Double Chocolate Peach Cookies Food

PEACH COOKIES

Steps:

• For the pastry cream: Whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the milk, 1/4 cup of the sugar and the salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking until the sugar is dissolved.
• Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch and egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup milk and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Ladle about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the bowl while whisking, then add all of the mixture back to the saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly; let boil until thickened, about 2 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then stir in the preserves, schnapps and almond extract. Cool the pastry cream slightly, then cover the surface directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.
• For the cookies: Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together the sugar, milk, butter, nectar, schnapps and eggs in a large bowl. Add the flour mixture and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth to make a thick, sticky dough.
• Lightly grease your hands with the oil and roll tablespoons of the dough into balls, arranging them about 1 1/2 inches apart on the lined baking sheets. Bake one sheet at a time, until the undersides of the cookies are golden and the tops are just set, about 15 minutes. Cool just a few minutes. While the cookies are still warm, use a sharp paring knife to cut an approximately 1-inch-wide teaspoon-sized divot into the flat side of each cookie (be careful not to pierce the tops or sides of the cookies). Bake the other sheet of cookies and cut out the divots. Cool the cookies completely.
• Spoon a heaping teaspoon of pastry cream into each cookie, then sandwich 2 similar-looking ones together to make a peach shape, cleaning off any pastry cream that squeezes out of the seams. At this point, the cookies may not stick together very well; prop them up next to each other to keep their shape.
• For decorating: Combine the nectar and almond extract in a small bowl and add enough food coloring to make it bright red, about 8 drops. Put the sugar in another bowl.
• Working one at a time, paint each peach cookie all over with the red nectar mixture using a medium paintbrush, then roll in the sugar to coat thoroughly. Make sure the cookies are still nicely sandwiched and place in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan (the cookies should fit snugly in the baking pan so that they keep their shape). Cover the dish with plastic and refrigerate 8 hours and up to overnight (this will blend the flavors and also set the pastry cream to keep the cookies together).
• Just before serving, garnish each cookie with a clove and mint sprig to look like little stems.

PEACH COBBLER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and extracts. In another bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in peaches., Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until set, 14-16 minutes. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container.

DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat the butter in a large bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners' sugar, granulated sugar and salt and continue to beat on medium speed until pale and creamy, 2 minutes. Add the cocoa powder, vanilla and egg; mix on low to incorporate. Add the flour, beating on low speed until just incorporated (a few streaks is fine). Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the chocolate chips.
• Turn out the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap, form into a disk and wrap tightly. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Generously dust the dough and work surface with flour. Roll out the dough to a 1/3-inch thickness; if the dough cracks around the edges, simply press it back together. Use cookie cutters to cut out the desired shapes. Place the cookies, 1 inch apart, on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake until just beginning to brown around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through.
• Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets before removing the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE AND ESPRESSO COOKIES

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. Place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
• In the bowl of a food processor, finely chop the chocolate covered espresso beans. In a medium bowl, whisk together the chopped espresso beans, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
• In another medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, water, and vanilla extract. Gradually add the dry ingredients and stir until thick and smooth. Fold in the melted chocolate. Stir in the chocolate chips. Using a cookie or ice cream scoop, scoop level 1/4 cupfuls of the batter onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake until slightly puffed and the tops begin to crack, 18 to 20 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets and serve.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHERRY COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Combine flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda in a bowl. In a bowl of an electric mixer, or with a handheld mixer, combine butter and sugars until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and wine and combine. Slowly in batches add the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in the chocolate and cherries. On a nonstick cookie sheet, place a heaping tablespoon of dough for each cookie about 2 inches apart from each other. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until tops are still soft looking but edges look firm.

FROSTED DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Steps:

• PREHEAT oven to 375°F.
• MICROWAVE ¾ cup morsels in a small, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; STIR. Morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10 to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted. Cool to room temperature. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
• BEAT butter, brown sugar, sugar and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Beat in melted chocolate and egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in ¾ cup morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
• BAKE for 8 to 9 minutes or until edges are set but centers are still slightly soft. Cool on baking sheets for 3 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Thinly frost centers of cookies with chocolate frosting.
• FOR CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
• MICROWAVE remaining 1/2 cup morsels and butter in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH power for 30 seconds; stir until smooth. Microwave at additional 10 to 15-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Add powdered suar and milk; stir until smooth.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE SABLE COOKIES (FRANCE)

Steps:

• Grate the chilled chocolate with a fine grater or rasp and set aside.
• Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and sea salt.
• Beat the butter and sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until just combined. Mix in the yolk. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and beat lightly together until just combined but still crumbly. Fold in grated chocolate with a spatula. Bring the dough together by lightly squeezing in your hands; but don't knead or overwork, as the secret to these cookies is their delicate, sandy texture.
• Divide the dough in half. Lay half the dough on a long sheet of waxed paper and shape into a log along the width of the waxed paper, leaving some space at each end. Pull the paper over the top of the log. Grip the edge of the top piece of paper, and use a straight, firm edge, like a ruler or the edge of a pan, to press gently against the edge of the dough where the papers come together to create a solid, firm round log. Repeat with remaining dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (To keep logs round store inside an empty paper towel roll.)
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Slice logs into 1/2-inch thick rounds with a sharp, thin knife. Divide rounds onto the prepared sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Bake until cookies smell fragrant with a full cocoa aroma and set on the outside, about 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pans, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer cookies to a rack to cool completely. Serve.
• Busy baker's tips: Dough can be made and frozen for up to 2 weeks. Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Baked cookies can be wrapped in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil and frozen for up to 2 weeks.
• Cook's note: For super uniform cookies, place each sliced disk of dough in a muffin tin and bake. The cookies will be chewier, less sandy this way.
• Copyright 2007 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, beat brown sugar and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, or mix with spoon. Beat in vanilla and egg white.
• Stir in flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Onto ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart.
• Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until set (do not overbake). Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until very light, about 5 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat until well combined.
• With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and beat just until combined. Add the chocolate discs and mix briefly to combine. Press plastic wrap against the dough and chill it for at least 24 hours and up to 36.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Portion the dough out into balls slightly larger than golf balls, about 3 1/2 ounces each, and transfer five balls to the baking sheet. (They will spread significantly.) Bake the cookies until set, being careful to remove cookies from the oven when still soft in the center, about 18 minutes. Transfer the parchment with the cookies to a rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining dough, baking a second batch of four or five cookies. Serve warm.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips., Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

ULTIMATE DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Steps:

• Melt chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring occasionally until smooth. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, cream butter with white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in coffee crystals and vanilla until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the dry ingredients just until everything comes together. Cover, and let stand for 35 minutes so the chocolate can set up.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough into walnut sized balls, or drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches between cookies.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Cookies will be set, but the centers will still be very soft because of the chocolate. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.