Jumbo Chocolate Cutouts Recipes

CHOCOLATE CUTOUTS

Steps:

• Chocolate: I use 60 percent cocoa mass pistols.A variety of percentage contents are on the market today. Usesomething that is 58 percent to 72 percent for a bittersweet.They have a great bittersweet sensation and it's relatively easyto find this percentage of cocoa mass in solid chocolate atgourmet grocery stores. They're also easier to cut-out andhandle. Milk chocolate (34 percent) will work but is alwayssofter and doesn't handle so easily. White chocolate will worktoo but faces the same handling problems as milk chocolate. Besure to chill these in refrigerator.
• All chocolate for these cut outs will have to be tempered by the user. Even if it has been tempered (which it will have been by the manufacturer for packaging), the act of melting the chocolate will require the user to re-temper it. Use a brand of chocolate that is high quality, tastes great, and fits your budget. Oil based food dye: Find these at specialty baking supply stores, or easier, on-line. Try www.chefrubber.com, or www.inidatree.com for oil and acrylic based dyes. Cookie cutters: Use metal cookie butters and quickly heat the cutters over a gas flame to easily cut through the chocolate. DO NOT dip in hot water, as chocolate and water do not mix, even if the chocolate is solid. Melted chocolate should never come in contact with water or else the chocolate will seize. Stencils Parchment paper X-acto or sharp paring knife Sheet pans Digital thermometer Double boiler Measure out the quantity of chocolate desired. Melt 2/3 of total chocolate over a double boiler over low heat and the water just steaming (this will be a slow process). Test the temperature with a digital thermometer (do not go over 110 degrees F). Remove bowl from the heat and, bit by bit, add the remaining 1/3 non-melted chocolate to reduce temperature to 89 to 91 degrees F. Spread chocolate out on parchment paper and smooth it out with an offset spatula. Lift the paper and gently tap it on the counter to even out the chocolate and get rid of any air bubbles. Place the paper with the chocolate on a cookie sheet and refrigerate until the chocolate is solid. Chill or leave on counter until hardened. I recommend leaving it on counter until it sets, then chill to make super hard for cutting with cookie cutter. Cut out shapes in the chocolate with cookie cutters, using shapes without close corners where the chocolate would get stuck easily. To make your own shapes, create a stencil using poster board and trace around it with a sharp knife. For bright colors use white chocolate and tint it with oil based food coloring. After you have cut out the shapes attach them to a frosted cake with a little melted chocolate.

CHOCOLATE JUMBOS

Steps:

• 1. Mix ingredients together. Roll batter about 1/2 inch thick, and cut into desired shapes. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes. Cool and frost with favorite icing or: 2 1/2 cup 10x 2 egg whites 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar 1/4 tsp. vanilla Beat last 4 till foamy and add sugar until firm peaks form.

CHOCOLATE CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; cover. Refrigerate 30 minutes 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 floured 3-in. cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets., Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a large bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, water, meringue powder and cream of tartar; beat on low speed just until blended. Beat on high until stiff peaks form, 1-2 minutes. Keep unused icing covered at all times with a damp cloth. If necessary, beat again on high speed to restore texture., Using pastry bags and small round tips, decorate cookies as desired. Let stand at room temperature until frosting is dry and firm., Freeze option: Freeze cookies, layered between waxed paper, in freezer containers. To use, thaw before serving.

JUMBO CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream shortening, butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans. Chill for at least 1 hour., Preheat oven to 375°. Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes before removing to wire racks.

BEST EVER CHOCOLATE CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg. Gradually stir in the sifted ingredients to form a soft dough. Divide dough into 2 pieces, flatten and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/8 inch in thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Dough is sticky so be sure to add more flour to the rolling surface as needed. Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

JUMBO CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Melt 2/3 cup chunks in microwave-safe bowl on high power for 45 seconds; stir.
• Microwave an additional 10-15 second intervals, stirring until smooth; set aside.
• Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt into medium bowl.
• Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy.
• Add melted chocolate and mix well.
• Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing until well blended, about 1 minute.
• Add flour mixture, mixing just until blended.
• Stir in remaining chunks.
• Drop dough by level 1/4-cup measure 3 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets.
• Bake 16-18 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs and the tops have a cracked appearance.
• Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes.
• Remove to wire racks to cool completely.