EYEBALL COOKIES
White chocolate, sparkling sugar, and chocolate chips transform these butter cookies into a spooky dessert.
By Elham Shahmohammadi
Makes 1 1/2 dozen
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
18 semisweet chocolate chips
2 ounces good-quality white chocolate, chopped
Pale-blue and pale-green sparkling sugars
Red piping gel
Preheat oven to 325°F. Using electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in large bowl until light and fluffy. Stir in flour. Using palms, roll dough by level tablespoonfuls into balls, forming 18 balls total. Arrange balls on heavy large baking sheet, spacing evenly apart. To create pupil, gently insert 1 chocolate chip, pointed side down, into center of each cookie until level with top of cookie. Bake until just golden, about 25 minutes. Cool cookies on rack and chill briefly to set chocolate.
Melt white chocolate in heavy small saucepan, stirring constantly over very low heat. Place each color sparkling sugar in very small individual bowls. Using small pointed knife or chopstick, carefully spread white chocolate in small circle around each chocolate chip. Or spoon white chocolate into disposable plastic piping bag or one corner of small resealable plastic bag; snip tip of bag to create a very small opening. Twist bag just above point where filled; pipe white chocolate around chocolate chip. Dip some cookies into green sugar and some in blue sugar (sugar will stick to white chocolate and resemble iris). Pipe red gel decoratively over cookies to resemble veins. Let stand until white chocolate sets. DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature.
EQUIPMENT
Electric mixer
Large bowl
Heavy large baking sheet
Cooling rack
Heavy small saucepan
2 very small bowls
Small pointed knife, chopstick, or disposable plastic piping bag
RECIPE TIPS
UPCOMING COOKING CLASSES
LOS GATOS, CA Store Address: 23 University Avenue, Phone: (408) 395-5576
Class: Bon Appetit: Spooky Halloween Treats
Instructor: Jodie Sonntag
Date: Saturday, October 18
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Price: $79.00
Type of class: Hands-on
Menu: Spider Web Ganache Tart - Mini Jack 'o Lantern Cakes - "Brain Pudding" (rice pudding) with "Bat Blood" (pomegranate syrup) - "Eyeball" Butter cookies - Creepy Caramel Corn
Class: Haunted Gingerbread House
Instructor: Jodie Sonntag
Date: Saturday, October 25
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Price: $55.00
Type of class: Hands-on
Ages 8 and Older
Menu: Beware -- this house is haunted! Kids and parents will start with a pre-assembled gingerbread house, then work together to decorate it in the most fiendish way imaginable.
PALO ALTO, CA Store Address: Town & Country Village, 855 El Camino Real, Phone: (650) 289-0438
Class Name: Bon Appetit: Spooky Halloween Treats
Instructor: Elham Shahmohammadi
Class Format: Hands On
Price: $55
Date: Monday, October 20, 2008
Time: 4:00 PM
Ages 8 and Older
MENU: Spider Web Ganache Tart - Mini Jack 'o Lantern Cakes - "Brain Pudding" (rice pudding) with "Bat Blood" (pomegranate syrup) - "Eyeball" Butter cookies - Creepy Caramel Corn
Class Name: Haunted Gingerbread House
Instructor: Jo Ann Ranish
Class Format: Hands On
Price: $55
Date: Saturday, October 25, 2008
Time: 10:30 AM
Ages 8 and Older
Menu: Beware -- this house is haunted! Kids and parents will start with a pre-assembled gingerbread house, then work together to decorate it in the most fiendish way imaginable. Our instructor will provide the tricks and you'll have fun with the treats as you learn easy piping techniques, then paint your house with ghoulish black frosting and finish off your monster mansion with seasonal candies. A light snack will be served.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA Store Address: 77 Maiden Lane, Phone: (415) 732-7900
Class: Bon Appetit: Spooky Halloween Treats
Instructor: Anni Padilla
Date: Tuesday, October 14th
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Price: $60.00
Type of class: Hands-on
Kids Class Ages 8-12
Menu: Spider Web Ganache Tart - Mini Jack 'o Lantern Cakes - "Brain Pudding" (rice pudding) with "Bat Blood" (pomegranate syrup) - "Eyeball" Butter cookies - Creepy Caramel Corn
Class: Haunted Gingerbread House
Instructor: Anni Padilla
Date: Saturday, October 18th
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Price: $45.00
Type of class: Hands-on
Ages 8 and Up
Menu: Beware -- this house is haunted! Kids and parents will start with a pre-assembled gingerbread house, then work together to decorate it in the most fiendish way imaginable. Our instructor will provide the tricks and you'll have fun with the treats as you learn easy piping techniques, then paint your house with ghoulish black frosting and finish off your monster mansion with seasonal candies. A light snack will be served.
Website: http://www.surlatable.com
