Chocolate Cut-Out Cookies

When Jim was alive, he loved to cook, but, like me, he wasn't much of a baker. Still, he had an interest in making the perfect molded shortbread cookie. I have that same keen interest in impressing a design into dough, but like him, I keep coming up short.
Jim had a terra-cotta shortbread mold that he used again and again, each time with dreadful results. Eventually, in anger, he slammed it down on the counter, cracking it, and we ended up throwing it away. That was a good day for both of us. Since that time, however, I've been thinking about making molded shortbread cookies, because I see so many pretty ones online. I would sure like to know what those people do to get such lovely ones. I have tried two recipes in my mold so far, one of them a recipe that came with the mold, and both times the results were disastrous.

 I decided to take a new tactic, namely buy myself one of the lovely laser cut rolling pins (this one came from Goody Woody's Etsy shop) that reminded me of the good times that Jim and I had together when we were living in London, and make rolled shortbread cookies. I am greatly inspired by Monique of the La Table de Nana blog, because she makes some of the most beautiful cookies I've ever seen. It's not that they're iced and decorated, it's that they’re pressed, cut out, molded, impressed, and otherwise embellished in ways that I find very appealing.

 As you can see, this time I had wonderful results. This recipe came from Monique's blog, but is originally from Smitten Kitchen. Like Monique, I added 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder because I well know how that amplifies the chocolate flavor. This dough is easy to work with, delicious, and these cookies freeze beautifully.

Chocolate Cut-Out Cookies

As seen on La Table de Nana

3 cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon espresso powder

1 cup butter, softened

1-1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa (I used Hershey’s Special Dark)

Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and espresso powder in bowl and set aside. Mix butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and cocoa in mixer. Gradually add flour mixture, and mix until smooth. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F.  

Roll out cookie dough on floured counter with plain or embossed rolling pin. Cut into desired shapes, brushing extra deposits of flour off the top. Bake on a Silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet for 11-14 minutes until the edges are firm.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

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Cookies and Coffee

 If you've ever struggled to come up with a clever sweet to serve at a ladies coffee, how about stamped shortbread cookies?  Your guests will be delighted to see these clever, whimsical, and delicious cookies plated and set with the coffee things. Food is all about taste and fun, and these are guaranteed to please on both counts.

 I have found a kindred spirit in Monique from the La Table de Nana blog. She seems to love cookie stamps as much as I do, the only difference is that she actually does something with hers whereas I generally just smile and admire mine. Encouraged by her continued and successful use, I bought a Chinese Moon Cake mold with the Starbucks logo off of eBay.  I am an avid fan of Starbucks, so much so that when I drive up to the window the barista looks at me and says, “Oh, it's you!”  I never know quite how to take that, but I'm hoping he means it in a positive way. 

The recipe that I used for the cookies is an adapted version of  Ina Garten's shortbread. It is a personal favorite because it rolls and cuts like a dream, and tastes buttery and delicious. It took a bit of pressure to leave a deep impression, but overall I was very pleased with the results. (The cookies that yielded less than perfect results, we just had to eat. Immediately.)

Ina’s Shortbread

1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1-3/4 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt; then slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and roll shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and impress design into dough, rocking mold back and forth ever so slightly.  After image has been pressed into the dough to your satisfaction, cut out with a 3” round biscuit cutter. Place the cookies on an ungreased sheet.  Freeze for 30 minutes to an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.