Mouse Cookies Martha Stewart Recipes

MARTHA'S CHEWY MOLASSES SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt.
• In a shallow bowl, place 1/2 cup sugar; set aside.
• With an electric mixer, beat butter and remaining 1 cup of sugar until combined. Beat in egg and then molasses until incorporated.
• Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in dry ingredients, *just* until a dough forms.
• Pinch off and roll dough into 1" balls. Roll balls in the reserved sugar to coat.
• Arrange balls on parchment lined baking sheets, about 3 inches apart. Bake, one sheet at a time, until edges are just firm and top of cookies have a "crackle" effect, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Cool cookies 1 minute on baking sheets; transfer to racks to cool completely.

COFFEE-MERINGUE ACORNS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, and whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture is warm, about 3 minutes. Whisk in salt and cream of tartar; remove from heat.
• Beat mixture with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form and meringue is mostly cooled, about 7 minutes. Beat in extract.
• Fit a pastry bag with a 3/8-inch round tip (Ateco #804) and fill bag with meringue. Pipe meringue "kisses," each 1 inch in diameter, releasing pressure and pulling pastry bag straight up to create each, 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until crisp on outside and able to release easily from parchment, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• Melt chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth; remove from heat. Working 1 at a time, dip base of each meringue in chocolate, then coat base completely with nuts. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets and let stand until set, about 1 hour. Meringues can be made 5 days ahead and stored in a cool, dry place at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolks, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 3/4 cup heavy cream. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until mixture coats back of spoon, 3 to 4 minutes (do not boil). Remove from heat; whisk in melted chocolate and vanilla. Strain into a bowl; chill until cool.
• With an electric mixer, beat remaining 1 1/4 cups heavy cream with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar until stiff peaks form. Stir 1/3 of whipped cream into cooled custard mixture, then gently fold in the rest with a rubber spatula.
• Spoon into serving dishes; chill, covered, at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

WHITE MICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter.
• Add sugar, flour and vanilla.
• Work with clean hands and nails.
• Add nuts.
• Use 1 1/2 teaspoons of dough (about the size of a regular marble) and shape into small mice (teardrop shape).
• Bake in a 350° oven for 10 minutes or until set.
• If you like larger mice, use 1 1/2 Tablespoons of dough (size of walnut or golf ball) Bake for 20 minutes.
• When cool, roll in powdered sugar.
• Baking time will be approximate, according to the size of the mice.
• Please watch your first batch and record the correct minutes for your size mice and oven temperature.

MILE-HIGH TRIPLE-CHOCOLATE-ESPRESSO MOUSSE PIE

Steps:

• Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-inch-round, 3-inch-deep springform pan with butter. Pulse cookies and granulated sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Add butter and salt, pulsing until texture resembles that of wet sand. Press mixture evenly into bottom and halfway up sides of prepared pan. Bake until crust is set and dry to the touch, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cool completely. (Crust can be loosely wrapped and stored at room temperature up to 1 day.)
• Mousses: Melt both chocolates in separate heatproof bowls set over (but not in) a pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until only pea-size lumps remain. Remove from heat; stir until chocolate is completely melted. Let cool to warm room temperature. Stir 1 egg yolk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla into each bowl just to combine.
• In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on low speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar; increase speed to medium-high and beat to soft peaks. With motor running, gradually add granulated sugar and beat to stiff, glossy peaks.
• Stir 1 cup meringue into each bowl with chocolate mixture. Divide remaining meringue evenly between mixtures, gently folding in until no streaks remain. Whisk cream with confectioners' sugar to soft peaks. Divide evenly between chocolate mixtures, gently folding in until no streaks remain.
• Pour bittersweet-chocolate mousse into crust, smoothing top with an offset spatula. Gently pour milk-chocolate mousse over bittersweet mousse, smoothing top.
• Espresso Cream: Whisk cream, espresso powder, and confectioners' sugar to stiff peaks. Spread evenly over milk-chocolate mousse in pan, smoothing top. Refrigerate until set, at least 8 hours. (Pie can be loosely covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 3 days.)
• To serve, lightly dust top with cocoa, then run a thin knife around edges of pan to loosen; unlock pan and lift sides to remove. Transfer pie to a serving plate or cake stand and cut into wedges.