Meltaway Chocolate Cookies Food

CHOCOLATE CHIP MELTAWAY COOKIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine flour, corn starch, and confectioners' sugar. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and vanilla extract until smooth.
• Add flour mixture and begin mixing on low speed.
• Once mixture begins to get thick, increase speed to thoroughly mix until combined, scraping down sides.
• Scrape batter from beaters, and mix in chocolate chips with a large spoon.
• Refrigerate dough for 1 hour to firm up. (It's important that the dough be cold).
• When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F.
• Roll dough into 1-inch balls (no larger).
• Place 1-1/2 inches apart on lined baking sheet, flatten if desired., and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until bottom edges just barely begin to turn brown. (Do NOT over-bake)
• Cool on racks.
• Pour powdered sugar into a bowl or plastic baggie.
• Shake chocolate chip meltaway cookies in powdered sugar.
• Store in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE MINT MELT-AWAYS

Steps:

• For cookies:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 2 heavy large cookie sheets. Using electric mixer, cream butter and extracts in medium bowl until light. Beat in sugar. Beat in half of flour. Stir in remaining flour. Spoon half of dough into pastry bag fitted with no. 4 star tip. Pipe 2 1/2-inch-long ovals with solid centers on prepared cookie sheet, spacing cookies 1/2 inch apart. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake until golden brown on edges, about 12 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and cool.
• For ganache:
• Bring cream and butter to simmer in heavy small saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate and stir until smooth. Mix in extract. Refrigerate just until firm enough to spread, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• Line 2 cookie sheets with foil. Using small metal icing spatula, spread 1 teaspoon ganache over flat side 1 cookie. Arrange ganache side up on prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ganache is firm, about 30 minutes.
• For coating:
• Melt bittersweet chocolate and vegetable shortening in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from over water.
• Dip 1 end of 1 cookie into bittersweet chocolate. Grasp cookie on sides and dip ganache side into bittersweet chocolate; shake cookie to remove excess chocolate. Place cookie on same sheet, chocolate side down. Repeat with remaining cookies. Chill until chocolate sets, 30 minutes. Remove cookies from foil. (Can be prepared 2 weeks ahead. Refrigerate in single layers in airtight containers. Let stand 10 minutes at room temperature before serving.)

COCOA MELTAWAY COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
• In large bowl, cream 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 cup butter until light and fluffy.
• Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off.
• Add flour, cornstarch and cocoa to creamed mixture.
• Blend at low speed until all ingredients are moistened.
• Add pecans and vanilla; mix well.
• If necessary, refrigerate dough 30 minutes for easier handling.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
• Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 325 degrees F.
• for 8 to 12 minutes or until set.
• Cool 1 minute; carefully remove from cookie sheets.
• Cool completely.
• FOR THE FROSTING: In a small bowl, combine all frosting ingredients unil smooth.
• Frost cooled cookies.
• Allow frosting to set before storing.
• 3 dozen cookies.