Chocolate Raspberry Jewels Food

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY JEWELS

Steps:

• 1. Melt chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. Melt in 15 second intervals, stirring each time, until chocolate is almost melted. Remove and stir until chocolate is melted. Set aside a few moments to cool.
• 2. Cream softened butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Add chocolate and mix.
• 3. Sift dry ingredients and add to the butter mixture and mix. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• 4. Meanwhile, make the filling. Add all the filling ingredients and stir over low heat until the filling is clear and thickened. Remove and cool.
• 5. Remove 1/4 of the dough to a floured board and pat quickly into a disk. Sprinkle disk with flour and roll ¼ inch thick on floured board. Cut the dough with a heart shaped cookie cutter.
• 6. Use smaller heart shaped cookie cutter to cut out center of half of the hearts.
• 7. Put 1 teaspoon of raspberry filling in the center on a cookie. Sandwich with the heart shaped dough that has the smaller heart cut out. Lightly press edges together and place on a plate and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
• 8. Ball up scraps of cookie dough and refrigerate while you take out another portion of dough and roll and continue as previously instructed until you have enough cookies to fill your cookie sheet. Place the sandwiched cookies on a greased cookie sheet leaving plenty of room in between them and bake at 325 degrees for 12 -14 minutes depending on the size of your cookie cutter. Note: You will need to keep this dough chilled in between the rolling steps. I cut the hearts one at a time and immediately put them on the baking sheet. I put them in the refrigerator to chill before I add the raspberry filling. Then I put the tops on and quickly and gently pinch the edges together and chill them. They will lift from the floured board easily until they warm up. Working quickly is essential to success. This recipe makes 24 sandwiched cookies.

RASPBERRY MUFFINS

Steps:

• For streusel: Pulse 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a food processor until crumbly.
• For Muffins: Preheat oven to 400º.
• Combine 1 cup flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and salt in a bowl and mix well.
• Stir in the 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup brown sugar.
• Add the milk, 1/2 c butter and egg to the flour mixture and stir until just moistened.
• Fold in the raspberries being careful not to break up the berries too much.
• Spoon the batter into paper-lined muffin cups and sprinkle with the streusel.
• Bake 15 to 20 or until a toothpick inserted in the center of muffin comes out clean.

WHITE CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg yolks. Combine flour and cocoa; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until easy to handle. , In a shallow bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy. Place nuts in another shallow bowl. Shape dough into 1-in. balls. Dip into egg whites, then roll in nuts. , Using a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in center of each cookie. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° until set, 8-10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., In a microwave, melt white chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon into each cookie. Top each with about 1/4 teaspoon jam. Store in an airtight container.