Chocolate Almond Spirals Recipes

CHOCOLATE SPIRAL COOKIES

Steps:

• For the Plain Dough: Using a sharp knife, slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Separate the seeds from the outside skin by scraping the blade of the knife along the inside of the bean. Place the vanilla bean seeds, butter, sugar, egg yolks, and orange zest in a medium-sized mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are combined, about 1 minute. Combine the baking powder, salt, and flour and add to the butter mixture all at once. Beat on low speed just until combined, about 1 minute. Do not overmix the dough or it will become tough. Remove the dough from the bowl. Form it into a 4 by-9-inch rectangle, wrap in plastic, and place in the refrigerator. For the Chocolate Dough: Repeat the exact same procedure as for the plain dough, combining the cocoa powder with the flour and adding it to the butter mixture.
• Let each dough rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. (I prefer to make the dough a day in advance and let it rest overnight.) Overnight, all of the flavors (orange, vanilla, chocolate, butter) mature and the flour and butter absorb the flavor of the cocoa. The next day, the chocolate dough will be darker in color.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. It will be hard, so give it a few quick raps with a rolling pin to make it easier to roll. Lightly flour both sides of each dough. Roll both doughs into a 7 by 6-inch rectangle about 1/8-inch thick. Place one rectangle on top of the other and roll it out to an 8 by 20-inch rectangle. Brush the rectangle with a thin coat of water to help the dough stick to itself. Roll the dough into a cylinder that is 20 inches long and 1 1/2 to 1 3/4-inches in diameter. Cut the cylinder into 1/2-inch thick round slices. Lay the cookies, cut side down, on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet about 1/2-inch apart. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes and cool on a wire rack. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

BASIC CHOCOLATE PINWHEEL COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. , Divide dough in half; add cocoa to one portion. Divide each portion in half. On a baking sheet, roll out each portion between waxed paper into a 12x10-in. rectangle. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. , Remove waxed paper. Place one chocolate rectangle over a plain rectangle. Roll up tightly, jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; wrap in plastic. Repeat with remaining dough. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Unwrap and cut into 1/4-in. slices. , Place 2 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool.

CHOCOLATE-ALMOND SPIRALS

Steps:

• With an electric mixer on medium-highspeed, cream butter and sugar until pale andfluffy. Beat in whole eggs and salt. Add vanilla,milk, flour, and cocoa; mix until incorporated.
• Turn out dough onto a piece of plasticwrap, and shape into a rectangle; wrap. Chilluntil firm, at least 1 hour, or up to 1 day.
• On a generously floured 12-by-26-inch sheetof parchment paper, roll out chocolate doughto an 11-by-24-inch rectangle, dusting with flouras needed and occasionally lifting dough withan offset spatula to prevent sticking. Chill again.
• On another generously floured piece ofparchment, roll out almond dough to a 9 1/2-by-24-inch rectangle, as described above.
• Lightly beat egg white; brush over chocolatedough. Gently stack almond dough ontop, aligning flush on one long side (there willbe a 1 1/2-inch space on the other long side).Cut stack crosswise into thirds to make three8-by-11-inch rectangles. Starting with theshort side where the edges are flush, rolldoughs together into a log, gently liftingparchment as you go. Lightly brush edge withegg white; seal seam by pinching and pressinggently. Wrap log in parchment or waxedpaper. Repeat with remaining two stackedrectangles. Chill in freezer until firm, about 1 1/2 hours, or up to 1 month.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheetswith parchment paper. Let dough stand atroom temperature 10 minutes. Using a serratedknife, cut log into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, rotating log after each cut to keep it round.Transfer rounds to sheets. Bake until setbut not taking on any color, 18 to 20 minutes.Transfer cookies (still on parchment) towire racks to cool completely. Cookies canbe stored up to 5 days at room temperaturein airtight containers.