To kick off the season, bake some delicious leaf-shaped chocolate cookies to package and give to friends.
Chocolate Cookies
1 /2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 egg 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 /2 cup cocoa 2 tablespoons instant coffee crystals 1 /4 teaspoon baking powder 1 /4 teaspoon baking soda 1 /4 teaspoon salt
Cream together butter, sugar, vanilla and egg in medium bowl until light and fluffy. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Working with small portions of dough and keeping the remaining chilled, roll dough to 1 /8-inch thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut with leaf-shaped cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and cool two minutes. Remove to wire wrack to cool completely.
(Note: Can use purchased sugar cookie dough if desired.)
Royal Icing 3 tablespoons meringue powder (available at decorating supply shops and gourmet shops) 1 pound confectioner's sugar, sifted 5 -7 tablespoons lukewarm water 1 teaspoon vanilla paste food coloring (available at decorating supply shops and gourmet shops) in yellow, orange and red
Combine all ingredients, except food coloring. Beat with electric mixer 5 to 6 minutes on high speed.
Divide icing in three bowls; tint each bowl a different color.
Fill three pastry bags fitted with small round tips with each color. Using steady pressure, outline the shape of the leaf cookie using one of the colors. Add the veins of the leaf. Or leave the interior blank and use and alternating color to write a message, "Happy Autumn," or "Thanks for Having Us," for a hostess gift.
Allow icing to dry completely - several hours or overnight.
Packaging Ideas Individually present cookies in crisp cellophane bags. Tie with fall ribbon and attach a card with raffia expressing your sentiments.
Line a medium-sized box with fall leaves (clean ones from outdoors or silk from the craft supply shop). Place cookies on top of the leaves. Close box and festoon with ribbons in fall-hued colors.
Wrap several cookies in a large cellophane bag, place in a kraft gift bag with handles. Attach several fall leaves with satin ribbon and tie to the handle.
Fill a coffee mug with envelopes of hot chocolate mix (homemade or purchased). Wrap in cellophane. Attach a small bag of cookies with a message to the recipient to indulge her or him in chocolate cookies and steaming mug of hot chocolate.
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