Mean Chefs Chocolate Sugar Cookies Recipes

MEAN CHEF'S DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES WITH PECANS

Steps:

• Position 1 rack in the top 1/3 and another in the bottom 1/3 of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
• Melt the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler over hot, simmering water.
• Remove from the heat but keep the chocolate mixture over a bowl of hot water to ensure that the mixture does not set.
• In a small bowl, combine the vanilla extract and the espresso powder and whisk until the espresso powder is dissolved.
• Stir the espresso mixture into the chocolate mixture.
• Combine the eggs and both sugars in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer (you can double the recipe and it will fit a 5 or 6 qt mixer bowl).
• Set the bowl over a pan of hot, hot simmering water.
• Stir with a hand-held wire whisk until warm to the touch.
• Attach the bowl to the mixer stand.
• Using the wire whip attachment, whip the mixture on high speed until pale, thickened and cool, about 5 minutes.
• Fold into the warm chocolate mixture.
• Fold in the flour.
• Stir in the chocolate chips and pecans.
• Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto the 2 prepared pans leaving about 1 to 1/2 inches between the cookies (at work I make these a lot bigger so that they come out about 5 inches across).
• Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the cookies are set: switch the positions of the baking sheets halfway through the baking time for even baking.
• Cool the cookies on the baking sheets on wire racks for about 3 minutes, then transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
• Repeat with the remaining dough.

CHOCOLATE SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees and line baking sheets with silicone baking sheets or parchment paper.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or by hand, cream together the butter, shortening and sugar at medium speed, about 3 to 5 minutes. (The mixture needn't be fluffy.) Scrape down the sides with a silicone spatula and mix in the eggs, vanilla, baking powder and salt. Combine well. Scrape down the sides and stir in the cocoa until well blended. Add the flour, and mix until the flour is completely incorporated and the dough comes together into a ball. At this point, you can refrigerate the dough up to 2 days or freeze it up to 3 months, tightly wrapped in plastic. (The dough will seem soft, but that's O.K. If you are going to roll out the cookies and bake them immediately, mix in the other 1/2 cup of flour.)
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness and use cookie cutters to cut into shapes, rerolling dough scraps as necessary and arranging shapes 1/4 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes. Smaller shapes will cook more quickly. Because these are chocolate, it can be hard to determine when they are done. Err on the side of underbaking. You can tell the cookies are ready when the surface changes from wet- or glossy-looking to dry. Remove cookies to a rack and allow them to cool completely before decorating.

MEAN CHEF'S OATMEAL PECAN CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
• Set dry ingredients aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter with both sugars; beat until light and fluffy.
• Add vanilla, milk, and eggs; mix well.
• Add reserved dry ingredients, and beat until just combined.
• Remove bowl from mixer, and fold in oats, chocolate, and pecans.
• Place dough in the refrigerator until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Heat oven to 350°.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.
• Remove dough from refrigerator.
• Using an ice-cream scoop, shape into 2-inch-diameter balls.
• Place six balls on each baking sheet, spaced 4 inches apart, and press down Transfer to oven.
• Bake until golden, but still soft in center, 15 to 16 minutes.
• Remove from oven, and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
• Repeat with remaining dough.
• Store in an airtight container up to 2 days.

ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Make cookies:.
• Sift together the flour, cocoa, and salt. Set aside.
• In bowl of electric mixer, using paddle attachment, mix butter on medium-low speed until it is creamy and lightened in color. Add the sugar in a steady stream, and beat until thoroughly combined.
• Add the egg, espresso, and vanilla.
• Scrape down sides of bowl as needed, then mix in melted chocolate.
• Reduce mixer speed to low and blend in dry ingredients in two additions, mixing only to combine after each addition.
• Remove dough from bowl and divide into quarters.
• Form each quarter into a 4" disk and wrap in plastic, refrigerate for 30-40 minutes or until firm enough to roll.
• You should be able to leave an imprint when you press dough.
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F.
• Have ready two ungreased cookie sheets. Working with one-fourth of dough at a time, roll on a lightly floured flat surface until 3/16" thick.
• Using a 2 1/2" round cookie cutter or a cookie cutter of your choice, cut cookies from the dough.
• Transfer cookies to a sheet of waxed paper and brush lightly with egg/water mixture. Sprinkle with pearl sugar or other garnishes.
• Carefully place on cookie sheets.
• Bake cookies, one sheet at a time, for 9-10 minutes.
• Transfer cookies to a wire rack while still warm, and cool completely.
• Repeat with remaining dough.
• MAKE GANACHE:.
• Break chocolate into 1" pieces and place into bowl of a food processor.
• Process until chocolate is finely chopped. Empty chocolate into a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, heat heavy cream and corn syrup on low heat until it comes to a gentle boil.
• Immediately pour hot cream over chopped chocolate.
• Let it stand for about 1 minute, then stir chocolate and cream together, slowly mixing until all chocolate is melted and mixture is fully emulsified.
• Blend in rum and vanilla.
• If surface is oily, stir in 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of hot water.
• Glaze should thicken as it stands, but remain pourable.
• If ganache fails to thicken, chill it in refrigerator for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Watch carefully, as it must not be too cold. Spoon ganache over cookies, letting it trickle down the sides.

MEAN CHEF'S PECAN CARDAMOM SAND COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• I an electric mixer cream butter, shortening, both sugars and vanilla until mixture is well combined.
• Sift dry ingredients together and add to mixer along with chopped pecans.
• Combine well.
• Either use a small portion scoop or roll pieces of dough into 1 - 2-inch balls.
• Arrange on parchment-lined sheet pan.
• Place a pecan half on top of each round, sprinkle with a little sugar and press down with the bottom of a glass to flatten to about 1/4-inch thick.
• Bake until very pale golden.
• Cool.