Day 8: Earl Grey Bocca Di Nonna

Must like Early Grey tea for this recipe!

Earl Grey Bocca Di Nonna

Ingredients

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

1-1/2 cups finely ground blanched almonds

Earl Grey Ganache (below)

Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir together flour and cocoa powder; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in almonds. Beat in flour mixture just until mixture is combined. Cover and chill dough about 1 hour or until it is easy to handle.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil; set aside. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls about 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. Press each ball to flatten slightly.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until firm. Cool on cookie sheet on a wire rack. Remove cooled cookies from cookie sheet. Spread about 1 teaspoon of the Earl Grey Ganache on the flat side of each of half of the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies, flat sides down. Makes 28 sandwich cookies.

Earl Grey Ganache
In a small saucepan, bring 1/3 cup whipping cream to boiling. Remove from heat. Add four Earl Grey tea bags (or a tea ball containing 4 teaspoons of loose Earl Grey tea). Cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Remove tea bags or ball from cream. Squeeze tea bags well or press tea leaves in tea ball with the back of a spoon to release any liquid. Return cream to boiling. Remove from heat. Immediately add 4 ounces finely chopped milk chocolate. Stir until chocolate melts and mixture is shiny and smooth. Cool to room temperature.

Day 7: Chocolate-Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies

I found this recipe in our Cooking Light recipe about 2 months ago, and set it aside because i mean if cooking light has this, then it must be tried.

Each cookie is about 100 calories, and taste much better than any 100 calorie snack pack you can find!

Chocolate-Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

• 4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted
• 1/3 cup Nutella
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt; stir with a whisk. Place butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Stir egg yolks with a whisk, adding espresso, if desired. Add the yolk mixture and vanilla to butter; beat well. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined.

3. Turn dough out onto a sheet of wax paper; knead 6 times or until smooth and shiny. Shape dough into 28 (1-inch) balls. Roll sides of balls in nuts, pressing gently. Arrange balls 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Press thumb into center of each cookie, leaving an indentation. Bake, 1 batch at a time, at 350° for 10 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks. Spoon a scant 1/2 teaspoon hazelnut-chocolate spread into center of each cookie.

Day 6: Peanut Butter Puppy Poppers

Who says Christmas is just for humans? I've made these before and the dogs wait outside the oven for them. they love them! and this saves a ton of money on treats. Hope your 4 legged friends like them as much as Zoe & Dakota

Peanut Butter Puppy Poppers


Ingredients
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
1 cup milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 375'F. In a bowl, combine flour and baking powder. In another bowl, mix peanut butter and milk, then add to dry ingredients and mix well. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness and use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Bake for 10-15 minutes on a greased baking sheet until lightly brown. Cool on a rack, then store in an airtight container.

Day 5: Candy Cane Cookies

I got extra special help tonight. Paul was home and strapped on an apron to help me with these.
Candy Cane Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 egg
• 1-1/2 teaspoons almond extract
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Red food coloring
• 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy canes
• 1/2 cup sugar

Directions

• In a small bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extract. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
• Divide dough in half; add 6-7 drops of food coloring to one half. Shape tablespoonfuls of each color of dough into 4-in. ropes. Place ropes side by side; lightly press ends together and twist. Place on ungreased baking sheets; curve to form canes.
• Bake at 375° for 9-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Combine crushed candy canes and sugar; immediately sprinkle over cookies. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Day 4: Peanut Crisps

After the sugar overload in the Cordeiro house I had to make something less sweet.
Still sweet but with a salty kick, like the great invention ever, chocolate dipped pretzels. You'll get the same kind of warm and fuzzy feeling with these.

Recipe via Ms. Martha again!

Peanut Crisps

Ingredients
makes 3 1/2 dozen

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup salted whole peanuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together flour, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl; set aside. Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
2. Mix in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add flour mixture; mix until combined. Stir in peanuts.
3. Drop 2 teaspoons of dough on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing about 3 inches apart. Lightly flatten to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are just golden, about 13 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 week.

Day 3: Caramel-Filled Chocolate Cookies

When i found this recipe my mouth literally, began to water.
I omitted the pecans because hubby isn't a fan
this recipe is via Allrecipes.com

Caramel-Filled Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 17 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/4 cups chopped pecans, divided
• 1 (13 ounce) package Rolo candies
• 4 (1 ounce) squares white chocolate, melted
  

Directions

• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, 1 cup sugar and brown sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa and baking soda; gradually add to the creamed mixture, beating just until combined. Stir in 1/2 cup pecans.
• Shape a tablespoonful of dough around each candy, forming a ball. In a small bowl, combine the remaining sugar and pecans; dip each cookie halfway. Place nut side up 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets.
• Bake at 375 degrees F for 7-10 minutes or until tops are slightly cracked. Cool for 3 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle with melted white chocolate.

Day 2: Hazelnut-Espresso Cookies

I've been dying to make these since I found the recipe.
Once again, comes via my idol!

Next time, i think i'm going to add some mini chocolate chips, cause really, everything is better with chocolate. These were very good just as is though.

Hazelnut-Espresso Cookies

Ingredients

Makes 36

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons instant espresso powder
• 2 cups (about 10 ounces) hazelnuts, skins removed, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a meduim bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in espresso powder.
3. With mixer on low speed, beat in flour mixture until incorporated. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, mix in hazelnuts.
4. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto three baking sheets, 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake, first two sheets together, until golden, about 12 minutes, rotating sheets front to back and from top to bottom halfway through. Repeat with remaining sheet. Cool cookies on sheets 2 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve, or store in an airtight container up to 3 days.