"By request of several families" (this is a portuguese expression :)) i finally found some time to make a tutorial of the marvelous Chocolate Cookies i usually use in my works. The original recipe is from the wonderful
sweetapolita.com and i follow it step by step, word by word, with religious devotion. You can find the direct link in my
Cookies on Sunday Dress Code
This cookies are absolutly tasty and crispy and if you follow the steps, i can assure you they will keep their shapes when you bake them. So, this cookies are just perfect for decorations - sugarpaste, royal icing, etc
Here we go:
In a large bowl, sift together
750 g (6 cups) all-purpose flour, 137 g (1+1/4 cups) dark cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon (8 g) salt. Set aside.
In an electric mix fitted with the paddle attachment, cream
454 g (2 cups) softened butter, 400 g (2 cups) of granulated sugar and 228 g (1 cup) of light brown sugar. Cream until fluffy and pale, about 5 minutes.
Beat in 3 cold eggs,
until just combined
Add dry mixture and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined
Add vanilla and blend.
Remove 1/3 of dough from bowl, make a ball and place on a large piece of plastic wrap...
...and wrap pressing down with the palm of your hand making a disc about 2" thick
Repeat with the 3 dough portions. Chill the 3 discs of dough for about 45 minutes.
In order to acelerate all the chill processes, you can increase the refrigerator temperature.
Meantime, you can prepare the equipment you'll need next: 7 large pieces of parchment paper - 2 for each disc of dought and one for the oven board. Your favorite cutters, rolling pin, two 1/4 wooden dowels, wire rack and a paletteknife
.
Remove one disc from the refrigerator and unwrap the plastic. Place on top of a piece of parchment paper. Use a silicone rolling mat underneath to ensure it doesn't slip while rolling. Then place two 1/4" wooden dowels on either side of your dough, then another sheet of parchment paper.
Roll dough (this will require a bit of elbow grease for the first few minutes until it softens up a bit) so it's flush with dowels; they will ensure that your dough is even thickness.
You can cut a little of the tips...
...to make the dough fit between the dowels no widest than your rolling pin
When you finish it will look something like this. Slide your parchment paper and dough onto a board, then place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes
Join all the trimmings and make another disc of dough. Don't need to be chilled again; only after rolling.
Preheat the oven 325ºF/160ºC.
Remove from fridge and cut your shapes using the selected cutters...
...placing them on a board lined with a silicone bakin mat or parchment paper, with 2" clearance around each one and the edge of the sheet. Chill for another 15 minutes before baking.
Bake untill cookie edges are just crisp, about 16 minutes.
Cool sheets on wire racks for about 5 minutes, then gently remove cookies and place on wire racks to finish cooling.
It yelds about 40 medium cookies, depending on shape/size.
Ok, you can't do this cookies if you're in a hurry, but if you find motivation to do something special, it really, really worth it.
Enjoy!!
