Chocolate for Christmas

Back to the Monday grind...how was your day? Today we're talking cookies, a classic addition to the office holiday party. Seems like everyone is doing December Cookie Month, and as I was perusing Food Network I found a few interesting and chocolatey recipes to share. Enjoy!

Chocolate Cheesecake Candy Cane Bars
Food Network Kitchens

Ingredients
Crust:

• 20 chocolate wafer cookies
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon finely ground coffee beans
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Filling:

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

Glaze:

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon light or dark corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons sour cream, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup crushed candy canes

Directions

For the crust: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch-square baking dish with foil.
2. Process the chocolate wafers in a food processor with the butter, sugar, coffee and salt until fine. Evenly press the crust into the prepared dish, covering the bottom completely. Bake until the crust sets, about 15 minutes.

For the filling: 

1. Meanwhile, heat the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl at 75-percent power until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir, and continue to heat until completely melted, up to 2 minutes more. (Alternatively, put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth.)
2. Blend the cream cheese, sugar and sour cream together in the food processor until smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed. Add the eggs and pulse until just incorporated. With the food processor running, pour the chocolate into the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.
3. Pour the filling evenly over the crust. Bake until the filling puffs slightly around the edges but is still a bit wobbly in the center, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack.

For the glaze: 

1. Put the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in a microwave-safe bowl and heat at 75-percent power until melted, about 2 minutes. Stir the ingredients together until smooth; add the sour cream. Spread the glaze evenly over the warm cake and scatter the crushed candy canes over top. Cool completely, and then refrigerate overnight.
2. Cut into small bars or squares. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
3. Store the bars covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Cook's Note: To crush the candy canes, remove the wrappers and place in a resealable plastic bag. Use a rolling pin to roll over and break up the candy into small pieces, about 1/4 inch or so.

Dark Chocolate TrufflesTyler Florence (one of my favs!)


Ingredients

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces good-quality (70 percent) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup cocoa powder, for dusting

Directions

1. In a saucepan, bring the cream just to a simmer over medium-low to low heat. Pour the cream over the chocolate in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand about 10 minutes to melt the chocolate.
2. Add the vanilla and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Then beat the chocolate at medium speed, using an electric mixer, until it is thick and light colored. If the chocolate has cooled enough, it will be ready to form truffles right away. If the chocolate is still too soft to hold its shape when rolled in a ball, spread over the bottom of a baking dish and smooth the top. Refrigerate until firmed, but still scoopable, up to 2 hours.
4. Pour the cocoa powder onto a deep plate or shallow bowl. Use a melon baller or small ice cream scoop to scoop out balls of chocolate and gently roll into a ball. Place them on the plate with the cocoa powder and roll between 2 forks to completely coat with the cocoa powder. Then use the forks to carefully transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment or waxed paper.
5. If making the truffles a day or two ahead of time, let them stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving.

Cook's Note: A pair of disposable latex gloves will help your hands stay clean while rolling the truffles.

Sunny's Chocolate Chip Candy Cane CookiesSunny Anderson

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, gently chopped
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) coarsely crushed red or green candy canes (4 to 5 candy canes)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. To a stand mixer, add the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Blend on high with the paddle attachment until the sugar granules are less visible and the mixture is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
3. Scrape the sides with a rubber spatula, then add the egg and blend on low until combined, stopping to scrape the sides more to incorporate.
4. Prepare the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and baking soda. Stir and toss with a spoon or fork.
5. Scrape the sides of the mixer bowl and, while off, add half of the flour mixture. Turn on low and mix until combined; this should only take 5 to 6 rotations of the paddle. Stop and scrape the sides again, then add the other half of the flour and mix on low the same way. Turn off the mixer.
6. Add the chopped chocolate chips and crushed candy canes. Turn the mixer back on low and blend until just combined; this should only take 3 to 4 rotations of the paddle.
7. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop dough balls the size of golf balls, 1 tablespoon each, and place 3 inches apart on the baking sheet, about 8 cookies per sheet. Bake until the edges are set and the center is cooked through, but still soft, 13 to 15 minutes.
8. Cool the cookies for 2 to 3 minutes on the sheets. Then, holding the baking sheet over a wire cooling rack, remove the cookies from the sheet by gripping the baking sheet with one hand and the parchment paper on the opposite side with your other hand. Gently slide the parchment paper off the sheet with the cookies still on top, resting the parchment and cookies on the wire rack beneath until cool. This cookie removal/cooling trick takes coordination, so think about it before you do it and easy on the egg nog.

Happy baking!