Almond Roca Cookie Bar

Almond Roca Cookie Bar
Ingredients
SHORTBREAD
2 c Butter
1 c Brown sugar
1 c White sugar
2 tsp Vanilla
2 egg yolks beaten
Mix dry together prior to making recipe
2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
Topping
use food processor and grind ingredients separately and put into separate bowls save for after baking.
2 c semi sweet or milk chocolate chips or milk choco. candy bars milled to small pieces
1 c almonds milled to small bits not powder


Just a tip* To evenly smooth shortbread on sheet I use a sheet of waxed paper layed over the hand flattened dough and a flat sided glass and gently smooth the dough for a more even bar.

Instructions for Almond Roca Cookie Bar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix shortbread ingredients in order. Pat into greased cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until browned on top. Remove from oven and by hand quickly sprinkle ground chocolate chips as evenly as you can over hot shortbread. Top with chopped almonds. Cool slightly and cut into bars.

Yummm, these were great!

They were and I emphasize "Were" delicious. I made them and others as my annual cookie gifts (Our edible Christmas card) for the Mr.s customers. They are so going to love these. Of course they must go through great scrutiny, mine and the Mr.s taste tests first. They'll be lucky if they make it to the customer I seen the "man these are great cookies" in the Mr.s face when he tried them.
They are tender yet crispy, and chocolatey but with great finish. They'll make you crave a glass of milk to dunk them in. I'm scandinavian, we dunk everything :)

Double Chocolate Sable Cookies (France)
From Food Network Kitchens 12 days of cookies

Sable in French means "sandy" — these are a classic French cookie, made out of crumbly chocolate shortbread. To keep them nice and sandy, be extra careful not to overmix the dough. The hint of salt brightens the flavor and underlines the chocolate.



For a special holiday treat, sandwich two of these together with a small scoop of peppermint ice cream.


3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, frozen for 10 minutes
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
5 1/4 ounces (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk

Grate the chilled chocolate with a fine grater or rasp and set aside.
Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and sea salt.

Beat the butter and sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until just combined. Mix in the yolk. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and beat lightly together until just combined but still crumbly. Fold in grated chocolate with a spatula. Bring the dough together by lightly squeezing in your hands; but don't knead or overwork, as the secret to these cookies is their delicate, sandy texture.

*(I eliminated this step below and just used a mini cookie scoop the kind similar to an ice cream scoop but smaller and it worked great) YaY, less work and great result.

**Divide the dough in half. Lay half the dough on a long sheet of waxed paper and shape into a log along the width of the waxed paper, leaving some space at each end. Pull the paper over the top of the log. Grip the edge of the top piece of paper, and use a straight, firm edge, like a ruler or the edge of a pan, to press gently against the edge of the dough where the papers come together to create a solid, firm round log. Repeat with remaining dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (To keep logs round store inside an empty paper towel roll.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Slice logs into 1/2-inch thick rounds with a sharp, thin knife. Divide rounds onto the prepared sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Bake until cookies smell fragrant with a full cocoa aroma and set on the outside, about 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pans, about 5 minutes.

Transfer cookies to a rack to cool completely. Serve.

Coconutty Pecan Macaroonies

These are chewy coconutty goodness I promise!


Coconutty Pecan Macaroonies
14 oz. Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp Almond extract
12 oz. unsweetened coconut (large) flakes (Bob's red mill brand is what I use)
3/4 C. chopped pecans
preheat oven to 325. line baking sheets with waxed paper; spray with pam w/flour. set aside.
Lightly toast your coconut and pecans in oven, then cool.
in a large mixing bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and almond extract. stir in coconut and pecans. drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets.
Dip your fingers in some water and reshape and flatten them.

bake 15 to 20 minutes (depending on the size of the cookie) or until golden brown. remove from baking sheets and let cool on wire racks.
Makes about 24 good sized cookies

Andes mints in cookies

I cannot even begin to tell you how heavenly this smells coming from the oven, Your whole house becomes minty fresh.
I took my favorite cookie recipe for Chocolate chip Cookies and added flair. First let me tell you the peeling of Andes mints can be tedious but worth it. Oh, and I know they make Andes chips(Not the same).
They were a refreshing change from the same old cookie.

Cranberry Almond Biscotti

4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 egg whites
4 eggs
4 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 tsp orange extract
1-1/2 cups sliced almonds
2 cups sweetened-dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F

Combine dry ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl. Whisk together eggs, egg whites, and vanilla or almond extract in a separate mixing bowl.

Add egg mixture to dry ingredients, mixing just until moist, using an electric mixer on medium speed. Add dried cranberries and almonds; mix thoroughly. If Dough is to soft & sticky to add a little flour.

On floured surface, divide batter in 4 sections and pat each half into a log approximately 12 inches long and 2 inches thick. Place on a cookie sheet and bake 30 minutes or until firm. Cool on a wire rack.

Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Cut biscotti into 1/2 inch slices. I use an Electric knife for perfect slices. Place cut biscottis on a cookie sheet and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Let cool and store in a loosely covered container.