Chocolate Viennese Kisses Food

VIENNESE WHIRLS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment. Put the butter and icing sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric hand whisk for about 5 mins until pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and beat again until fully incorporated.
• Sift in the flour, cornflour and baking powder, and fold into the mixture using a spatula until combined (the dough should have a tacky consistency). Spoon the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star-shaped nozzle. If all the mixture doesn't fit, do it in 2 batches.
• Pipe swirly circles 5cm diameter onto 2 baking sheets making sure there are 3cm spaces between each swirl.
• Bake for 10-12 mins, swapping the trays over halfway through the cooking time so the biscuits are evenly baked, until pale golden and cooked through. Leave to cool on the baking sheets for a few mins, then transfer to wire racks.
• While the biscuits cool, make the filling. Put the softened butter in a large mixing bowl and add the icing sugar. Stir together initially with a wooden spoon then switch to electric beaters or a whisk to get the buttercream fluffy and smooth. Add the vanilla extract and beat once more to combine. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag and snip off the end.
• Turn the biscuits over so their flat side is facing up then pipe buttercream over half of the biscuits and spread a little jam on the rest. Sandwich a jam covered biscuit together with a buttercream one and repeat until all the biscuits are used up.

CHOCOLATE VIENNESE KISSES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Grease two, 12 cup mini muffin pans and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, butter, and sugar. Beat at medium speed until mixture resembles coarse crumbles.
• Add sour cream and vanilla. Beat at low speed until soft dough forms.
• Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place 1 ball into each prepared muffin cup.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
• Remove from oven and immediately press kiss into center of each cookie. Let cool in pan 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

VIENNESE ORANGE KISSES

Steps:

• Cream butter, sifted icing sugar and rind till fluffy, Add cornflour mix well. Add sifted flours gradually, beat well till smooth.
• Fill into a piping bag with star tube and pipe 2.5cm stars onto lightly greased oven trays, Bake in mod oven for 15 minutes until pale golden brown. Cool on racks.
• Sandwich cookies together in pairs with orange cream filling, dust with icing sugar.
• Orange Cream, beat soft butter with sifted icing sugar till smooth, add a few drops orange food colour and orange juice.

NUTELLA KISSES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375*.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt, whisk to combine.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the Nutella, sugars and butter. Cream for about 3 minutes, then add the vanilla and egg. Blend until combined.
• Stir in dry ingredients just until combined.
• Shape cookie dough into walnut-sized balls, then roll into the extra sugar. Place on cookie sheet about 4 inches apart.
• Bake for 8 minutes, pull rack out and place a kiss into the center of each cookie. Cookie will get the cracks from this. Push rack back in and bake an additional 3 minutes.
• Remove to a wire rack to cool.