Valentine Cookies for Adults

I just whipped up a batch of these yummy treats for Valentine's Day. I call them Valentine cookies for adults. And no, it's not what you think! (Although you could make them 'that' way.) The "adult" in these cookies comes from a generous infusion of freshly ground coffee beans, and, yes, I would recommend that you hide them from the kiddies unless you want a bunch of caffeinated rug rats running about ruining your romantic celebration.

This recipe comes from Fine Cooking, and they are all that. (Seriously, how can you miss with a combination of chocolate and coffee.) The original recipe called for espresso beans, but when I discovered I was out, I substituted dark roast Guatemalan coffee beans from Starbucks and they turned out great -- sweet, rich and sophisticated, just the way I like all my Valentines!


Chocolate-Dipped Mocha Shortbread Cookies
(Makes about 4 dozen, depending on size)

1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons finely ground dark roast or espresso coffee beans
9 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

Line two baking sheets with parchment. Combine butter, sugar and salt in stand mixer bowl. Using paddle attachment, mix on low speed until the butter and sugar are just combined. Mix ground coffee into flour and add to sugar mixture in batches, mixing on low speed until the dough has pulled together.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut with heart-shaped cookie cutter (or another shape fitting the occasion or your mood -- the possibilities are endless) and place on lined cookie sheets. Press scraps together, roll and cut until all the dough is used up. Refrigerate cookies on sheets about 20 minutes.

Position over racks in the upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 300 degrees. Bake about 30 minutes, until pale golden brown. After 15 minutes swap the position of the baking sheets and rotate 180 degrees. Cool on wire racks.

Put chocolate and shortening in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Melt chocolate, stirring, until smooth and warm. (Do not overheat or boil!) Dip half of each cookie into the chocolate. Set back on parchment lined cookie sheets and let chocolate set up at room temperature, about two hours.

They'll thank you really care!

Cornbread For Dessert

If you like cornbread as much as I do, the idea of having it for dessert won't strike you as odd. And, quite frankly I've tasted some Yankee cornbread that was sweeter than this cake. (No offense, mind you. The moment I tasted cornbread sweetened with sugar I knew it was a match made in heaven. And, no, 'real' southerners don't put sugar in their cornbread.)

This Chardonnay and Cornmeal cake is another recipe from my Forks & Corks class at the John C. Campbell Folk School, (Thanks, Martha Vining!), and it came out just as well in my own kitchen when I tried it at home. It's a light (well, as light as anything with butter, eggs and sugar can be), quick, easy, and unexpected finish to a meal. Think of it as a cross between cornbread and pound cake, exhibiting the best characteristics of each. Your guests may be skeptical at first, (I was.), but then they'll ask for a second piece. Almost guaranteed.


Chardonnay and Cornmeal Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, diced
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup Chardonnay

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9-inch cake pan with baking spray and line with parchment or waxed paper.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl of your food processor. Add cornmeal, slivered almonds, butter and sugar. Pulse until mixture forms crumbs that clump together. Add eggs and wine and pulse until just smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 45 to 55 minutes, or until the cake starts to shrink from the sides of the pan. Cool on rack about 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Delicious plain, or serve with Creme Fraiche, whipped cream, or topped with your favorite homemade fruit preserves or jam. Better yet, if you have some of that homemade lemon curd left over, it totally rocks it!