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Choc up another two wonderful cookie recipies from the kitchens of  blimpwolf

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Week 38: White Chocolate Coconut Cookies

Chocolate is quite a wonderful ingredient. And it can be enjoyed in many ways. For this week's installment of the 2012 Cookie Challenge, the kitchens of Full Moon Cuisine took chocolate two ways and added an element to enhance the harmony. And the best part? These treats can be ready to serve in under an hour and will easily impress your diners! Here's what you'll need:

- 2 sticks of butter (at room temp)
- 1 cup light brown sugar (lightly packed)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (at room temp)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 2 cups white chocolate chips (or one 11 oz bag)
- 1 cup toasted coconut (recipe follows)
- Pinch of salt

Note: This recipe will make approximately 3 dozen cookies.

To begin, let's make our toasted coconut. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F and sprinkle 1 cup of shredded coconut on a baking sheet in an even, thin layer. When ready, place your sheet into the oven and allow to bake for 5-10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes. Now coconut can burn quickly, so keep your eye on it! You'll want to remove the tray when the coconut has browned, not burned.

After, crank up your oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl, combine your dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda, and cocoa) and mix thoroughly, before setting it aside. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and both kinds of sugar until they are light and fluffy. Next, add in the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is combined before adding the next. Following this, add in your vanilla. Scrape down the sides of your bowl as you add in your dry ingredients (in thirds or fourths) and mix just until the dry have been incorporated. For the grand finale, mix in your cooled, toasted coconut and the white chocolate chips.

On a parchment paper lined baking sheet, use a 1 1/2 tbsp cookie scoop to portion out your dough. Once you have your sheet filled (I managed to make 4 rows of 4), use moistened fingers to gently press the balls of dough down (this will help them to spread more evenly), and place into your preheated oven to bake for approximately 15 minutes. Be sure to turn them around halfway through. When done, allow them to rest on the baking sheet for a few additional minutes to finish firming up before you transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Toasted coconut and white chocolate hosted in a rich chocolate cookie. What more could your diners ask for in a treat? And since these go together so quickly, you can always have more ready in a flash. And what should you do if you have leftover toasted coconut? It makes a great topping for anything from cakes to ice cream! To help keep these treats ready, 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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Week 39: Chocolate Chip Pine-nut Cookies

Texture is a very important element in cooking and baking. You want to provide some contrast for your diners to enjoy. And simultaneously, you cannot ignore flavor. So how about a cookie that provides a combination of a smooth, almost fudge-like cookie texture punctuated by a nice crunch? What you'll get is an easy-to-make and even-easier-to-enjoy treat that goes together in little time. Here's what you'll need:

- 2 sticks of butter (at room temp)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 3/4 cup toasted and chopped pine nuts
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Note: This recipe will make approximately 2.5 dozen cookies

To begin, let's toast our pine nuts. Set a small, dry pan over your stove burner set on medium-low heat. Stir the pine nuts around gently and remove after a couple of minutes (you'll know they have been toasted when you can smell them). Remove them from your pan and allow them to cool, then chop them into smaller pieces.

Set your oven to heat up to 325 degrees F. In a bowl, combine your flour, salt, and cocoa together. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and powdered sugar until they are light and fluffy. Add in your vanilla, again mixing just until it has been incorporated. Next, slowly add in your dry ingredients in thirds until fully mixed. Note, the dough will start to become much thicker and harder to mix, you may need to up your mixer speed. Finally, add in your pine nuts and chocolate chips.

Using a tablespoon, portion out balls of dough (rolling them in your hands) and place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Space these balls out 2-3" apart and use moistened fingers to gently press them down into discs. Bake in your oven for approximately 18-minutes, rotating halfway through. When you're done, allow them to remain on the baking sheet for a few minutes (these cookies will be SOFT when you take them out of the oven and may break if you try to move them too soon). Once firm, move them to a wire rack to cool completely. Keep these stored in an airtight container for up to a week.

The deep, roasted flavor of the pine nuts, along with their crunch, make the perfect accent to the deep chocolate flavor of the cookies. Though pine nuts may not seem like a traditional ingredient in baked goods, their flavor (especially when toasted, it's worth the time!) will add a great compliment to the earthy chocolate flavor. To help ensure that the joys of chocolate and crunch are ready to be spread, 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 tree nut, dairy & egg products