Chocolate Shortbread X Mas Trees Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter and confectioners' sugar until blended. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour and cocoa; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-1/4-in. tree-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. If desired, sprinkle with nonpareils., Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

Steps:

• All of the shortbreads are made in the same manner using an electric mixer. If you're making a shortbread with two kinds of flour, whisk the flours together.
• Working in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter, confectioners' sugar, salt and zest, if using, together on medium speed until soft, creamy and homogenous, scraping the bowl as needed. One by one, beat in the yolks, followed by the vanilla.
• Turn off the mixer, add the flour(s) all at once and mix on low speed only until incorporated. If you've got wheat germ, chocolate or flax seeds or nuts, mix in now.
• Scrape the dough out onto the work surface and divide it in two; the dough will be soft and sticky. Put each piece on a sheet of parchment and cajole it into a log that's 6 to 6 1⁄2 inches long, tightening the log with the paper and twisting the ends. Refrigerate the logs for at least 3 hours (overnight is better) or freeze them for 2 hours. (The logs can be frozen for up 2 months; slice when they're still frozen. You might need to add a minute to the oven time.)
• When you're ready to bake: Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.
• Using a chef's knife, cut each log into 1⁄2-inch-thick rounds. Lay them out on the baking sheet, leaving about an inch between them.
• Bake, rotating the cookie sheet after 10 minutes, for 21 to 23 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown around the edges and set. The cookies will still be soft, so leave them on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack and allowing them to cool to room temperature. DO AHEAD: The cookies can be packed in an airtight container and kept at room temperature for at least 5 days.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, then add vanilla & mix well.
• In another bowl, whisk together flour, sugar & cocoa, then add to creamed mixture, beating about 3 minutes or until dough holds together.
• Pat the dough into a 9-inch by 4-inch rectangle, then cut into 2-inch by 1 1/2-inch strips.
• Place strips 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
• Prick each strip several times with a fork.
• Bake 20-25 minutes or until set.
• Set sheets on wire rack(s) to cool for 5 minutes, then remove shortbreat to wire rack(s) to cool completely.

Steps:

• SHORTBREAD CHRISTMAS TREE:.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
• In a stand mixer beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add vanilla and flour until dough forms. Roll out dough onto parchment lined baking sheet and using powdered sugar to prevent sticking, cut out shapes. Set scraps aside to be used on the next sheet.
• Bake 12-16 minutes until edges just start to brown. Remove from oven and smooth by placing parchment paper over the top of freshly baked cookies and press down flat with a slightly smaller baking sheet. Allow to cool.
• PIPING AND FLOODING ICING:.
• In stand mixer blend egg white with 3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar and red food coloring. Once mixed place half in a large piping bag with a large round tip (This is your flooding bag). Add a cup of confectioners' sugar to the remaining frosting in the stand mixer and beat until mixed. Scoop this mixture into another piping bag with a small tip. using this bag pipe along the edges of your cookies. Once done use the flooding bag to flood your cookies. Use a toothpick or needle to pop any air bubbles that form immediately after piping to ensure a smooth surface.
• Use leftover thicker frosting to pipe additional details and glue cookies together to form a tree.

Steps:

• Place chocolate in a microwave-proof bowl. Melt on Medium (50% power)for 3-4 minutes, stirring every minute. Add Rice Bubbles and coconut. Stir to combine.
• On a sheet of baking paper, spoon or pipe mixture into a cross shape. You will need 6 crosses in graduation sizes. Chill in refrigerator for 20 minutes, until firm. Reserve ramaining chocolate mixture.
• Place the largest cross on a flat board or serving plate. Spoon a little of the remaining chocolate into the centre. Sit the next cross on top, pressing down lightly to secure. (Place each cross in different directions). Continue with remaining crosses, finishing with the smallest. Chill in refrigerator for 20 mins to set.
• Dust with icing sugar. Top with a shortbread star if desired.