Category Archives: Food Gifting

Chocolate Espresso Sables

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Makes 25 sandwich cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 2/3 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ Tonka bean, grated (optional)
  • 2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 2 Tablespoons freshly ground coffee
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt

Filling

  • 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/3 cup heavy, or whipping, cream
  • 1 Tablespoon butter

Method

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat softened butter until creamy. Add confectioners’ sugar and beat until well combined and smooth
  2. Add egg yolks, vanilla extract and beat just until fully combined
  3. Add flour, ground coffee, salt, and beat at low speed just until flour is incorporated but before dough forms a ball
  4. Turn out dough onto a floured surface and use your hands to bring dough together. Divide dough in half and roll into 1½-inch-wide logs. Wrap logs in cling wrap, and refrigerate until firm, 1 to 2 hours
  5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper, or silicone making mats
  6. Unwrap logs and cut into ¼-inch-thick rounds. Place rounds 1 inch apart on prepared pans
  7. Bake until just lightly browned around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on pans for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks
  8. Place chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream and butter to a simmer over medium heat. Pour hot cream mixture over chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute; stir until a smooth, silky ganache forms. Let stand until thickened, 30 minutes to 1 hour
  9. Using a piping bag fitted with a small round piping tip, pipe a round of ganache onto flat side of half of cookies. Place remaining cookies, flat side down, on top of ganache. Let stand until ganache is set, 1 to 2 hours
  10. Unfilled cookies will keep for 2 to 3 days. Once they are filled with ganache, the cookies are best served within a day

Starry Rum Caramel Sauce

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Makes 2 Cups

Ingredients

  • ½ cup water
  • 2 tbsp light corn syrup
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature
  • 1 cup heavy cream, room temperature
  • 2 Tablespoons rum
  • Sea salt flakes, to taste
  • Edible star glitter

Method

  1. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, cream of tartar and water in a large saucepan set over a medium–low heat. Bring to the boil and cook for 10–12minutes until it becomes a deep gold colour, but not dark brown. DO NOT STIR at any point. If you need to you can gently swirl the pan to make sure the mixture is melting evenly. When the caramel begins to colour, it will darken quickly so keep a close eye on it
  2. Once it reaches the correct color, quickly, but carefully, remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter cubes and using a wooden spoon gently stir until the butter has melted and is well combined. It will bubble a little and release steam so take care not to burn yourself
  3. Next, add the cream and again slowly stir, again taking care not to burn yourself from the rising steam
  4. Once well combined, add salt, rum, and star glitter and whisk to combine. Allow to cool completely. Transfer to sterilised jars or bottles for gifting
  5. This sauce can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. If it sets too much in the fridge, remove and allow to come to room temperature