Best Chocolate Gingerbread Twigs Recipes

CHOCOLATE-GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Chop chocolate into 1/4-inch chunks; set aside. Sift 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon flour, cocoa, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg together in a medium bowl.
• Beat butter and ginger together in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until whitened, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.
• Dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Beat half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Beat in baking soda mixture followed by remaining flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out to about 1-inch thickness; seal with plastic. Refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or more.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Roll in white sugar.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the surfaces crack slightly, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

MARTHA STEWART CHEWY CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, sift together, flour, ginger,cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cocoa.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and ginger on medium speed until lightened, about 4 minutes.
• Add brown sugar,beat until combined. Add molasses, beat until combined.
• In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in boiling water.
• Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture.
• Beat in baking soda mixture, then remaining flour mixture.
• Mix in chocolate, turn into plastic wrap.
• Pat out to 1" thickness, seal with wrap. Refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325*.
• Roll dough into 1 1/2" balls, place 2" apart on baking sheets.
• Chill 20 minutes. Roll in granulated sugar.
• Bake until surface just begins to crack, 10-12 minutes, rotating halfway through.
• Let cool 5 minutes.
• Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the parchment. Dust with flour and tap out any excess. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, gingerbread spice and salt in a medium bowl. Beat 1 stick butter and the brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on low speed until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the whole egg and egg yolks and beat 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the water. Beat until just smooth, being careful not to overbeat (the batter may look curdled).
• Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake until the cake springs back when pressed, 25 to 35 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a rack, remove the parchment and let cool completely.
• Beat the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and the ginger jam in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Carefully cut the cake in half crosswise with a serrated knife and spread one half with the ginger filling. Top with the other cake layer and cut lengthwise, then crosswise into 6 equal rows, making small cubes. Freeze the cubes until firm, about 1 hour.
• Melt the chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water), about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan. Hold each cake square over the bowl on a fork and spoon chocolate over the top until evenly covered. Let the excess drip off, then transfer to a rack set on a baking sheet. Top with crystallized ginger. Let set, about 2 hours at room temperature or 30 minutes in the refrigerator; before completely set, loosen with a spatula.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREADS

Steps:

• Beat 1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar and 1 stick butter until fluffy, then beat in 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/4 cup molasses, 2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger and a large pinch each of ground cinnamon and cloves with the egg. Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon baking soda; stir into the butter mixture. Do not chill. Drop by tablespoonfuls, sprinkle with coarse sugar and bake 8 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees.