Chocolate Spritz Trees Food

CHOCOLATE-PEPPERMINT SPRITZ

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Preheat the oven to 325˚. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and egg until just combined. Reduce the mixer speed to medium low and beat in the flour mixture until just combined.
• Fit a cookie press with a wreath disk; fill with the dough according to the manufacturer's instructions. Press cookies 1 inch apart onto 2 unlined baking sheets.
• Bake the cookies, 1 pan at a time, until crisp and set around the edges, 18 to 22 minutes. Immediately remove the cookies to a rack using an offset spatula and let cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
• Once the cookies have cooled, make the icing: Combine the chocolate, heavy cream and butter in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Stir until melted and smooth, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir in the peppermint extract; let cool 5 minutes.
• Transfer the icing to a resealable plastic bag, snip off a corner and drizzle over the cookies. Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Let set, about 30 minutes.

COCOA SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 325 degrees F. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and cloves in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until just combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture until just incorporated.
• Fill a cookie press with the dough according to the manufacturer's instructions. Press cookies about 1 inch apart onto 2 baking sheets. Decorate with sanding sugar.
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are set, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool 3 minutes on the baking sheets, then loosen with a thin spatula and let cool completely on the baking sheet.

CHOCOLATE SPRITZ (COOKIE PRESS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Beat butter in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer until creamy; add sugar, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Beat until combined. Scrape sides of bowl down if needed. Stir egg and vanilla extract into butter mixture until just combined; mix in flour.
• Fill the cookie press with dough; press cookies onto an ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges of cookies are lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

CHRISTMAS SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Place flour and salt in medium bowl; stir to combine.
• Beat powdered sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy.
• Beat in egg, almond extract and vanilla.
• Gradually add flour mixture--mix until well blended.
• Divide dough in half.
• If desired, tint half of dough with green food coloring.
• Fit cookie press with desired plate (or change plates for different shapes after first batch).
• Fill press with dough; press dough 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• Decorate cookies with cherries and assorted candies, if desired.
• Bake 10-12 minutes or until just set.
• Remove cookies to wire racks; cool completely.
• Prepare Icing, if desired.
• Pipe or drizzle on cooled cookies.
• Decorate with cherries and assorted candies, if desired.
• Store tightly covered at room temperature or freeze up to 3 months.
• --Icing--.
• Place all ingredients in medium bowl; stir until thick, but spreadable. (If icing is too thick, stir in 1 teaspoon additional milk).

CHOCOLATE-MOCHA SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400F (200 degrees C).
• Combine the flour and salt in a small bowl, stir to mix.
• Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, Beat in egg and vanilla.
• Add the chocolate, beat again, add coffee and cocoa powder.
• Gradually add the the flour mixture while making.
• Fit a cookie press with desired plate and fill the press with dough, press the dough 1 inch apart onto a ungreased cookie sheet. If you don't have a press, I'm sure you could use a pasty bag and pipe shapes.
• Bake batches for 7 mins or until set (you might want to play around with timings as most ovens are unique). Note these cookies harden whilst they cool, I would also recommend using a mixer unless your super strong as it's quite a lot of dough.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Using a cookie press fitted with a disk of your choice, press dough 1 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8-12 minutes or until set. Immediately sprinkle crushed candies over cookies. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight containers.