CHOCOLATE-PEPPERMINT SPRITZ

Chocolate-Peppermint Spritz image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories dessert

Time 2h

Yield About 90 spritz cookies

Number Of Ingredients 13

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2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 3/4 sticks (14 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
Crushed candy canes, for decorating

Steps:

Make the cookies: Preheat the oven to 325˚. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and egg until just combined. Reduce the mixer speed to medium low and beat in the flour mixture until just combined.
Fit a cookie press with a wreath disk; fill with the dough according to the manufacturer's instructions. Press cookies 1 inch apart onto 2 unlined baking sheets.
Bake the cookies, 1 pan at a time, until crisp and set around the edges, 18 to 22 minutes. Immediately remove the cookies to a rack using an offset spatula and let cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
Once the cookies have cooled, make the icing: Combine the chocolate, heavy cream and butter in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Stir until melted and smooth, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir in the peppermint extract; let cool 5 minutes.
Transfer the icing to a resealable plastic bag, snip off a corner and drizzle over the cookies. Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Let set, about 30 minutes.