VALENTINES' DAY TREATS
Valentines day. A silly day created so that women can indulge in boxes of chocolate without feeling a bit guilty…until the next day of course. I decided that everyone should feel special on this day…not only people in relationships, especially the women. I wasn’t going to make dozens of batches of cookies and pass it on the streets (ain’t no body got time for that!), so I made goodies bags for people at my workplace. I decorated these bags with a mustache and a lip stamp and heat embossed it. In these decorated bags are bundles of scrumptious white chocolate chip macadamia cookies and classic chocolate covered and cookies and creme covered pretzels.
LET'S GET CRACKIN'
1. Make chocolate and oreo cookies and cream chocolate covered pretzels, see recipe below.
2. Make the white choco-chip macadamia nut cookies, see recipe below.
3. Make special goodie bags using heat tool, click here to learn.
4. INDULGE in all the chocolates you want today. Go ahead, it's ok.
For pretzels:
went to the drug store to purchase pretzels, pretzel rods, Hershey chocolate and Hershey cookies and cream chocolate. I melted it in a double boiler, and dipped the pretzels. Once dipped, just set it aside on a tray with a parchment paper (so it is easier to peel off) and put it in the freezer for 10 minutes.
For white choco-chip macadamia nut cookies:
Now the recipe is called "the best white chocolate macadamia nut cookies" from the novice chef blog, and it really lives up to the name. I only use this recipe. The only change I made to this recipe is that I make the cookies smaller and less flat, this is because I love my crunchy cookies.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped salted macadamia nuts
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Add flour mixture, mixing until completely combined. Stir in white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts until evenly distributed (you can do this by hand or with the stand mixer).
Roll two heaping tablespoons of dough into a ball. Tear the ball in half and place the torn side down on the cookie sheet. Take the second half and place it on top of the first half (this is the what it will look like) -- leaving about two inches for spreading.
Bake for 12 minutes, or until the edges are very slightly browned. The cookies will not look cooked in the center, but they will finish cooking while cooling on cookie sheet!
Remove from oven and let cookies rest on baking sheet for 10 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.