Salted Almond Shortbread Cookies with Milk Chocolate Toppers

Let me just confess right away that I could not stop taking pictures of these cookies. For every one picture you see here, there are 7 more sitting on my computer. I feel a little like one of those people who invite the neighbors over to watch a vacation slideshow.


As soon as I saw these cookie cutter and chocolate mold kits from Fancy Flours, I knew I had to try them. I used this kit and this one. Each kit comes with a cookie cutter/stamp and a set of chocolate molds.

The cookies are so pretty on their own!


To make the toppers, I tempered some milk chocolate. I still have some work to do on my tempering...you can see some little flecks in the chocolate, but overall, I was happy with them. The book Sweet Confections has great step-by-step instructions for tempering chocolate...and lots of other candy making.

You could also use candy melts...and I did actually make a few pink topped cookies with pink candy melts and totally forgot to take pictures of them! It's a travesty.


The cookies. Now, Mr. E looooves a shortbread cookie. Every Christmas, I buy him a tin of those butter cookies and he's in heaven. Me? I don't love them. Shortbread cookies sometimes seem a little one-dimensional to me. (I have no idea what I'm talking about, but they're not usually my favorite.) SO, I thought I'd try to make them a little more interesting.


These shortbread are salted almond shortbread. The healthy dose of salt works really nicely with the milk chocolate toppers...and even without the toppers. I love some salty with my sweet, so these were perfect for my palate.

Salted Almond Shortbread Cookies

{makes about 20 3-inch cookies}

[notes: I used some white whole wheat flour in these cookies because I always think of shortbread as being more rugged than other cookies. ;) Feel free to use all-purpose for all of it. Also, if you'd like the cookies less salty, use unsalted butter and reduce salt to 1/2 teaspoon.]

1 cup salted butter, cut into chunks
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 & 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the salt and almond extract.

Add in the flour and mix on low until combined.

Roll to 1/4-inch thick on a flour-dusted surface. Bake for 10-12 minutes until done. Remove to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.


For the toppers:
Temper milk chocolate or use candy melts. Pour into molds and let set. Unmold.


Use a microplane to shave off any rough edges or to smooth the backside (I wish I could do this to *my* backside). ;)

Melt a little chocolate and use to adhere the molded chocolate to the cookies.

Wishing you lots of love and cookies (and chocolate!) this Valentine's week!

*this post contains amazon affiliate links.

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Mini Heart-Shaped Red Velvet LAVA Cakes!!!

I remember the first time I had a lava cake. (I can't remember what I wore two days ago, but I can remember FOOD from 15 years ago.) My sister worked for Morton's and one night, she and I splurged and treated ourselves to dinner there. Dessert was a magical cake with a warm, liquid, molten chocolate filling. I think I heard angels singing.

That was many moons ago, and many lava cakes ago (and many pounds ago). Since then, I've eaten my share of them. They're made one of two ways...1: a slightly undercooked batter that runs out from the center. 2: a chocolate truffle is inserted during baking; the truffle melts as the cake bakes.


For this recipe, I went with the truffle method. (Also, you'll have a couple of extra truffles to munch on while you're working...bonus!) I'm not usually a huge fan of red velvet cake. It pretends to be chocolate, but it's just not. WELL...red velvet lava cakes totally solve this issue. You'll get your red velvet AND a mega dose of chocolate.

These mini red velvet lava cakes are so special...for Valentine's Day, anniversaries, or just to say "I love you" to your people. :)

{The batter looks a little like ketchup. I used Americolor Gel Paste Food Coloring in Super Red. You'll only need 1/2 teaspoon as opposed to 2 bottles of the liquid coloring.)


{The cakes will deflate a little as they rest.  That's ok. You'll invert these onto a dessert plate, so these are actually the bottoms of the cakes.}

*If you can't find heart-shaped ramekins, feel free to use round ones. Look for 6-ounce ramekins.

I'm sharing on Imperial Sugar today. 

Hop on over and grab the recipe!

Pretty as a (chocolate) Petunia

A whole new world opened up to me yesterday. 
These flowers...

...they're made from CHOCOLATE! Chocolate, people!!!

I'd heard of "modeling chocolate" before, and always thought it sounded intimidating. You guys, it's pretty easy!


Of course, my chocolate petunia flowers aren't perfect, but I'm pretty excited about how they turned out...especially for my first time!



You might remember me telling you about the Ultimate DIY Bundle. One of the ebooks is Cake Decorating with Modeling Chocolate by Kristen Coniaris. To say I'm inspired is an understatement. This ebook is filled with the recipes, instructions, troubleshooting, and a whole host of decorating tutorials.

TODAY is the last day to purchase the Ultimate DIY Bundle. 

Don't forget that along with the over 70 ebooks from modeling chocolate (where I leared to make these petunias) to photography to sewing (and more!), you'll get to chose a FREE Craftsy class (from 15 of their most popular courses). I picked the Artisan Bread Making course with (James Beard Award Winner!) Peter Reinhart.

Let's look at those chocolate petunias again.


I attached them to my mocha cut-out cookies (recipe in Decorating Cookies Party). I love the way the flowers pop against the dark background!



I wonder how I'm going to pack one of these in kiddo's lunchbox tomorrow? ;)



OK kids. You're almost out of time. Scoop up that Ultimate DIY Bundle by midnight tonight.


*Disclosure: I have included affiliate links in this post. Read the fine print about this bundle and read the answers to frequently asked questions about the bundle.

Desserts for Dudes: Dark Chocolate Espresso Trail Mix Brownies

Don't *EVEN* get me started on these brownies.  OK.  Not really.  Get me started.  

I came up with these brownies for my big dude (the one I'm married to) because he's a huge fan of Target's trail mixes.  His favorites are the Black and White and the Dark Chocolate Espresso.


For this recipe, I used Dark Chocolate Espresso Trail Mix.  What's inside?  Chocolate-covered almonds, praline almonds, mocha pecans, chocolate chips, hazelnuts, and chocolate-covered coffee beans.  What I love about adding it to brownies is that you get a lot of different "crunches," not just your typical pecans or walnuts.


My advice to you is this: make these brownies when you have people to share them with.  I'm sitting here, totally full from lunch, one huge brownie down.  I start editing the pictures and ohmygosh....how could I resist going back for another?!?  I mean, look at them...

{Of course, I cut one in half, went back to editing pictures, then promptly got up and ate the other half.  Who are these people who can eat 1/2 of a brownie?}

Side note:  I was telling one the sweet (super fit) instructors at Pure Barre that I struggle with seeing big results from working out.  You see, I explained, blogging and recipe development involve lots of taste testing, and her advice was to test "just one bite."  And that, my friends, is why she looks the way she does, and I look the way I do. ;) 

Alright, back to the brownies.  Here's what you can expect: deep, dark chocolate...a hint of espresso...fudgey texture...melty chocolate...and assorted crunchiness throughout.



To get that deep, dark color and rich chocolate flavor, I swear by Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa...

 

Dark Chocolate Espresso Trail Mix Brownies

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
2 & 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 & 1/2 cups Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 & 1/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 cup Target Archer Farms Dark Chocolate Espresso Trail Mix

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 9x13" pan.


Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat.  Once melted, stir in the sugar.  Stir the sugar and butter while gently heating until the mixture is warm to the touch (but not boiling).  Remove the pan from the heat.

Stir in the cocoa, espresso powder, salt, baking powder and vanilla.  Whisk in the eggs until incorporated.


Stir in the flour...


...then fold in the trail mix.

Pour into the prepared pan, and smooth.  Bake for 28 minutes, or until done.  Cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack.


*adapted from King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion*

Y'all...forget the dudes.  I think I'm going back for another. 

Chocolate Baguette Sandwiches with Orange and Sea Salt

For a long time, France was not near the top of my “must see” list.  Weird, I know.  Every girl wants to see the Eiffel Tower in person, right?  Not that I didn’t want to see it, but it wasn’t a burning desire. 

As I got older, though, I started thinking less about the Eiffel Tower and more about the FOOD.  I mean, macarons, croissants, and crepes…oh my.  Then, I heard a rumor that in France, mothers make chocolate sandwiches for their children for lunch or after-school snacks.  I have no idea if this is true or not, but NOW I have a burning desire to find out.

In the meantime, these.  Grilled chocolate sandwiches (or paninis) are a cinch to pull off at home and will definitely add a little “ooo-la-la” to your lunchtime.


Simple ingredients: a baguette, an orange, a little sea salt, a good chocolate bar and
Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil…perfect. I love the delicious, simple goodness of this sandwich.


The orange zest adds a little freshness…and hey, go ahead a slice up that orange after zesting to serve as a side.  I like the long strings of orange zest, but feel free to use a smaller zester.

Sea salt and chocolate is a combination made in heaven.  Feel free to substitute any sea salt, but if you splurge for the fleur de sel, know that it will last you for ages!  I consider it a good investment. ;)

Here’s why I love Land O Lakes® Spreadable Butter with Canola Oil: It’s made with three ingredients. THREE!  Cream, canola oil, salt.  The end.  Grab it from the fridge and it’s perfectly spreadable, and soft enough to stir in other ingredients, like the orange zest.


In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil and orange zest until well combined.


Cut each section of baguette in half lengthwise.  Spread 1/4 of the butter/orange mixture on the top cut half of each baguette (on the cut side, not the crust.)  Break the chocolate bars into large pieces to cover the bottom half of each baguette section.  Do not let the chocolate overhang.  Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt onto the chocolate.

Press the top and bottom halves together.


Divide the remaining tablespoon of butter with canola oil between the 4 sandwiches, spreading on both sides.

Heat a Panini press.  Cook the sandwich for 1 to 1 and 1/2 minutes, until the chocolate is soft and just beginning to melt around the edges, but is not completely melted.  (Alternatively, heat a pan over medium heat, place the sandwich on the pan, and press down with another pan weighted with a can or cookbook.  Cook for 1 and 1/2 minutes per side.)

You’ll want the chocolate to still have some “bite,” and not be melted all the way through.  Melting along the edges is just fine…and just delicious.


Ooo-la-la, y’all. 

I’m so happy to be working with Land O’Lakes this year as a part of their Kitchen Conversations team. Be on the lookout for more posts and fun events throughout the year.  Team Butter!!!

Be sure to check out the buttery delicious recipes from the rest of the group: Ree, Sommer, Julie, Maria, Jenny, Jessica, Joanne, and Brenda. 

I just returned home from a trip out to the ranch with this group.  I've had the pleasure of meeting each of these ladies before.  When you read someone's blog and then actually meet them in person, they really do feel like old friends almost immediately.


There was a cooking contest, ranch tour, a tour of (the!) building, power outage, Charlie sighting...and, oh yeah, eating butter with a spoon.  Yep.  It was a GOOD TIME.


We also got to sample each other's recipes.  Those links up there?  Make them all.  These girls know their way around food...and butter.  Each and every recipe is a winner.  Each and every one will make an appearance in my kitchen!

*some of these images are courtesy of Sommer, Julie, and Land O'Lakes*

Chocolate Baguette Sandwiches with Orange and Sea Salt

Yield: 4 Servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
•    3 tablespoons Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil, divided
•    Zest of one large orange
•    French baguette, cut into 4 equal portions
•    8 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate bars (not chips)
•    Pinch sea salt, such as fleur de sel

Directions:
In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil and orange zest until well combined.

Cut each section of baguette in half lengthwise. Spread 1/4 of the butter/orange mixture on the top cut half of each baguette.  Break the chocolate bars into large pieces to cover the bottom half of each baguette section. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt onto the chocolate.

Press the top and bottom halves together. Heat a Panini press.

Cook the sandwich for 1 to 1 and 1/2 minutes, until the chocolate is soft and just beginning to melt around the edges, but is not completely melted. If you do not have a Panini press, heat a pan over medium heat, place the sandwich on the pan, and press down with another pan weighted with a can or cookbook.  Cook for 1 and 1/2 minutes per side.

{sunrise on the ranch}

Disclosure: Bake at 350 has partnered with Land O'Lakes for an exclusive endorsement of
Land O Lakes® Butter for their Kitchen Conversations blogger program. This blog post is sponsored by Land O'Lakes.