You know how much I love to visit Pastry Studio. One fantastic recipe after another. This particular one doesn't need to be for the holidays, but as it turns out, I've offered to bring a cookie tray to our Garden Club Christmas party. I think it's a super idea that we each bring food to this event and then pay a small sum for drinks. Another holiday party I usually attend is my Antique Club's annual celebration. This year, they are charging $60 per person! Yes, it's being catered and this includes food and drink, but don't you agree that's a little over the top? I'm skipping that one, much as I love the women in that group.
So I've been having fun making all sorts of new cookies the past month for the Garden Club do. These "sparklers" don't have a deep, dark chocolate flavor like a lot of Christmas cookies, but are elegant and subdued. They'll be a super addition to the cookie tray and the raw sugar on the outside adds that all important sparkle.
Chocolate Sparklers
Adapted from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme and Dorie Greenspan by Pastry Studio
Makes about 30 cookies
Ingredients:
2 3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of salt
10 oz (2 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg yolk
raw sugar, for coating
Method:
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt together.
Beat the butter on medium speed to soften. Gradually add sugar and continue mixing, until the mixture is smooth and creamy, but not airy. Add vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go to ensure thorough mixing. Turn down the speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing just until ingredients are just about blended. Remove the bowl from the mixer and finish mixing with a rubber spatula to avoid overmixing. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a log about 1 1/2” thick and 7 1/2” long. Wrap the logs in plastic and chill for 1 to 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats. Whisk the egg yolk with one teaspoon of water. Place a piece of parchment or wax paper on a work surface. Spread out a good handful of raw sugar on it. Working with one cookie log at a time, unwrap and brush lightly with egg wash. Roll each log in the sugar, pressing gently.
Use a sharp thin knife to slice each log into cookies about 1/2” thick. Bake for 15 - 18 minutes, rotating the pans front to back and top to bottom at the midway mark, until the cookies are just firm to the touch. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely. Repeat with second log.
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34 sterling comments:
They look like a very useful cookie! I agree with you $60/head is quite a lot of money!
Great texture. Those cookies look beautiful and really irresistible.
Cheers,
Rosa
I love them for the name alone! And for $60 I better be getting filet mignon!
Bring on the holidays!!
Love it! I might have to double it and take it to the Sustainer-Provisional cookie swap. I've been trying to find something I'm sure no one else will make...
We aren't even having heavy hors d'oeuvres at the JLC holiday (1-5-12) party to keep the price down. It's $35 per person or $65 per couple. We added meatballs to the menu (to the chagrin of the facility's staffer on our board) to keep the men from grumbling, but we're also passing the word to eat before you come!
The chocolate sparklers look delicious. I'll bet you could actually refrigerate them longer or, maybe freeze the dough? I love having that sort of option especially around the holidays.
Best,
Bonnie
these are truly pretty..
Coming back when I start my baking..
These would really add that something special to the holiday cookie tray Mary!
These are really lovely, Barbara. Their soft chocolate flavor sounds wonderful and that pretty ring of sparkle makes them truly special.
Unless the food is something really exceptional, $60 is a lot. Personally I'd rather hide under the covers and eat all these cookies ;)
*kisses* HH
I never pass up a new chocolate cookie---the texture inside these looks so dense and rich. Slice and bake cookies are hands down my favorite method, and I've never used the raw sugar coating, it adds a nice touch.
Lovely and elegant, just like everything you make, Barbara! I'm adding these to my holiday cookie list.
they look like perfection...I want a taste.
Delicious and elegant, I love the chocolate and the sparkle!
Chocolate, sparkles, does it get any better??? Slice and Bake cookies are surely the way to go. I'm so saving this. I may just bake them up for a crafty Christmas Party I'm going to next week!
Thanks for sharing, Barbara...
The cookies are beautiful and the name, so cheery. Too bad that you'll miss the Antique Club party. That sounds really interesting to me.
Very pretty! I do like cookies with a bit of bling :) Have fun at the party Barbara.
Happy Wednesday!
They look very special and chocolate is my all time classic!
Those are lovely! I bought some silver sanding sugar this year--I bet it would look great on these.
The Dutch processed cacao I use is usually very DARK...
I want to bake some those cookies for the holiday too. They are simple and tasty as well.
Ces petits biscuits sont magnifiques et doivent être délicieux.
Je t'en prends un pour goûter.
See soon.
Your sparklers should make a pretty and tasty addition to a holiday cookie assortment---thanks for sharing this recipe.
Yes, $60pp is a little aggressive for a catered event.
I've been thinking cookies lately too. I have a cookie party coming up, and I need some good, new ideas. The sparkly sugar edges on these look great!
These look lovely! I do a similar thing with ginger that has raw sugar, I think I'll make a plate with both of them on it for my neighborhood Christmas party!
Yum! These look great, like a good addition to any cookie tray or just cookies I might make for friends and neighbors. Some desserts leave you feeling super full, but I think these would be less heavy.
Can't wait to try this recipe!
i'm not sure which makes me happier, the presence of cinnamon or the raw sugar along the outside. yum!
These look like they'd freeze really well- perfect for my plan to do as much as I can ahead of the hustle-bustle of the season. :)
These are so simple yet you've jazzed them right up with the rim of raw sugar. I love that. :-) I bet they catch the light of glimmering candles beautifully.
you can't go wrong with a name like that... charming with the sparkles. I am a huge fan of demerara sugar both for look and taste... it has so much personality! I am with you on the antique club charge... whoa! Seems like they are a little greedy, yes? Charging restaurant prices sort of takes the fun out of it. I love the pot luck idea myself... fun to share.
Oh my goodness- these look just beautiful. Do you think they'd work as part of ice cream sandwiches...?
oh these are so pretty and festive. i love the sparkly outside.
i got my aprons, thank you! i love them, as does my daughter. we now get to wear cute christmas aprons when we cook together :)
Oh I've made these and they were delicious! And so pretty and festive too with the sparkly sugar.
Those cookies look so appetizing, wonderful & apart!! Yumm!
Festive cookies that rock!
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