The Ultimate Shortcut Cookie Book - Camilla V. Saulsbury [90]
2/3 cup coarsely chopped dried cherries (or dried cranberries)
2/3 cup milk chocolate chips
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Break up the cookie dough into large bowl; let stand for 10–15 minutes to soften. Add the flour, dried fruit, milk chocolate chips, and almond extract to the cookie dough; mix well with your fingers, the paddle attachment of an electric stand mixer, or a wooden spoon.
Divide dough into two equal halves. On the cookie sheet, shape each dough half into a 12 x 2-inch, rectangle, ¾-inch high, spacing the dough halves about 3 inches apart.
Bake for 26–28 minutes or until the logs are deep golden brown and spring back in the center when touched. Remove sheet from oven; keep oven on.
Using two pancake turners, lift logs, one at a time, from the cookie sheet to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut one of the logs into ¾-inch-wide slices. Note: for longer biscotti, cut at a deep diagonal; for shorter biscotti, cut log crosswise. Repeat with second log. Place slices on the same cookie sheet (do not worry about the spacing).
Bake for slices 5 minutes; remove from oven and turn over all of the slices. Return cookie sheet to oven and bake for 5 minutes longer. Remove sheet from oven and immediately transfer biscotti to a wire rack; cool completely.
MAKES 28 BISCOTTI.
MINT CHOCOLATE-CHIP MADELEINES
Peppermint gives these tender, chocolate-dotted madeleines a cool accent of refreshing flavor. Be sure to use miniature chocolate chips in the recipe—regular-size chips will sink in the batter.
Vegetable shortening and all-purpose flour to grease pans.
1 (18.25-ounce) package vanilla cake mix
½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
¼ cup milk
4 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
2–3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F. Position oven rack in middle of oven. Grease molds of large madeleine pan (3 x 1¼-inch shell molds) with vegetable shortening. Sprinkle with flour to coat pan, shaking off excess.
Place the cake mix, melted butter, milk, egg yolks, and peppermint extract in a large bowl. Blend for 1–2 minutes with an electric mixer set on medium speed until well blended and smooth; stir in miniature chocolate chips. Set aside momentarily. Clean beaters.
Beat the egg whites in a large mixing bowl with electric mixer set on high speed until soft peaks form. Stir ¼ of the beaten egg whites into the cake batter to lighten it; fold remaining whites into batter.
Spoon 1 heaping tablespoonful of batter into each indentation in pan (do not overfill; batter will spread as it bakes).
Bake until puffed and set at center, 8–10 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes; gently remove madeleines to wire rack. Repeat process, greasing and flouring pan before each batch. Sift powdered sugar over cooled cookies.
MAKES ABOUT 36 MADELEINES.
Variations:
DOUBLE CHOCOLATE MINT MADELEINES: Prepare as directed above but use chocolate cake mix in place of the vanilla cake mix.
MOCHA CHIP MADELEINES: Prepare as directed above but use chocolate cake mix in place of the vanilla cake mix. Eliminate the peppermint extract and in its place use 2 ½ teaspoons instant espresso or coffee powder that has been dissolved in 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract.
MOCHA-HAZELNUT SANDWICH COOKIES
An elegant, contemporary cookie with European flair thanks to the chocolate-hazelnut spread. Look for the spread in one of two places in the supermarket: in the international foods section or the aisle where peanut butter can be found.
2 teaspoons instant coffee or espresso powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (18.25-ounce) package German chocolate cake mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
¾ cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (e.g., Nutella)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Position oven rack in middle of oven. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
Dissolve the espresso powder in the vanilla extract in a large bowl. Add half of the cake mix along with the oil and eggs. Blend with