Shanas Blackout Cookies Recipes

CHOCOLATE BLACKOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Sprinkles:
• Whisk egg white in a medium bowl just to loosen. Add powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp. water and whisk until smooth. Mixture should be smooth, satiny, and very thick. If mixture is too thick or gloppy, whisk in another 1/2 tsp. water. Transfer to a disposable pastry bag and snip off end of bag (or use a resealable plastic bag and cut off 1 corner) to make a very small opening.
• Pipe icing in very thin, very straight lines across a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing close together (if icing does not squeeze out of bag easily, snip a slightly larger opening). Keep piping until you've covered the entire sheet of parchment (discard leftover icing or save for another use). Let sit at room temperature until hardened, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day (to speed up drying, you can also bake sprinkles in a 150°F oven for 2-2 1/2 hours). Lift ends of parchment to break sprinkles into various lengths, then gently roll your fingers over top to loosen from parchment paper.
• Cookies:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water (do not let water touch bottom of bowl), stirring until melted and mixture is smooth. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, espresso powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl until thick and light, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add chocolate mixture; mix just to combine. Turn off mixer. Add dry ingredients and pulse mixer on low until no dry spots remain. If dough is very soft, cover and chill until firm enough to scoop, 10-15 minutes.
• Using a 1 1/2 oz. scoop (or a scant 1/4 cup), portion out dough and roll into balls between your palms (if dough becomes very sticky while rolling, chill for a few minutes). Place balls on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing at least 2" apart; flatten slightly. Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets once, until centers are puffed and edges are just firm,13-18 minutes. Let cookies cool 20 minutes on baking sheets, then peel away parchment and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely.
• Icing and assembly:
• Heat chocolate, cream, corn syrup, and salt in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water (do not let water touch bottom of bowl), stirring until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Let cool.
• Whisk powdered sugar and vanilla into chocolate mixture, then add butter 1 piece at a time, whisking to incorporate fully after each addition. Whisk until icing looks smooth and glossy.
• Using an offset spatula, spread about 1 Tbsp. icing over each cookie and top with sprinkles.
• Do Ahead
• Sprinkles can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature. Cookies can be baked 1 day ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

SHANA'S SPAGHETTI SQUASH MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place spaghetti squash cut-side down in a shallow baking pan. Add about 1 inch water.
• Bake in the preheated oven until flesh is soft, about 1 hour 25 minutes. Scoop out flesh with a spoon and measure out 2 cups; refrigerate until cool, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease two 12-cup muffin tins.
• Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and salt together in a large bowl.
• Mix milk, eggs, butter, and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl. Stir in spaghetti squash. Fold the squash mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened.
• Spoon batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling each cup halfway.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Remove from muffin tins and cool on wire racks.

HOMEMADE SAMOA COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat butter, white sugar, and salt together in a bowl; add 2 cups flour and stir. Beat 1 cup flour into butter mixture; mix until a sticky dough forms.
• Whisk egg, vanilla extract, and milk together in a bowl. Beat remaining flour and egg mixture into dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Break off a small portion of dough and roll it out on a lightly floured work surface into a 1/4-inch thick round. Place round on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Bake cookies in the preheated oven until slightly golden and soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Cook and stir coconut in a large skillet over medium heat until golden brown and toasted, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Melt caramel bits in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir coconut into caramel. Press a spoonful of caramel-coconut mixture into the top of each cookie.
• Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth, about 60 seconds. Dip the base of each cookie into melted chocolate and place dipped cookies on parchment paper until chocolate sets. Drizzle chocolate over the top of each cookie.

SHANA'S BLACKOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water;
• set aside to cool slightly.
• Combine eggs, sugar, oil and extracts in a large bowl; whisk to combine. Stir in the chocolate; set aside.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
• Add chocolate mixture to flour mixture, stirring until well combined. Cover;
• refrigerate at least 3 hours.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spread confectioners' sugar on a plate; set aside.
• Scoop walnut-size balls of dough; roll each in the sugar. Place on a greased or
• parchment-lined cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
• Bake until edges are firm, about 10
• minutes per batch.
• Remove cookies to a wire rack; cool.
• Note: Chocolate extract is available at shops such as The Spice House and Fox &
• Obel in Chicago.

MOCHA BLACKOUT CAKE

Steps:

• For the Cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and arrange a rack in the middle. Coat 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with butter and dust with cocoa powder.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cocoa, flour, espresso powder, baking soda, and baking powder until well combined; set aside. Combine the sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and salt in a separate large bowl, and whisk until combined and smooth. Combine the milk and coffee in a small bowl. Add 1/3 of the milk mixture into the sugar/egg mixture and whisk until just incorporated. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, and whisk until smooth. Continue with the remaining milk and flour mixture, alternating between each and whisking until all the ingredients are just incorporated and smooth.
• Divide the batter evenly between prepared pans. Put the pans on a baking sheet. Bake, rotating the baking sheet 180 degrees halfway through, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes.
• Remove the cakes from the oven and let them rest, in the pans, on a cooling rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans, and cool completely before proceeding.
• For the Pudding: Combine the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, espresso powder and salt in a medium saucepan and whisk to evenly combine. Whisk in the milk and vanilla until completely incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the egg yolks until combined.
• Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and bubbles, about 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, until completely thickened, about 1 minute more.
• Remove from the heat and immediately add the chocolate and the butter, and stir until melted and evenly combined. Put plastic wrap directly on surface of the pudding and chill at least 1 1/2 hours.
• To assemble: Arrange 1 of the cakes on a flat cake plate and top with 1/3 of the pudding, spreading evenly and almost to the edges. Top with second cake then use the remaining pudding to frost the top and sides of the cake.
• Press the cookie crumbs into the sides and top of the cake. Pick up any fallen crumbs and apply them, pressing gently to cover the cake completely. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
• For the Whipped Cream: In a medium bowl, add the cream and whisk until soft peaks form. Add the rum and continue to whisk until stiff and the cream sticks to the whisk. Serve the whipped cream on the side.

SHANA'S EASY FRENCH BREAD APPETIZER

Steps:

• Mix up the ingredients, spread over sliced bread, and broil til golden brown.
• That's it!