Chocolate Candy Cane Bark Cookies

These were my favourite goodie I baked this Christmas. Inspired by Heidi at 101 Cookbooks, I took the most delicious Neiman Marcus cookie recipe, made my own candy cane bark, broke it up and added that to the dough instead of chocolate chips. (And on a sidenote, I really want to try out Heidi's chocolate chip cookie recipe that uses only whole wheat pastry flour - same link!) I was really paranoid about giving out this cookie to friends because I knew it wasn't the kind of cookie that was made to last for a week before eating. I couldn't hold back from telling some of my friends to make sure they ate that one first!

When I first tried the Neiman Marcus cookie recipe, I wasn't sure if it was everything I was looking for in a chocolate chip cookie. But I keep going back to it and trying different add ins, and I love the cookies every time so something must be good! One of the friends I gave this cookie to said she really liked it, partly because the candy cane pieces on the bottom of the cookie caramelized. I wasn't sure how I would like candy pieces in a cookie (I thought they'd annoyingly get stuck in my teeth while I was enjoying the cookie) but I crushed the candy cane up fairly fine and there were on mishaps.

The bark was really easy to make and addictive, especially since I used Callebaut chocolate. Yum yum. This is a very loose and easy to modify recipe for chocolate candy cane bark. Just do equal amounts of milk chocolate and white chocolate, and sprinkle however many candy cane pieces that you think looks good on top.

I think that actually sums up my Christmas baking posts. I made eggnog bars and strawberry shortbread cookie bark for just general eating at home. To give away, I made these chocolate candy cane bark cookies, peanut butter fudge, earl grey shortbread, snickerdoodles (which held up surprisingly well and didn't dry out too much), and gingerbread. I was really happy with how everything turned out, except for the gingerbread. Why I keep inflicting super molasses-y gingerbread on people at Christmas, I don't know. I'll probably be posting about that cookie soon.

Candy Cane Bark

Makes about 2 cups of candy cane bark pieces, or just a bunch of bark to eat.

1/2 lb milk chocolate
1/2 lb white chocolate
10 mini candy canes, crushed

Melt milk chocolate in a double boiler. Spread evenly on a parchment paper lined baking sheet (about 0.5 cm thick - you could make it thinner or thicker based on your preference though.) Allow to cool completely. Melt white chocolate in a double boiler. Spread evenly on the milk chocolate layer (try to work quickly as the hot white chocolate will start to melt the milk chocolate - this could probably be minimized by freezing the milk chocolate first?) Immediately after you finish the white chocolate layer, evenly sprinkle on the candy cane pieces. Put the baking sheet in the freezer until very firm. Break into whatever size pieces you want, or chop it up.

Peanut Butter Fudge

I saw this recipe on Lynn's blog during the time I was deciding what cookies to make for Christmas. She said how insanely addictive it was and with the name "killer crack peanut butter fudge" how could I not try it? I wasn't sure I'd like it but I had to make it.

My boyfriend was excited to hear that I was making fudge, and then he saw the ingredients as they were going into the pot. But once you taste it, your brain just forgets about that because it's so good. And it's really easy to make. If only all fudge could have this smooth and melty texture (instead of being grainy or like something between a brownie and fudge).

While I, my family members and a couple of friends were big fans of this fudge (even one person who said he didn't like fudge then tried it and really liked it), it was still too sweet for others. That's to be expected with fudge though - you do have to love sweet stuff. And yes this fudge is very peanut butter-y in the most perfect way. I'll make this fudge again and now I want to try making different types of fudge. Oreo cookie fudge? Ohh what about dulce de leche fudge, if that would even be possible.

Killer Crack Peanut Butter Fudge
Adapted from Cookie Baker Lynn

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup (160 mL) evaporated milk
1 cup peanut butter
1- 7 oz (198g) jar marshmallow creme
1 tsp vanilla

Combine sugar, butter, and evaporated milk in a pot. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Remove from heat. Add the peanut butter, stirring until melted.. Add marshmallow creme and vanilla; beat until well blended.

Spread in a buttered 9 x 13 pan. Cool at room temperature, then refrigerate. Cut into squares when firm.**

**I cut them when they weren't completely cooled, which was about an hour or two after I finished making them. I'd leave them ideally overnight before cutting them. I think that's why my fudge doesn't look very smooth on the sides.

Happy new year!

I hope you all had a good new year's eve and are excited to start 2008! I love seeing other food bloggers' lists of food they want to make in the next year, and their favourite food they've made in the past year so I wanted to do a post like that too.

Looking over the food that I've made since I started my food blog last June, I'm reminded of the many yummy food discoveries I've made. But also that there's so many recipes out there that I still have to try! I want to make more cakes (maybe figure out what a genoise and chiffon cake are supposed to be like) and fancy desserts. And I really want to find at least 15 delicious and healthy meals that I can make on a weeknight (not sure if that's too much to ask!) The things that are on the top of my list (though really it is a neverending list of recipes) to try are:
-soft pretzels
-apple butter
-homemade pasta (with my new pasta maker!)
-perogies
-gougères/profiteroles
-pumpkin butterscotch cake
-chocolate truffles

Favourite Recipes of 2007

Asian Beet & Tofu Salad


Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies


Snickerdoodles


Chocolate Cinnamon Cake


Pan Fried Lemon Ricotta Gnocchi


French Barley Salad


Hummus


Apricot Orange Scones


Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins


Matthew's Delicious Tofu

Strawberry Shortbread Cookie Bark

Alright I'm finally starting the Christmas cookie posts! Yes unfortunately they're a bit late but delicious cookies are always wanted right?

These cookies were made specifically for my boyfriend. I, for some reason, have been anti-jam in or on things (except peanut butter & jam sandwiches) for quite a while. Jam on cookies or in baked goods was an especially atrocious act. Thumbprint cookies were the epitome of baked goods I did not want to eat or make. Last year I made thumbprint cookies with my friend but we didn't put any jam. But I thought they'd be something my boyfriend would really enjoy so I told him I'd make them for him this Christmas. (This story ends with me accepting jam in and on baked goods and enjoying the jam on this cookie.)

I used the same recipe that I used the first time from a Martha Stewart cookie magazine, omitting the nuts. But for some reason, this time the dough was really crumbly. There was no way I'd be able to roll it into a ball and not have it fall apart when I made a thumbprint in it. I have no idea what went wrong since they were so easy to make the last time. I thought I might have measured the flour with the wrong measuring cup but I don't think I did. Anyway, I decided to make it easy on myself and just press the dough into a pan and bake it, then spread it with strawberry jam and make a mess of white chocolate on top of that. The white chocolate didn't drizzle as I'd wanted it to (I added a bit of butter) but ah well.

It actually turned out quite tasty! And I was happy that I was able do something creative about my mistake. My mom was really addicted to it and told me I wasn't allowed to give any of it away. I was really happy with how the cookie turned out. Kind of shortbread-y. And I even liked the jam on it. I initially tried to cut the giant cookie into pieces but realized that wasn't going to work. My boyfriend then came up with the name cookie bark for it, so we broke it into pieces and that was that.

I really want to try making jam thumbprint cookies again, hopefully successfuly! I've also seen a pistachio thumbprint recipe that has white chocolate ganache instead of jam that I want to make (The Good Cookie) and chocolate strawberry thumbprints. Try making these thumbprint cookies, either the original way or as a bar (much easier but not as cute)!

Thumbprint Cookies
adpated from Martha Stewart Holiday Cookies 2005

Note: This dough has to be refrigerated for 2 hours.

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg, separated, each part lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup toasted skinned hazelnuts, ground*
strawberry (or whatever kind you like) jam, for filling

Preheat the oven to 325F. Put butter and 1/2 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment: mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolk and vanilla, and mix well. Reduce speed to low. Add flour and salt, and mix until just combined. Refrigerate dough for 2 hours.

Stir together toasted hazelnuts and remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar in a small bowl. Roll dough into 1 inch balls: dip balls in egg white, then in hazelnut-sugar mixture. Space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Press down center of each ball with your thumb. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven: press down centers again with the end fo a wooden spoon. Return to oven. bake cookies until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes mroe. Let cool slightly on sheets on wire racks. Fill each center with jam. Cookeis can be stored in a single layer in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 days.

*You could easily use any nut you like here I think. Grind the hazelnuts with the 2 tablespoons of sugar to avoid the hazelnut turning into a paste/hazelnut butter. Or just finely chop the nuts.

To make cookie bark: Omit the hazelnuts and 2 tablespoons sugar. Press the dough into a parchment paper lined 9x13 dish. Bake for about 15-18 minutes or until firm enough. (Sorry I can't remember exactly how long I baked it for and I think I did it for too long.) Once cool, spread a thin layer of jam over the entire cookie. If you want, drizzle chocolate on top as well, then break into pieces.

Andes Chocolate Mint Cookies

I've noticed that all of my posts recently have been about baked goods. Must be because when I'm in school I don't want to take the time to follow a recipe or think too much about what I eat for dinner. But there's always time for baking! Anyway, last summer I saw these Andes chocolate mint cookies on Culinary Concoctions by Peabody. I was dying to make them but where could I find Andes mints?! I knew I'd seen them before but no idea where I could find them. It turns out they're only available around Christmas. Now I'm stocked up with Andes mints for whenever I want to make these again.

Everybody really loved these cookies. They're brownie-like, and even though the mint part only comes from the Andes chocolate on top, it makes the cookie very minty. I thought the cookie could have been more chocolate-y but this recipe is quite delicious as it is. And I was happy to find out that these cookies freeze really well.

Andes Chocolate Mint Cookies
Adapted from Recipezaar

Makes 50-60 small-ish cookies, or 30-40 large-ish cookies.

3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
Andes mint candies, broken in half (about 1 package)

Heat oven to 350°F.

Over low heat, combine butter, sugar and water. Heat until melted and add chocolate chips until partly melted. Remove from heat and stir. Pour into large mixing bowl. Let stand 10 minutes to cool slightly.

Beat in eggs one at a time on high speed. Reduce mixer to low speed and add flour, salt and baking soda. Beat until well-blended. Chill 1-2 hours (dough may be almost liquid before chilling but hardens and is easy to shape after chilling).

Roll into balls, place two inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes. Place an Andes Mint half on top. Allow to melt slightly and spread with a spoon.