Maida Heatters Chocolate Cookies With Gin Soaked Raisins Recipes

MAIDA HEATTER'S 86-PROOF CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Adjust rack one-third up from bottom of the oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and dust the inside of a 9-inch bundt pan (called a minibundt pan), or any other fancy tube pan with a 10-cup capacity, with fine dry breadcrumbs. Invert the pan over a piece of paper and tap lightly to shake out excess crumbs. Set aside.
• Place the chocolate in the top of a small double boiler over hot water on low heat. Cover and cook only until melted; then remove the top of the double boiler and set it aside, uncovered, to cool slightly. (You can also melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, just keep a close eye on it.)
• Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.
• In a two-cup measuring cup dissolve the coffee in a little boiling water. Add cold water to the 1 1/2 cup line. Add the bourbon. Set aside.
• Cream the butter in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Add the vanilla and sugar and beat to mix well. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Add the chocolate and beat until smooth.
• Then, on low speed, alternately add the sifted dry ingredients in three additions with the liquids in two additions, adding the liquids very gradually to avoid splashing and scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition. Be sure to beat until smooth after each addition, especially after the last. It will be a thin mixture.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Rotate the pan a bit briskly, first in one direction, then in the other, to level the top. In a minibundt pan the batter will almost reach the top of the pan, but it will not run over and you will have a beautifully high cake.
• Bake for one hour and 10 to 15 minutes. Test by inserting a cake tester in the middle of the cake and bake only until the tester comes out clean and dry.
• Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Then cover with a rack and invert. Remove the pan, sprinkle the cake with a little optional bourbon, and leave the cake upside down on a rack to cool. Before serving, if you wish, sprinkle the top with confectioners' sugar through a fine strainer.

MAIDA HEATTER'S CHOCOLATE COOKIES WITH GIN-SOAKED RAISINS

Steps:

• Combine raisins and gin in a cup and let stand at least 8 hours to macerate.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 2 large baking sheets, shaking off excess flour.
• Mix confectioners sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, flour, and salt with an electric mixer at low speed. Add egg whites and vanilla and continue mixing until smooth.
• Drain raisins in a sieve, without pressing, then add raisins to dough with pecans. Stir until thoroughly mixed. (Dough will be thick and sticky.)
• Working quickly, drop 1/4 cup dough for each cookie onto a baking sheet, spacing cookies at least 3 inches apart, and gently pat down each mound to about 1/2 inch thick.
• Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, in middle of oven, rotating sheet halfway through baking, 15 to 17 minutes total, or until cookies appear cracked and centers are just set. Cool cookies on sheet 1 minute, then transfer carefully to a rack to cool completely.

MAIDA HEATTER'S CHOCOLATE MADELEINES

Steps:

• You will need two special madeleine pans, available in fine kitchen equipment shops, to prepare these cookies.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Lightly brush the cookie indentations of each pan with butter, using a pastry brush. Take care not to leave any unbuttered spots.
• Sift together the flour, cocoa, coffee, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• Place the 1/4 pound of butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and cream thoroughly. Beat in the vanilla, rum or Cognac and granulated sugar. Add the whole eggs and egg yolks and beat thoroughly. The mixture may take on a curdled look, but that is proper. Start beating on low speed while adding the dry ingredients. Beat only long enough to blend.
• Place a rounded teaspoon of the batter into each of the cookie indentations. Do not spread; it will settle itself. Place in the oven and bake about 12 minutes or until madeleines spring back when touched with the fingertips.
• Remove from the oven and invert onto a rack. Arrange them patterned side up on the rack. Using a sieve, dust lightly with confectioners' sugar.

MAIDA HEATTER'S CHOCOLATE SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Fit your cookie press with a favorite plate. You'll need unbuttered, unlined cookie sheets.
• Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, not simmering water, or melt in the microwave following manufacturer's directions. Allow to cool slightly.
• In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter. Add the salt, vanilla and sugar and beat to mix well. Add the egg yolks and beat to mix, then add the chocolate, mixing well to blend. On low speed, gradually add the flour. Beat only to mix after each addition.
• Fill your cookie press with a portion of the dough. Press out the cookies 1-inch apart on cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes in preheated oven. Using a spatula, transfer cookies to a rack to cool. Store in airtight containers.
• NOTE: Cookies may be decorated with chopped nuts or candied cherries before baking, if desired.