LCBO Food and Drink Holiday 2016

FESTIVE  A SHOW OF COOKIES

MexicanChocolate COOKIE ORNAMENTS

½ cup (125 mL) unsalted butter ½ cup (125 mL) sugar ½ tsp (2 mL) vanilla extract 1 egg 1 egg yolk 4 oz (125 g) white chocolate coating wafers Paste food colouring, optional 1 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). 2 In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, cocoa, salt, cinnamon and cay- enne (if using). In a separate bowl, cream but- ter using an electric mixer. Beat in sugar and vanilla; mix in egg and yolk. Add flour mix- ture and stir to combine. Bring together in a ball and flatten slightly. 3 If dough is sticky, lightly dust surface with cocoa; roll out dough a scant ¼ inch (about

5 mm) thick. Using a 3- to 5-inch (8- to 12‑cm) ornament-shaped cutter, cut out as many cookies as possible, re-rolling the scraps if you wish. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet; using a wooden skewer, create a single hole (to thread ornament after bak- ing) in each. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or un- til edges of cookies are firm to the touch and cookies are no longer shiny. Cool on a rack. 4 When ready to decorate, melt white choco- late wafers in microwave set to low, stirring from time to time, or in a heatproof bowl set over, but not touching, a pot of simmering water. Colour chocolate if desired and scrape into a piping bag fitted with a fine round #2 or #3 decorating tip. Decorate cookies as desired. Makes 6 to 10 cookies depending on the size of your cutter

These easy-to-make cinnamon chocolate cookies have just a hint of chili heat. Deco- rated with white chocolate, they make gor- geous place-setting name tags. Because of the high cocoa powder content, the dough stiffens as it sits, so should be rolled and cut immediately. For this reason, multiple batches should be made separately. There’s no need to chill before or after cutting. White chocolate coating wafers are available at bulk shops. 1¼ cups (310 mL) flour ¼ cup (60 mL) cornstarch ½ cup (125 mL) cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting if necessary ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt 1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon ¼ tsp (1 mL) cayenne, optional

96  FOOD & DRI NK HOLIDAY 2016