I promised...
So here's the recipe. Now, as I write this, please understand that this will not work without a very, very small star-shaped cookie cutter. Okay, stars are not NECESSARY, but come on, stars are kind of awesome. Anyway, seriously, my cookie cutter is maybe an inch and a half along its lines from point to point. If that. It's small.
The reason you want small is because these cookies are rich, and if you do big cookies, people won't eat them. Trust me on this. I have made this mistake.
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup cocoa powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* Pinch salt
* 1 1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* 1/3 cup water
* 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
* 1/2 cups sugar
* 1 cup light corn syrup
* 1 cup granulated or crystal decorating sugar
* 1 cup raspberry jam or preserves
Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together and set aside. Make sure to mix well.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine ancho chile powder, cinnamon, vanilla, and water. Raise to simmer, and then lower heat. Keep warm.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the corn syrup and mix well, then add the ancho/vanilla mixture and mix well. Add the dry ingredients in thirds, mixing just to incorporate each addition. Scrape the bowl after each addition. If you have a crap mixer, you may need to manually knead the dough at the third addition of dry ingredients; it gets very thick. Wrap the dough in a flat rectangle and chill for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Roll out the chilled dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out star shapes and sprinkle each with red sprinkles of granulated or crystal sugar. Use a measuring spoon to press (lightly!) a small indentation in the center of each cookie. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
Allow cookies to cool completely. No, really. Do you think they're cool? You're WRONG. Let them cool longer.
Place a small dollop of raspberry jam in the center of each cookie. Leave to dry overnight.
Enjoy.
Pev
The reason you want small is because these cookies are rich, and if you do big cookies, people won't eat them. Trust me on this. I have made this mistake.
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup cocoa powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* Pinch salt
* 1 1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* 1/3 cup water
* 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
* 1/2 cups sugar
* 1 cup light corn syrup
* 1 cup granulated or crystal decorating sugar
* 1 cup raspberry jam or preserves
Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together and set aside. Make sure to mix well.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine ancho chile powder, cinnamon, vanilla, and water. Raise to simmer, and then lower heat. Keep warm.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the corn syrup and mix well, then add the ancho/vanilla mixture and mix well. Add the dry ingredients in thirds, mixing just to incorporate each addition. Scrape the bowl after each addition. If you have a crap mixer, you may need to manually knead the dough at the third addition of dry ingredients; it gets very thick. Wrap the dough in a flat rectangle and chill for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Roll out the chilled dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out star shapes and sprinkle each with red sprinkles of granulated or crystal sugar. Use a measuring spoon to press (lightly!) a small indentation in the center of each cookie. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
Allow cookies to cool completely. No, really. Do you think they're cool? You're WRONG. Let them cool longer.
Place a small dollop of raspberry jam in the center of each cookie. Leave to dry overnight.
Enjoy.
Pev