoon mixture into serving bowls. Refrigerate until serving.

CHOCOLATE MOOSE

Steps:

• Send spouse to Alaska to capture moose, or have one delivered by UPS.
• Meanwhile, melt chocolate in very large double boiler.
• Keep warm.
• Tie up moose with rope.
• Holding the moose by the tail, carefully dip in melted chocolate, covering it completely with a thin coating.
• Arrange moose attractively on large platter and refrigerate for 2 days to set chocolate.
• Remove rope, wash to remove chocolate,if necessary, and return rope to clothesline.
• Garnish chocolate moose with Cool Whip and top with a cherry.
• Serve immediately.
• Or you could just chew on the rope, which may be tastier.
• May be doubled for serving a crowd.