Chocolate Smacks

BOTTOM LAYER

1¼ cups flour
¼ cup cocoa
½ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup butter or hard margarine, softened
2 egg yolks (large)
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

SECOND LAYER

2 egg whites (large), room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp cocoa

1 cup chopped walnuts


Bottom Layer: Measure all 7 ingredients into bowl. Crumble together. Press in ungreased 9x9-inch pan. Set aside.

Second Layer: Beat egg whites until frothy. Add brown sugar 1/3 at a time and beat after each addition until stiff. Add cocoa and beat to blend.

Fold in walnuts. Spread over bottom layer. Bake in 350 F oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown. Cut with sharp knife, dipped in hot water between cuts. Cuts into 36 squares.

SMORE COOKIE BARS

makes 3 dozen bars

9 ounces Hershey's milk-chocolate candy bars (or other brand), cut into pieces
1 cup mini-marshmallows
1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.

Combine butter, shortening, brown sugar, egg and vanilla in a medium bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended.

Combine graham cracker crumbs, flour and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Mix at low speed until just blended. Spread dough evenly into prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned and set. (The center of the crust will still be a little soft.) Cool completely.

Place cream in a heavy saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat. Add chocolate pieces. Stir until melted and smooth. Stir in marshmallows.

Spread evenly over cooked crust. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours, before cutting into bars.


Increase the butter to 2/3 cup if not using criso

Cream Cheese and Jelly Cookies


3/4 cup margarine, softened
1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 teaspoons Equal® for Recipes or 8 packets Equal® sweetener or 1/3 cup Equal® Spoonful
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup black cherry or seedless raspberry spreadable fruit

Beat margarine, cream cheese and Equal® in medium bowl until fluffy; mix in flour
and salt to form a soft dough.

Cover and refrigerate until dough is firm, about 3 hours.

Roll dough on lightly floured surface into circle 1/8 thick; cut into rounds with 3-inch cutter.

Place rounded 1/4 teaspoon spreadable fruit in center of each round; fold rounds in halves and crimp edges firmly with tines of fork. Pierce tops of cookies with tip of sharp knife.

Bake cookies on greased cookie sheets in preheated 350 degree F oven until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Makes about 3 dozen

Mrs. Fields Chocolate Dreams Cookies


Yield: 2 1/2 dozen

Cookie:
• 3/4 cup salted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips

Topping:
• 2 Tbsp. white sugar

In a medium bowl, cream butter using an electric mixer set at medium speed. Add confectioners' and brown sugars and beat until smooth. Add yolks and vanilla, and mix at medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape bowl. Add the flour and blend at low speed until thoroughly combined.

Gather dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap or place in plastic bag. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

To prepare the filling:

Scald the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add the chocolate chips and stir until melted. Remove from the heat.

Preheat oven to 325F.

Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough on floured board to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut circles with a 2-inch diameter cookie cutter and place on ungreased cookie sheets one inch apart. Continue using dough scraps re-rolling and cutting until all dough is used. Drop one teaspoon of chocolate filling in center of each circle and top with another circle. Completely seal the edges using the tines of
a fork. Bake 15 to 16 minutes or until cookies are golden brown. Transfer cookies to a cool flat surface with a metal spatula. Sprinkle with white sugar if desired.

MCCALL'S BASIC COOKIE MIX WITH 7 VARIATIONS:

Butter-Lime Bars, Cream Cheese Chocolate Bars, Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Brittle Fingers, Coffee Kisses, Double Chocolate-Hazelnut Cookies, Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies, Pecan Chocolate Logs

BASIC COOKIE MIX:
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt; mix well. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Place in airtight container; store in refrigerator (mixture will keep for 8 weeks).

Bring to room temperature before using. Recipe can be doubled or tripled.

BUTTER-LIME BARS:
1 recipe Basic Cookie Mix
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon water
FOR THE TOPPING:
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons grated lime rind
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
green food coloring
confectioners' sugar

Oven at 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch square baking pan; line bottom and sides with foil. Grease foil.

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg yolks and water. At low speed, beat until mixture forms a crumbly dough. Pat dough over bottom of prepared pan; bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven.

MAKE TOPPING:
In small bowl of electric mixer, combine topping ingredients, at medium speed. Beat 3 minutes, until blended. Pour over dough in pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until topping has set. Cool in pan on wire rack.

Cut into 16 bars. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

CREAM CHEESE CHOCOLATE BARS:
1 recipe Basic Cookie Mix
2 large eggs
8 ounces semisweet chocolate -- melted
1 teaspoon baking powder
FOR THE TOPPING:
1/4 cup sugar
8 ounces cream cheese -- softened
1 large egg
2 ounces semisweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan; line bottom with foil. Grease foil.

In a large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, eggs, chocolate and baking powder. At low speed, beat until mixture forms a crumbly dough. Pat dough over bottom of pan.

Bake for 20 minutes or until dough begins to brown. remove pan from oven.

MAKE TOPPING:
In a small bowl of electric mixer, combine sugar, cream cheese and egg. Beat at medium speed 1 minute or until smooth. Spread over dough in pan.

Bake 12 minutes or until topping has set.

With melted chocolate in small pastry bag fitted with a writing tip, pipe lines over bars. Cool completely.

Using foil, lift from pan; cut into 25 bars.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED PEANUT BRITTLE FINGERS:
1 recipe Basic Cookie Mix
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon water
FOR THE PEANUT BRITTLE TOPPING:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups unsalted dry-roasted peanuts, finely chopped
12 ounces semisweet chocolate
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 15 1/2x10 1/2x1-inch jelly roll pan; line bottom and sides with foil. Grease foil.

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg yolks and water. At low speed beat just until mixture forms a crumbly dough. Pat mixture over foil on bottom of pan.

Bake 20 minutes or until dough is golden brown. Remove pan from oven.

MAKE PEANUT BRITTLE TOPPING:
In heavy medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and heavy cream. Over medium heat, bring to boiling, stirring. Cook, stirring constantly, until butter melts and mixture is smooth. Stir in peanuts. Spread peanut brittle topping mixture over cookies in pan.

Bake 15 minutes or until topping is brown and bubbly. Remove pan from oven; cool cookies slightly.

Using ends of foil, lift cookies from pan. Cut crosswise into thirds. Cut lengthwise into 14 strips. Remove cookies from foil. Cool cookie "fingers" completely on a wire rack.

Line another wire rack with waxed paper.

In top of double boiler over hot, not boiling, water combine chocolate and shortening. Over low heat, cook mixture, stirring, until chocolate and shortening are melted and mixture is smooth.

Dip each cookie finger into chocolate mixture to cover halfway. Place cookie on rack to dry. Makes 42

COFFEE KISSES:
1 recipe Basic Cookie Mix
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
1 tablespoon hot water
FOR THE FILLING:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
1 teaspoon hot water

Oven to 350 degrees. Grease large baking sheets.

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix and egg yolk.

In cup, combine coffee powder and 1 tablespoon hot water. Stir until dissolved. Add coffee to cookie mix. At low speed, beat just until mixture forms a dough.

Divide dough into thirds. Working with one third of dough at a time in pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch star tip, pipe stars of dough onto prepared baking sheets. Place baking sheets into freezer for several minutes to firm dough.

Bake 10 minutes or until cookies just begin to brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

MAKE FILLING:
In small bowl of electric mixer, combine confectioners' sugar, butter and cocoa.

In cup, combine coffee powder and hot water. Stir until dissolved. Add coffee to filling. At high speed, beat until smooth.

Sandwich flat side of 2 cookies together with about 1 teaspoon of filling. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Makes 30

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT COOKIES:
1 recipe Basic Cookie Mix
1 large egg yolk
16 ounces semisweet chocolate
36 toasted, skinned hazelnuts
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
Edible gold powder or edible gold leaf
2 ounces chocolate melting wafers -- melted

Oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheets.

In top of double boiler over hot, not boiling water, melt 4 ounces chocolate. Let cool slightly. In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg yolk and melted chocolate. At low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough.

Roll rounded teaspoonful of dough around a hazelnut. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and hazelnuts. Bake 10 minutes or until cookies just begin to brown. transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Line a large baking sheet with waxed paper. In top of double boiler, over not boiling water, combine 12 ounces chocolate with shortening. Stir until mixture is melted and smooth.

With fork dip cookies into chocolate. Turn until coated. Place on prepared baking sheet. Let stand until coating is dry.

Meanwhile, line another baking sheet with waxed paper. With melted chocolate wafers in pastry bag fitted with writing tip, pipe small lattice designs onto prepared baking sheet. Freeze until hardens. Reserve remaining melted chocolate mixture.

Coat cookies with gold powder or gold leaf.

With a drop of melted chocolate mixture, attach a lattice piece to top of each cookie. Makes 36

NOTES: To use gold leaf: Place gold leaf on work surface. Remove covering tissue without touching leaf with fingers (use chopsticks or knife tip), roll cookies in gold leaf until coated.

PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH COOKIES:
1 recipe Basic Cookie Mix
1 large egg
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
FOR THE FILLING:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheets.

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg and peanut butter. At low speed, beat just until mixture forms a dough.

Divide dough into thirds. Working with one third at a time, on well floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll out dough 1/8-inch thick. Cut out with 3-inch round cookie cutter. If desired, reroll dough scraps for additional cookies.

Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets. Bake for 9 minutes or until golden. Cool cookies slightly on baking sheets. With spatula, transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

MAKE FILLING:
In small bowl of electric mixer, combine confectioners' sugar, peanut butter and melted chocolate. At medium speed, beat until smooth.

Sandwich flat sides of 2 cookies together with filling. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. If desired, with additional melted chocolate or chocolate icing in pastry bag fitted with small star tip, pipe a star on center of one side of each cookie. Makes 18

PECAN CHOCOLATE LOGS:
1 recipe Basic Cookie Mix
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips
1/2 cup finely chopped toasted pecans

Oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheets.

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg yolk, cocoa and sour cream. At low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough. Add chocolate chips and pecans. Mix just until combined.

On work surface, divide dough in half. Divide each half of dough into 18 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 2-inch log. working with one piece at a time, squeeze dough to make finger impressions in log. Place logs on prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 8 minutes or until cookies begin to brown. Cool on wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Makes 36