Grasshopper Mint Biscotti

Being of Italian descent you would think I grew up eating Biscotti. Well it wasn't until a couple years ago that I started making and loving it. It's such a versatile base for being creative with what goes into it. I do like the traditional Biscotti, however I've come to be a bigger fan of those that are loaded with good bits and topped with even more indulgence.

These Grasshoppers are especially nice since they are studded with mint white chocolate and laced with dark chocolate. I also tend not to over bake them so they remain somewhat tender instead of tooth-busting hard.

Grasshopper Mint Biscotti

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup cocoa powder

1 cup white chocolate mint – chunked for dough

2 cups white chocolate mint – for coating

½ cup dark chocolate chips – for drizzle

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F and place rack in center of oven.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In the bowl of your electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment mix the butter and sugar until light and fluffy 3 minutes. 

3. Add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, mixing well after each.  Beat in the vanilla extract. 

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder.  Slowly spoon into the butter mixture and beat until incorporated. 

5. Mix in chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

6. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and divide it in half.  Form each half into a log 10-12 inches long.  Transfer the logs to the baking sheet, spaced 4 inches apart, and lightly flatten to about 3/4 inch thick.

7. Bake until firm to the touch, about 25 - 30 minutes, dough will spread during baking.  Remove from the oven  and let cool for about 10 minutes on a rack.

8. Reduce oven to 300˚F. Carefully lift one of the logs from the parchment and transfer to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut the logs into slices about 3/4 inch thick on the diagonal. Arrange the slices on the baking sheet and bake about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on rack.

9. Coat with melted white chocolate mint and then finish with drizzle of melted dark chocolate.

Apple Pie Cookies

Okay, who doesn't like Apple Pie?? I think deep down inside most of us have memories of our mothers or grandmothers making apple pie for the holidays or in the summer. That sweet apple-cinnamon aroma that fills the house while it's baking is so comforting and the anticipation of wanting a slice, alamode of course, is torture. It's one of life's little pleasures that you'd like to have around all the time. So that's where these cookies step in. I thought how neat it would be to have an apple pie cookie that I could satisfy my craving with. I did a little searching and found this recipe on http://www.applepie.org (go figure!). This site boasts having more apple pie recipes than any other - very cool!

I've found that chilling the dough overnight works best. I've even prepared the dough and the filling a couple days ahead to save time.

Apple Pie Cookies

½ cup Crisco vegetable shortening

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup milk

3 ½  cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ cup dark brown sugar – firmly packed

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups of chopped skinless green apples (or golden delicious)

1. In a mixing bowl fitted with paddle attachment whip together the shortening and the sugar until creamy.

2. Add in the egg, vanilla and milk and mix for 2 minutes.

3. In a separate bowl mix 3 ¼ cups of flour (reserving ¼ cup for apple mixture), cream of tartar, salt, and baking soda. Spoon into wet ingredients and mix together until your cookie dough is creamy and consistent.

4. Place dough into an airtight container and place in refrigerator to chill for roughly three hours, or until the dough is soft enough to handle. Dough can be refrigerated overnight.

5. For apple filling, take a heavy bottom saucepan, and add in the dark brown sugar, the remaining flour, ground cinnamon, and chopped green apples. Cook these ingredients over medium high heat until the apples begin to soften, and the sugar is completely melted. Let cool, stirring so that it begins to thicken.

6. Flour a clean and sterile surface. Roll your dough out to an eighth of an inch thickness, then cut it with 3” round cutter. Set your cookies two inches apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

7. Spoon your apple filling on to each cookie cutout, then top the filling off with another cookie cutout layer, sealing the edges on each.

8. Bake at 375˚F, for ten to twelve minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned.

9. Decorate with cinnamon-flavored royal icing.

10. Store in airtight container layers separated by wax paper.

Exotic Mushroom Barley Soup

Some think soup is only for the winter months but I make it all year round. This just happens to be one of them. A big, hot bowl of this with some brie toast is down right pleasure - oh and a nice glass of Cabernet wouldn't hurt too.

This is an easy recipe that can be put together in about 20 minutes and served about an hour later. I recommend getting your hands on some nice exotic mushrooms for this soup like Maitake, Royal Trumpet or Crimini but if you can't then a mix of Baby Portobello and White Button will work fine. My recipe calls for 12 cups of sliced mushrooms which sounds like a lot but it's not as bad as you think.

Exotic Mushroom Barley Soup

1 large sweet onion

5 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons of butter

12 cups exotic mushrooms, sliced

2 quarts of chicken stock

1 cup of good white wine

3 bay leaves

4 tablespoons of parsley, chopped

1 cup of barley

1/4 cup of roux

salt & pepper to taste

1. In a nice large soup pot heat the oil and butter until hot. Add chopped onion and sweat for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and let that sweat for a minute.

2. Add in sliced mushrooms, a pinch of salt and pepper and stir in. Let mushrooms cook for 3 minutes until they start to release their water.

3. Add in the chicken stock, wine, bay leaves and parsley and bring to boil. Once you have a nice boil going add in the barley and stir.

4. Place half of the roux in a bowl and add about 2 cups of liquid from the soup and whisk in. Add the thinned roux to the boiling soup and stir in. Let it boil for 2 minutes to allow the roux to thicken the soup. At this point you can add more thinned roux depending on how thick you like your soup. Keep in mind the barley will help with that thickening process as well.

4. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 45 minutes or until the barley has softened. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

Don't forget the Cabernet ;-)

Our Signature Double Chocolate Chip Cookie

I'd have to make this our first official recipe post since it's the favorite among our clients, friends and family. It's an oversize classic with a little flair. Chewy on the inside with a slight crunch on the exterior and loaded with a mix of decadent chocolate. They are big like all of our cookies but that doesn't mean you'll eat just one.

Best devoured when warm or if you're really aiming to please, sandwich a scoop of your favorite ice cream between two!

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 16-18 4" cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 325˚ F.  Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a  bowl; set aside.

3. In a mixer preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until incorporated. Spoon in the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Finally, add in the chips and mix in until distributed.

4. Once dough is prepared, leave it in bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes. After the dough has chilled and firmed up spoon rounded tablespoons onto parchment lined cookie sheets leaving approximately 3 inches between each.

5. Bake until the cookies are lightly browned and the center is still somewhat soft, 15 to 18 minutes. Rotating the cookies sheets about half way through the baking time will allow them to more evenly bake. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to cooling rack. Leaving them on the hot cookie sheet will continue to bake them. Removing them will stop the process and keep them soft and chewy.

Welcome!

Welcome to Munch Gourmet!

We are passionate about good food and plan to share with you some of our favorites we have discovered or developed over the years. From our easy to make Signature Double Chocolate Chip Cookies to a challenging Paté de Campagna, a taste for all tastebuds.

Inspired at an early age by my mother, whose family heritage stems from Naples, Italy, has taught me the value of food and family where no good meal should be prepared or eaten alone. Cooking is a celebration.

So enjoy our blog and our recipes and don't forget to share!

Paul & Caryn Dolan.-