Macro Monday

Any ideas??

How about now??

Yep, I think you know that it is . . . .

CHOCOLATE!

Andy

Macro Monday

Any idea what this might be?

Here is another hint.

One more.

Yep, it is a plate of chocolate cookies! 

Or, more accurately, a plate of chocolate shortbread and they're wonderful! We very much recommend this recipe shared below (we usually double it, however). One suggestion based on our chocolate snob-ness. I am NOT a fan of dutch process cocoa (cocoa processed with alkali). Use real/whole cocoa and the taste is far superior!

Enjoy,
Andy

• 3/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar (I like caster in these)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 and 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Combine butter and sugar in mixing bowl. Beat at medium until creamy. Add egg and vanilla and continue beating until well mixed. Reduce to low speed and add flour, cocoa and salt. Stop when well mixed.

Shape dough into an 8 inch long or so, square-ish log with about 1.5 inch sides. Wrap in plastic food wrap and refrigerate until firm; 2 hours or overnight. 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Slice into 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices and place on a cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes or until set. Because they are so dark and bake quickly, it is easy to burn them; watch them close!

Cat Nap Wednesday

Yes, please note our cat, Katie, is sleeping, crammed in a "box of chocolate." No, not the kind of chocolate box you give to people for Valentine's, but the kind we get--in bulk! I guess Katie is not the only one with a weight problem in our house. 

Do you see how she is twisting her head so that you see her chin?!

Her tail is held between her paws?!

From our fat cat to yours*, happy Wednesday.
Andy


*Not that your cat is fat...

Chocolate Mudslide Cookies

Chocolate Mudslide Cookies

• 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 16 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 6 T butter
• 2 1/4 C sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 C plus 3 T flour
• 1 T baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 t vanilla
• 16 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/4 C dried cherries (optional)

In the microwave or a double boiler melt the unsweetened chocolate and bittersweet chocolate together and set aside. (If using the microwave stir chocolate often to make sure it does not burn.)

Mix butter and sugar in a bowl till light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add flour, baking soda and salt and mix gently, just until combined. Fold in melted chocolate. Stir in chopped chocolate and dried cherries.

Use a large cookie scoop (a heaping tablespoon) to drop cookies onto a greased or parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 7 -8 minutes. Yield: about 40 small cookies

Notes: This dough becomes hard and crumbly very quickly, so you need to work fast. Next time I think I would line several cookie sheets, scoop all the cookies first and then start the baking. These are very rich and best if not over baked, so they remain moist and chewy.

Adapted from: Jacques' Chocolate Mudslide Cookies