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Yet another pair of wonders, so fresh from the oven you just about smell them in your own kitchen. Brought to you from the kitchens of  blimpwolf

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Week 28 - Turlte Cookies

Decadence. Sometimes you just want to go all in for flavor. This time, the kitchens of Full Moon Cuisine have taken a classic candy, the Turtle, and transformed it into a cookie suitable for the finest dinner party, or just your everyday treat. Just take the basic elements of a Turtle candy: chocolate, pecans, caramel, and ask what else you can do with them? With a little bit of time, you can have some truly rich treats that will have your diners begging for more... if they dare! Here's what they'll need:

- 2 sticks of butter (at room temp)
- 2 large eggs (at room temp)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 light brown sugar (packed)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 6 oz chocolate (I used a mixture of bittersweet and semisweet)
- 1 cup pecans (toasted and chopped)
- 20 caramels

Note: This recipe will make over 3 dozen cookies.

To begin, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Put 2 cups of flour into a mixing bowl, and put the remaining 1/2 cup into a smaller bowl. With your larger amount of flour, add in the salt, baking powder, and baking soda, then set aside. Take your caramels, unwrapped, and toss them in the flour. Afterward, cut up each individual caramel into sixths/eighths, then toss again in the flour. Add in the chocolate chips and toasted pecans (put in a dry pan over medium heat for about two minutes, stirring constantly) and toss around with the flour. By taking this step, the caramel, chocolate, and pecans will not sink to the bottom of your cookies when baking, allowing for a more even distribution of flavors.

In a large bowl, mix together the butter and both kinds of sugar (granulated and light brown). With your mixer on low, add in one egg at a time, and then add the vanilla. Start to incorporate your dry ingredients, starting with the flour mixture, and ending with the flour with the caramels, chocolate chips, and pecans. Mix until everything has been combined.

Since we're working with caramels, which can get QUITE sticky, we need to take some precautions when baking. Line your sheet with a Silpat, or parchment paper, or at least use a nonstick cooking spray (unflavored), and then dish out the dough using a 1 1/2" cookie scoop, spacing each cookie about 2 inches apart. Gently press your fingers down atop the mounds to flatten them out a bit, and then bake for approximately 13 minutes, turning halfway through. Allow the cookies to rest on the warmed baking sheet for a few extra minutes once removed, then allow them to cool on a cooling rack lined with parchment/waxed paper.

Serve these cookies after a fine meal with a cup of coffee, or at any party and you'll be guaranteed to receive compliments. And all it took you was a little time, some patience, and the desire to be slightly decadent! To help spread the richness around, the kitchen will be staying open late tonight. Care to place an order?

Want to know what this challenge is all about? Check out my journal and feel free to send in recipes for cookies!

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Week 29 - Rosemary Butter cookies

Why do cookies always have to focus on being sweet? Sometimes one of the most interesting and fun things you can do with baking is take people's expectations and turn them upside down. By taking a nontraditional approach, you can make some excellent, savory cookies, that will satisfy your diners' hunger and curiosity. And they could not be easier to make. Here's what you'll need:

- 2 sticks of butter (at room temp)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (plus 1/2 cup for dusting later)
- 1 large egg (at room temp)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary (don't use dried)
- Pinch of salt

Note: This recipe will make approximately 4 dozen cookies.

To begin, use a mixer to cream together the butter and 3/4 cup of sugar. Next, add in the egg, followed by the vanilla, mixing until the ingredients have combined. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and salt, and then mix these dry ingredients into the butter/sugar mixture in thirds. Finally, make sure you chop your rosemary quite fine (since rosemary is very woody, we want to make sure the pieces are very, very small), and add to your dough.

Take out two pieces of parchment paper, and place half of your dough onto each. Working quickly, roll and shape the dough into logs, about 1 1/2" thick, wrap in the parchment paper, and leave in your fridge for an hour to firm up. Once the hour is up, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F, and roll your cookie dough logs in the 1/2 cup of sugar, gently pressing. Next, slice the logs of dough into 1/4" cookies and place these rounds onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet, and bake for approximately 10 minutes (you'll know they're done when the edges start to brown). Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Combining sweet and savory/herbaceous flavors is a great way to take cookies in a new direction. In fact, a great woman once reminded us that "in the language of flowers, rosemary is equates to remembrance", so why not make some memorable cookies for your diners? To help spread the idea of cookies that combine contrasting flavors and ideas, the kitchen will be staying open late. Care to place an order?

Want to know what this challenge is all about? Check out my journal and feel free to send in recipes for cookies! http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3096204/

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Allergy warning – recipe contains dairy & egg products