Christmas Food Gifts - Chocolate Espresso Snowcaps

[Julie-Ann]

Food gifts are ideal for teachers, friends of yours and your kids, neighbours and family. I would love to receive a batch of these yummy looking cookies. The recipe from Martha is below:



These cookies look like little snow-covered mountains. Roll each ball in confectioners' sugar twice to make sure it's thoroughly coated and no dark dough is visible.
Everyday Food, December 2003
Prep Time
45 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 45 minutes
Yield
Makes 18
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Ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 teaspoons instant espresso
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon milk
Confectioners' sugar, for coating
Directions

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, espresso, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until well combined; mix in cooled chocolate. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; beat in milk until just combined. Flatten dough into a disk; wrap in plastic. Freeze until firm, about 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Pour confectioners' sugar (about 1/2 cup) into a medium bowl; working in batches, roll balls in sugar two times, letting them sit in sugar between coatings.
Place on prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies have spread and coating is cracked, 12 to 14 minutes; cookies will still be soft to the touch. Cool cookies on a wire rack.
Variations
Martha used 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, for coating.

Of course they would look very special in these Sweets Gift Houses.