Cappuccino Creams
Chocolate and coffee -- one of our favorite combinations!
Cookies
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup Baker's Special or granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3/4 cup dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Filling
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons dried egg whites or meringue powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Baker's Special or granulated sugar
1 cup glazing or confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 cup cappuccino chips or cinnamon chips
Cookies: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the
butter and sugar, add the salt, egg, water and vanilla, and
beat till smooth. Whisk together the flour, cocoa and baking
powder and beat in until well-combined; the dough will be
very stiff, but sticky.
Roll the dough into balls about the size of a walnut, and
place them on parchment-lined or lightly greased cookie
sheets, using the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar to
flatten each ball to 1/8-inch thickness.
Bake the cookies in a preheated 325°F oven for 12 minutes.
Watch them closely at the end of the baking time, and at the
first sign of darkening edges or the first whiff of
scorching chocolate, remove them from the oven immediately.
Cool the cookies on a wire rack.
Filling: Dissolve the espresso powder in 1 tablespoon of the
water. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites
or meringue powder into the remaining water and beat slowly
for a minute or two, until the powder dissolves and becomes
foamy; then beat on medium speed until the foam begins to
thicken. Add the espresso mixture, the salt and about half
the granulated sugar. Continue to beat, adding the remaining
sugar, until the mixture is glossy. Add the confectioners'
sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in the vegetable
shortening and butter, beating until the mixture is fluffy
and no lumps remain. Stir in the chips.
Place a heaping tablespoonful of filling on half of the
cookies. Top with the remaining cookies and press down
lightly. Yield: About 2 dozen cookies.
This recipe reprinted from The Baker's Catalogue, Spring
through Summer 2001.
Copyright 2002, The King
Arthur Flour Company. All rights reserved.
