We are introduced, at an early age, to the sweet wondernous of a cookie. From teething cookies to soothe the swollen aching gums of incoming incisors, onto animal crackers purchased in rectangular-shaped boxes bearing a string handle for easy toting by little fingers. Deciding which part of the animal should be eaten first-the trunk of the elephant or the tail of a lion-depended on how hungry one was. Savor each and every one or simply gobble them down as fast as possible.

My next cookie memory would be the ever famous, possibly all-time favorite, the chocolate chip cookie. There is nothing better than to bite into a round circle of baked dough sprinkled with gooey melt-in-your-mouth chocolate. A chocolate chip cookie can dry tears, heal broken hearts, mend scraped knees and elbows and solve sibling arguments. Most of the problems in the world could likely be solved by a properly baked, right out of the oven, chocolate chip cookie. The power of a cookie is underestimated.

I will attempt in the next 365 days to prepare and comment on a year’s worth of different cookies-one for each day. My goal is to share with others my extreme love of cookies-baking them and especially eating them! Feel free to send me your favorite recipe, your earliest cookie memories, or how cookies may have influenced your life. Cookies Rule!


Monday, January 25, 2010

Cookie Recipe #23 - Chocolate-Frosted Marshmallow Cookies

Another rainy, dark Monday here in San Jose. From the chair I'm sitting in as I'm blogging I can see the trees swaying along to the music of the wind as it whispers, "more rain coming"! Dark clouds are hovering overhead just waiting for the perfect spot to release their drops of moisture...it's a good day to bake and blog!

This is another recipe from my Christmas cookie baking days as was yesterday's. If you like marshmallow covered in chocolate with a crisp sugar cookie bottom, this is the cookie for you!
Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, softened, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1/2c. milk or cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, pinch of salt, 25-30 large marshmallows, halved, 1 cup chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon shortening.
Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice all marshmallows in half with a sharp knife and place on a plate cut side down; set aside until needed. In large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Add egg, milk and vanilla and continue beating until light and fluffy. Sift in flour, baking soda and salt; mix well.
On ungreased baking sheet, drop a dollop of dough about 1 inch in diameter about 2 1/2 inches apart. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven about 5-6 minutes. Cookies should be slightly browned around the edges. Place on heat resistant surface and immediately put a marshmallow half, cut side down, on top of each cookie. Return to oven and continue baking about 2 minutes, just until the marshmallow sticks to the cookie. Remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheet a couple of minutes, then transfer to cooling racks.
To make frosting, place chocolate chips and shortening in glass bowl in microwave. Heat on High for a minute, stir, then continue heating another minute until chips are completely melted when stirred. After cookies are cooled, using a spoon or spatula, drop a teaspoonful of chocolate on the top of each cookie, allowing chocolate to run down the sides and spreading with the back of the spoon to cover the entire cookie. (I found that picking the cookie up with my fingers to spread around the bottom edges was easier, the advantage being chocolate gets all over your fingers and you HAVE to lick it off). This is a little time consuming, but just think about the reward in the end. Allow the chocolate-covered cookies to set on the cooling racks until chocolate is hard (may be put in the refrigerator to hasten this process), then pop one in your mouth and smile!!
Makes 4-4 1/2 dozen chocolate mounds.
Cookies Rule!!!

1 comment:

  1. these are my favorite! thanks for all your hard work and for the sweet care packages you send with paul! so delicious!

    ReplyDelete