Devils Workshop

has been moved to new address

http://www.bigblackdogs.net

Sorry for inconvenience...

Big Black Dog: Chocolate Mint Cookies with Pearls and Gold

December 5, 2009

Chocolate Mint Cookies with Pearls and Gold



My fifth cookie choice for 12-Days of Christmas Cookies Extravaganza was not a hard decision at all. I happen to love Chocolate and Mint, but this particular dough was awful sticky and difficult to work with. The directions say to roll the dough into a log and chill for two hours and then just slice the cookies. WRONG! The dough, thoroughly chilled for a good four hours, was still too soft and even though I used my porcelain knife I could not cut through the dough and the cookies were a squished mess.

So rather then try and roll out the dough and fight with my rolling pin I chose to just pat the dough down with my hands in small amounts and cut the cookies. After the cookies were baked and I had a chance to taste them and I honestly think my own Chocolate Mint Cookie Recipe taste much better and the dough is not difficult to work with at all!

Of course I had to get foo-foo fancy with the chocolate and gold dragees and edible pearls but it's Christmas and I love decorating cookies! I must have at least a 100 different varieties and colors of sprinkles, sanding sugar, non-pareils and jimmies. A month or so ago I organized the basement closet that holds all my cookie confections and candy making equipment and if you'd like to take a peek just click here.



DSCF0330-1




Chocolate Mint Cookies
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit's Holiday Cookie-a-Day Collection

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1 large egg

Topping: 6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

Whisk flour, cocoa powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend.

Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth.

Beat in peppermint extract and vanilla extract.

Beat in sugar in 3 additions. Add egg and beat until blended.

Add dry ingredients and beat just until blended (dough will be sticky).

Divide dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap.

Using plastic wrap as aid, form dough on each into 2-inch-diameter log. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate dough until well chilled, at least 2 hours. (Dough can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Position 1 rack in center and 1 rack in top third of oven; preheat to 350°F.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap cookie dough logs; roll briefly on work surface to form smooth round logs.

Cut logs crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Place rounds on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.

Bake cookies until tops and edges are dry to touch, about 15 minutes. Transfer baking sheets with cookies to racks; cool completely.

Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Cool melted chocolate until slightly thickened but still pourable, about 10 minutes. Dip fork into melted chocolate, then wave fork back and forth over cookies, drizzling melted chocolate thickly over cookies in zigzag pattern. Refrigerate cookies on baking sheets until chocolate is set, about 10 minutes. (Cookies can be made 1 week ahead. Refrigerate in airtight container between sheets of parchment paper or waxed paper.)



DSCF0329




Please visit the rest of our 12-DaysofCookies Crew and see what they've baked today!

Andrea of Andrea's Recipes.(honorary member and our founder but not participating this year)
Claire of The Barefoot Kitchen
Courtney of Coco Cooks <--Glamorous Courtney
Di of Di's Kitchen Notebook
Judy of No Fear Entertaining
Kelly of Sass & Veracity<--Sweet Kelly
Michelle of BigBlackDog <--Hey that's ME!
RJ of Flamingo Musings <--Feathered Friend Renee
Sandy of At the Baker's Bench
Tiffany of The Nesting Project




All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog



Labels: , , , , ,

13 Comments:

Anonymous Kayte said...

So pretty and elegant! These would look really nice on cookie plates, etc. I love how you displayed them...and OMW I clicked on the closet link and had a heart attack...you have so much right at your fingertips! I have one little tupperware type box of sprinkle packages which includes those and sprinkles. Woefully understocked I can see right now! But it is easy to organize...LOL. I am way too compulsive to be able to buy anything in bulk...I just stand there and have an all out panic attack looking at the containers. You just amaze me with your creative talents and all that you do. These cookies are beautiful. That closet is wonderful!

December 5, 2009 at 11:21 AM  
Blogger RJ Flamingo said...

Of course, they're stunning! And I don't dare look at your confections closet for fear of running off with my tail between my legs! :-)

December 5, 2009 at 12:29 PM  
Blogger The Quintessential Magpie said...

Fabulously pretty! I can't get over how adorable they are! Good job!

XO,

Sheila :-)

December 5, 2009 at 12:49 PM  
Blogger Kim said...

You do a fantastic job of decorating your cookies. They look so professional and elegant! I wish I had the eye for that type of thing :D You have a lot of sprinkles and goodies there in your closet. It gives me the excuse to want for more myself ;D

December 5, 2009 at 1:47 PM  
Blogger YankeeQuilter said...

These look so pretty on the plate. We have a chocolate mint cookie that we make Christmas but they don't sit around long enough to decorate...Dh loves chocolate-mint anything!

December 5, 2009 at 3:47 PM  
Anonymous Lynda said...

Yum! I'm going to gain weight just by reading your blog! These look real good and I think I need to make these but probably without all of those dodads. I like them but I don't have enough room for all my craft stuff, much less my food stuff!
Thanks again for a great post and recipe.

December 5, 2009 at 4:51 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh these cookies are so elegant. Almost too pretty to eat but I'll bet I could mange a couple! :)
Thanks for popping in to see me.
be a sweetie,
shelia ;)

December 5, 2009 at 7:07 PM  
Blogger Lori E said...

Nom, nom, nom, nom. I like cookies. Do I have to share with my family?

December 5, 2009 at 7:10 PM  
Blogger Di said...

Your cookies look wonderful! Sorry to hear that the dough wasn't very cooperative, though.

December 5, 2009 at 7:25 PM  
Blogger glamah16 said...

Wow! Looking at these you can never tell there were issues. Exquisite decoration!

December 6, 2009 at 9:10 PM  
Anonymous Megan said...

I'm afraid to see your collection because mine will pale in comparison. But I'm glad you warned about the dough, because chocolate and mint cookies would be perfect this week. Well, any week really - but I haven't made any for awhile. Thanks for the tip!

December 7, 2009 at 12:16 AM  
Anonymous Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction said...

Yum! Chocolate and mint are so perfect together... these remind me of the thin mint cookies that the Girl Scouts sell... except yours are far prettier!

December 7, 2009 at 2:05 PM  
Anonymous Nancy - TheSensitivePantry.com said...

Tempting, so very tempting! I'm going to have to try to convert these to gluten-free and see how they turn out. I miss my favorite Girl Scout Thin Mints and these seem like they'd do the trick. Thanks!

December 8, 2009 at 6:25 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home