Orange Cocoa Sandies Food

COCOA SANDIES..

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350*.
• In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy, about 3 minutes. add the cocoa and blend well.add the salt, then gradually add the flour, blending till smooth.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about 1/2" thickness.
• Use a cookie cutter to cut out the cookies and transfer them to an ungreased cookie sheet. the scraps can be gathered and rerolled.
• Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes or until just firm.
• Cool slightly on sheet, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
• GLAZE: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat, stir in cocoa and 1/4 cup of water. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and becomes smooth. Remove from the heat, and stir in vanilla. Gradually add the sugar, and salt stirring with a whisk until smooth. If need, add more water, 1 tsp at a time to achieve a spreadable consistency.
• To dip the cookies, tip the pan of chocolate toward you and dip about half of each cookie into the glaze.
• Place on a wax paper lined rack until the glaze is set.
• Store the cookies in layer, seperated by waxed paper.
• In tightly covered container in a cool, but not cold place.

CANDIED ORANGE SLICES DIPPED IN CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Cut the oranges in half lengthwise, with the cut side down slice the oranges crosswise into 1/4-inch slices, (you will have 1/2 of a slice of orange:DO-NOT peel),discard the ends.
• In a 10-inch saute pan combine the water and the 3 1/2 cups of sugar, stir to blend, then bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Add the orange slices, separating them, and simmer them gently for 1 hour uncovered; peroidically dunk any floating slices.
• Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
• Remove the orange slices, with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet to let drain and dry for 24 hours; NOTE; I dryed them in my oven set for for baked goods, or if oven has a pilot light, this worked great if it is a damp day.
• After drying the slices, toss them in the granulated sugar and reserve them, do not stack them as they will stick together.
• While you are coating the orange slices with the sugar, have the chocolate melting slowly in the top of a double boiler over 120 degree water: Chocolate can be melted in the microwave.
• When all the chocolate is melted and creamy and registers 100 degrees on an instant themometer, remove the top section from the double boiler.
• Add the 2-ounce of chocolate and gently stir until the thermometer reads 88 degrees to 91 degree, then remove what remains of the chunk of chocolate.
• Now dip the orange slices 2/3 of the way into the chocalate; gently scrape off excess chocolate against the side of the pan.
• Place the orange slices on a sheet of wax paper to set.
• Work quickly with the slices if the chocolate becomes to thick for dipping, place it over the 120 degree water again until it reaches 88 to 91 degrees.