Triple Chocolate Mini Cups Cookie Exchange Quantity Food

TRIPLE-CHOCOLATE MINI CUPS (COOKIE EXCHANGE QUANTITY)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place mini paper baking cups in mini muffin pan cups OR use mini foil muffin cups if you don't have mini muffin pans.
• In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter and chocolate over low heat 6 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until smooth; cool 20 minutes. In large bowl, beat melted chocolate mixture, sugar, 1 cup of the flour, the cocoa, baking powder, salt and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed about 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally, until well blended. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup flour and the chocolate chips. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons into mini cups.
• Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until edges are slightly firm (center will be slightly soft). Immediately top each with cherry, pecan half or chocolate, pressing slightly. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• Place the bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate and espresso powder in a medium bowl and place over a pot of simmering water and melt, whisking occasionally, until smooth. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt onto a piece of parchment or wax paper, or into a small bowl, and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar and light brown sugar until lightly and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla extract, and beat on high speed for 1 minute. On low speed beat in the melted chocolate mixture until just combined. Fold in the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined. Stir in the pecans and chips. The batter will be loose. Cover and refrigerate until just firm, about 30 minutes.
• Using a small ice cream scoop (about 1 tablespoon size), scoop heaping tablespoons of the batter onto the prepared baking sheets, putting 8 cookies on each sheet. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes. The surface will be dry and shiny but the tops and insides will still be soft. It will take no longer than 10 to 11 minutes so set the time. Cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool 5 minutes longer. Repeat with the remaining batter. These cookies are best eaten the day they are made. Wrap leftovers well in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container.

DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE AND CARAMEL BARS (COOKIE EXCHANGE QUANTITY)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line 15x10x1-inch pan with foil, leaving about 2 inches of foil hanging over sides of pan.
• In large bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, cocoa and egg. Cut in 1 1/4 cups of the butter, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until crumbly. Stir in walnuts; reserve 3 cups of the crumb mixture. Press remaining mixture firmly in bottom of pan; sprinkle with 2 cups chocolate chips. Bake 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in heavy 2-quart saucepan, melt caramels with sweetened condensed milk and remaining 1/4 cup butter over low heat, stirring constantly. Pour over crust. Top with reserved crumb mixture. Bake about 20 minutes longer or until bubbly. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave 1 cup chocolate chips and the shortening uncovered on High 1 to 3 minutes, stirring halfway through heating time, until melted and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over bars. For bars, cut into 12 rows by 6 rows.