Chocolate Shortbread X Mas Trees Recipes

CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD TREES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter and confectioners' sugar until blended. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour and cocoa; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-1/4-in. tree-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. If desired, sprinkle with nonpareils., Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD TREES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Combine butter, powdered sugar and vanilla in bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add flour, cocoa and cinnamon; beat at low speed until well mixed.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, one-half at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 2 1/2- to 3-inch tree-shaped cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet. Cool completely.
• Melt baking chips and shortening in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, 2-3 minutes or until smooth.
• Place icing in small resealable plastic food bag. Snip 1/8-inch off one corner. Pipe icing as desired onto cooled cookies. Decorate as desired. Let stand until set.

SHORTBREAD CHRISTMAS TREE

Steps:

• SHORTBREAD CHRISTMAS TREE:.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
• In a stand mixer beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add vanilla and flour until dough forms. Roll out dough onto parchment lined baking sheet and using powdered sugar to prevent sticking, cut out shapes. Set scraps aside to be used on the next sheet.
• Bake 12-16 minutes until edges just start to brown. Remove from oven and smooth by placing parchment paper over the top of freshly baked cookies and press down flat with a slightly smaller baking sheet. Allow to cool.
• PIPING AND FLOODING ICING:.
• In stand mixer blend egg white with 3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar and red food coloring. Once mixed place half in a large piping bag with a large round tip (This is your flooding bag). Add a cup of confectioners' sugar to the remaining frosting in the stand mixer and beat until mixed. Scoop this mixture into another piping bag with a small tip. using this bag pipe along the edges of your cookies. Once done use the flooding bag to flood your cookies. Use a toothpick or needle to pop any air bubbles that form immediately after piping to ensure a smooth surface.
• Use leftover thicker frosting to pipe additional details and glue cookies together to form a tree.

GILDED CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream the butter and 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar. Beat in the cocoa, vanilla and salt, mix until smooth. On low speed, gradually mix in the flour until fully incorporated. Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Prepare a clean, dry work surface by dusting with the remaining confectioners' sugar.
• Roll chilled dough out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into shapes with a knife or cookie cutters. Place cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Using a small stiff brush or flat pastry brush, lightly dust the tops of the cookies with the 24-karat gold dust. Bake cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, or until firm. Be careful not to overbake; you cannot tell by looking because of the dark color of the dough. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD X-MAS TREES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°.
• Combine powdered sugar and butter in mixer bowl.
• Beat until creamy, 1-2 minutes.
• Add flour, cocoa, vanilla, cinnamon until well mixed for about 1-2 minutes.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured surface one-half at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/4-inch thickness.
• Cut with X-mas tree cookie cutters.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes.
• Melt baking chips and shortening in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally until smooth.
• After cookies are cooled, drizzle glaze over cookies.
• Let stand until set.