Chocolate Covered Snow Peaks Recipes

CHOCOLATE COVERED SNOW PEAKS

Steps:

• 1. PREHEAT oven to 225F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• 2. IN the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites on low-medium speed with the whisk attachment until the whites become foamy. Add the cream of tartar and turn speed up to medium, beating until just fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, so it incorporates into the whites slowly without collapsing them. Once all the sugar has been added, add the vanilla and increase the speed to high, whisking until the meringue is firm and glossy, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• 3. PLACE meringue mixture into a decorating bag with a medium-size nozzle attached. Pip 24 bite-size "kiss"-shape meringues onto the trays and place in the oven. Bake for 1 hour undisturbed then turn off heat and leave in the oven overnight to really dry out.
• 4. MELT chocolate over a double-boiler or in the microwave on medium power for 30 second. Holding each meringue by the peak dip the bases in chocolate so the bottom half of the meringue is coated. Let any excess chocolate drop of before placing on the cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Allow to set at room temperature - do not put in the fridge. Once set, store in an airtight container.

SNOW-CAPPED CHOCOLATE DROPS

Steps:

• HEAT oven to 350 degrees F.
• COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in bowl of electric mixer. Add egg, brown sugar, shortening, cherry liquid and chocolate. Blend well at low speed. Stir in walnuts and cherries. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• BAKE 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on racks.
• FROST each cooled cookie with 1 teaspoon marshmallow creme.

CHOCOLATE-ESPRESSO SNOWCAPS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, espresso, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until well combined; mix in cooled chocolate. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; beat in milk until just combined. Flatten dough into a disk; wrap in plastic. Freeze until firm, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Pour confectioners' sugar (about 1/2 cup) into a medium bowl; working in batches, roll balls in sugar two times, letting them sit in sugar between coatings.
• Place on prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies have spread and coating is cracked, 12 to 14 minutes; cookies will still be soft to the touch. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

CHEWY CHOCOLATE SNOWCAPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together sugar, cocoa and salt. Stir in chocolate and pecans. Beat egg whites until slightly stiff, then stir into chocolate mixture until just until incorporated. (Do not overmix.) You can use a stand mixer on low or a sturdy spoon and a large bowl.
• Crush sugar cubes and place in a shallow bowl. Using a small ice cream scoop or a melon baller, spoon up dough to create a scoop about the size of a golf ball. Lightly dip the top of the cookie into the sugar and then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
• Bake until cookie tops are dry and crackled, about 12 to 15 minutes. Rotate sheets if using more than 1 at a time. The cookies should be dry and crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside and capped with a nice sprinkling of chunky sugar.
• Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cookies cool completely. Can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days.