Chocolate Peppermint Blossom Cookies Food

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BLOSSOM COOKIES

Steps:

• Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, both sugars, eggs, milk and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat the flour mixture into the wet mixture slowly. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place the balls 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350F for 10 minutes. Turn cookie sheet half way through baking. Remove from the oven and press a chocolate peppermint kiss in the centre of each cookie. Cool on a wire rack.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high spped for 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low, and add egg and then yolk, beating well after each addition. Beat in peppermint extract. Slowly add flour mixture, and beat until just incorporated. Shape dough into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).
• Roll out 1 disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Using a 2 inch round cutter, cut out circles, and place 1 inch apart on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Roll and cut scraps onces. Freeze cookies until firm, about 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining disk.
• Bake until the cookies are dry to the touch, about 12 minutes. Transfer parchment, with cookies, to wire racks, and let cool.
• Sift crushed cany, and separate larger pieces from dust, reserving both. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of gently simmering water. Remove from heat. Dunk cookies into melted chocolate. Using a fork, turn to coat, let excess drip off, and gently scrape bottom agains edge of bowl. Place on parchment lined baking sheets, and sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of either candy pieces or dust on top. Repeat, sprinkling half of the cookies with dust and half with candy pieces. Refrigerate until set, up to 3 hours. Decorated cookies are best served the same day.