Last week I decided it was time to start some Christmas baking. This year I decided I wanted to make shortbread, gingerbread and sugar cookies. When I was at the grocery store waiting in line, I started browsing through the Martha Stewart Christmas issue. I decided to pick it up to maybe find a new Christmas recipe to try. Also, since she is my blog name inspiration, it seemed appropriate. She had a recipe that I had to try. Chocolate Thumbprint cookies, with chocolate ganache filling. I remember making thumbprint cookies as a kid but they were not chocolate so I had to try these! They taste pretty good, way to go Martha! Even if she does make her recipes as complicated as possible.
Chocolate Thumbprints
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup plus 1 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 teaspoons coarse salt
8 ounces unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar, plus more for rolling
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons heavy cream (for such a small amount I sometimes would just do half milk and sour cream, instead of buying thick cream)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1) measure out butter and sit out to soften
2) Preheat oven to 350 Sift flour, cocoa powder, salt in small bowl. Cream butter and sugar in mixer until fluffy. On medium speed add yolks, cream and vanilla. Add flour mixture until just combined.
3) Roll balls using 2 teaspoons dough, roll in sugar. (dough will be quite sticky) Place approximately 1" apart on baking sheets. Using the handle of a wooden spoon (or a knuckle works too), press gently in the centre of the ball of dough to create an indent. Bake cookies rotating half way through. Should take about 10 minutes, until just set, the cookies are similar to brownies, soft not crunchy. Transfer to wire rack after they have cooled slightly. Sometimes the middle of the cookie will puff up during baking, you can push the indent down again.
4) Spoon the ganache into the centre of each cookie. Let stand until firm. They will keep for about 3 days.
Chocolate and Vanilla Bean Ganache
(you should make this once the cookies are out of the oven as it is not supposed to sit long before you use it)
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped, pod reserved (I ended up using a couple of tablespoons vanilla extract instead as I had never used vanilla beans before. I would like to try it with vanilla beans as I know now that the flavour would be a lot richer. I understand, however, they are quite expensive, so you may choose to use extract as well.)
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
1 ounce (2 tablespoons unsalted butter) softened
1) combine honey, cream and vanilla seeds and pod in medium saucepan over medium heat. (if you are using vanilla extract DON'T add it yet as it will just evaporate and you won't get any vanilla flavour) Bring to a simmer, stirring until honey dissolves. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 20 minutes.
2) Place chocolate in a food processor. Return honey/cream mixture to a simmer, then strain removing solids. (You only need to do this if you used the actual vanilla bean) Poor cream mixture over chocolate in blender, let sit for 1 minute. Process until mixture is smooth, then add butter. Let cool slightly and then add to the middle of the cookies.
Chocolate Thumbprints
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup plus 1 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 teaspoons coarse salt
8 ounces unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar, plus more for rolling
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons heavy cream (for such a small amount I sometimes would just do half milk and sour cream, instead of buying thick cream)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1) measure out butter and sit out to soften
2) Preheat oven to 350 Sift flour, cocoa powder, salt in small bowl. Cream butter and sugar in mixer until fluffy. On medium speed add yolks, cream and vanilla. Add flour mixture until just combined.
3) Roll balls using 2 teaspoons dough, roll in sugar. (dough will be quite sticky) Place approximately 1" apart on baking sheets. Using the handle of a wooden spoon (or a knuckle works too), press gently in the centre of the ball of dough to create an indent. Bake cookies rotating half way through. Should take about 10 minutes, until just set, the cookies are similar to brownies, soft not crunchy. Transfer to wire rack after they have cooled slightly. Sometimes the middle of the cookie will puff up during baking, you can push the indent down again.
4) Spoon the ganache into the centre of each cookie. Let stand until firm. They will keep for about 3 days.
Chocolate and Vanilla Bean Ganache
(you should make this once the cookies are out of the oven as it is not supposed to sit long before you use it)
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped, pod reserved (I ended up using a couple of tablespoons vanilla extract instead as I had never used vanilla beans before. I would like to try it with vanilla beans as I know now that the flavour would be a lot richer. I understand, however, they are quite expensive, so you may choose to use extract as well.)
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
1 ounce (2 tablespoons unsalted butter) softened
1) combine honey, cream and vanilla seeds and pod in medium saucepan over medium heat. (if you are using vanilla extract DON'T add it yet as it will just evaporate and you won't get any vanilla flavour) Bring to a simmer, stirring until honey dissolves. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 20 minutes.
2) Place chocolate in a food processor. Return honey/cream mixture to a simmer, then strain removing solids. (You only need to do this if you used the actual vanilla bean) Poor cream mixture over chocolate in blender, let sit for 1 minute. Process until mixture is smooth, then add butter. Let cool slightly and then add to the middle of the cookies.
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