Giving away a little LOVE…

Feeling a giving mood coming on. Leave me your favorite quote about love and I will put your name in my trusty mason jar! On August first I will draw a name and send along a little LOVE to you! This is a beautiful book by Susan Branch one of my favorite artists!

Here is one of mine: A blessed thing it is for any man or woman to have a friend, one human soul whom we can trust utterly, who knows the best and worst of us, and who loves us in spite of all our faults. ~ Charles Kingsley

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Chocolate Cream Wafers!

I have be working on a recipe for chocolate cream wafers and today’s trial run was SPLENDID!  My mom LOVED them. She preferred the chocolate wafer with orange buttercream over the chocolate buttercream…I think I do too.  And Husband definitely did.  Hannah suggested at Christmas, peppermint flavored buttercream…sounds yummy to me! The one on the bottom right has a little blood orange marmalade added!!! 

So here you go:

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa
  
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 sticks butter at room temp (do not substitute)
• sugar for coating cut outs
• cookie cutter of your choice (the fluted ones like shown work BEAUTIFULLY)
• 1/2 flour 1/2 cocoa mixed for dusting your work area
• Set your oven to 375

For Filling:

• 1 stick softened butter
• 4-5 cups confectioners sugar
• flavoring of choice (I use 1 tsp vanilla extract, and a 1/2 tsp coconut & lemon)
• Coloring if you like
• For Chocolate Buttercream add 1/2 cup cocoa or to taste
  

I use parchment lined cookie sheets.

Cut the butter into the 2 cups of flour with a pastry cutter or fork until it is mealy…like cornmeal. Add cream all at once and mix until thoroughly incorporated.Roll 1/3 the dough out adding just enough flour to keep it from sticking to the surface (I use a silicone mat). DO NOT over work your dough or your cookies will be tough. Cut what you can from this rolling and set the scraps to the side to use ONE more time. After the second rolling, discard the dough – too “used” to use.  Place your cut outs into a plate of sugar to coat.  Place the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and prick each one with a fork (3-4 times).

Bake about 10-11 minutes until set…not browned. Remove to a wire rack till cooled.

Mix your filling ingredients with a mixer until light. Spread one cookie and top with another. Makes a YUMMY chocolate version of the lovely Cream Wafers.

 

 

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