Category: Cocoa

Stamped Chocolate Shortbread

1/16/2022

No need to buy cookie stamps...use kitchen tools to create texture!
See my Spicy Stamped Cookie recipe for details on the tools–scroll to bottom for pix. If you don't feel like stamping, skip step 7 in the recipe. These cookies are just as yummy without texture. :-)

some tips:

butter — feel free to substitute vegan butter. i've done it and they turn out awesome. Most vegan butter has salt, but if you can find it, Earth Balance now has unsalted vegan butter sticks. If your butter has salt, omit the salt in the recipe.
black cocoa — if you don't have access to this oreo-like wonder, you can substitute natural cocoa. However, i HIGHLY recommend you make the effort to get it.

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Easter Bunny Linzer Cookies

4/8/2019

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The Easter linzer bunnies pictured here were made with Rodelle Pure Almond Extract. I've used their almond extract for years and absolutely love it.

To make these delicious treats, i used my Linzer Cookie Recipe.

For a twist on the traditional linzer decor, I topped some of them with a mixture of Rodelle’s Organic Dutch Process Baking Cocoa & Organic Hot Cocoa. I hadn't tried Rodelle's cocoa powders before. So, when they kindly offered to send me some to experiment with, i was super excited since i knew they are among Rodelle's bestsellers. and wow! they are so rich and flavorful!

To make the cocoa topping, mix 2 parts hot cocoa + 1 part baking cocoa, and then follow the powder sugar application instructions in the assembly section.

The cocoa bunnies are filled with melted white chocolate tinted in various shades. To make the filling, simply melt white chocolate chips in a microwave for 20-30 seconds, or until soft enough to mix. add food color a drop at a time till you achieve desired shade.
If you don’t have white chocolate on hand, tinted royal icing in a thicker consistency would do just fine.

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Double Chocolate Marble Pound Cake

1/7/2019

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I usually stick to cookies so please bear with me on this one. if you make this recipe, any feedback would be appreciated!
things to note:

cocoa powder: dutch-process is needed for cake to bake properly, so don't substitute with natural cocoa. and the black cocoa is needed to get the darkest shade in the pattern. you can get these in my amazon shop!
cake flour: it's super expensive and most people don't have it in their pantry (including me!), so i gave you a substitution option below.
butter: make sure melted butter is completely cool so it doesn't cook the eggs.
swirling: resist the urge to over-swirl the batter, or else you'll lose the color contrast and the pattern. you'll have a boring-looking (but tasty) solid milk chocolate cake. :-) see pix at bottom.
pan: i used an 8.5" x 4.5" loaf pan here. 9" x 5" will work, too, but just know that the loaf will be shallower and less domed.
baking time: a metal pan will bake faster than glass, and each oven is different. so baking times will vary wildly. because of this, the skewer test (described in recipe) will be your best friend. if using the same skewer you swirled with, make sure it's clean and dry.

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Brooklyn Blackout Mint Shortbread

12/19/2018

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some tips:

black cocoa — if you don't have access to this oreo-like wonder, you can substitute regular cocoa. But i HIGHLY recommend you make the effort to get it.
meringue powder in icing — use if you want icing to firm up completely, which is a good idea for presentation purposes if you plan to pack/gift them
crushed candy canes — for years i used the crush-in-ziploc-bag method and no matter how neat i tried to be, i found little sticky shards all over my kitchen for weeks. this year i used a food processor. so much easier and neater! and no need to freeze the candy canes, as i read many places online. just pulse till you get the size pieces you'd like.

Yield: about 60 2” cookies

Dough Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 ½ tsp peppermint extract
¼ cup + 1 tbsp black cocoa (i use King Arthur)*
½ cup unsweetened natural cocoa
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Coarse sea salt for sprinkling

Icing Ingredients:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
5-6 tbsp water
pinch salt
4 tsp meringue powder (optional. i like Wilton)*
crushed candy canes for sprinkling*

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Stamped Chocolate Shortbread

Easter Bunny Linzer Cookies

Double Chocolate Marble Pound Cake

Brooklyn Blackout Mint Shortbread

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