Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside until needed
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oil and eggs. Mix until well combined and uniform in color.The batter will be quite stiff.
Stir in both types of chocolate chips
Lightly spray a 1.5 – 2 Tbsp cookie scoop with cooking spray. Scoop batter onto prepared baking sheets, about 2-3 inches apart- they will spread out
Bake 11-12 minutes. Cookies will look soft and be slightly underdone in the center when you take them out- they’ll keep cooking while on the baking sheet
Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely
1 ½ Cups + 4 Tablespoons butter cubed, room temperature
6-10 Tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream, or similar, to your taste
Method
Make the chocolate vinegar cake as per the recipe, omitting the ganache topping. Set aside and leave to cool while you make the swiss meringue buttercream
In a heatproof bowl set over a pan with some water (making sure the bowl does not touch the water) combine the sugar and egg whites and heat, whisking until the mixture reaches about 150F or the sugar has dissolved and the texture has slightly thickened and its foamy. If you rub the mixture between your fingers you should not feel the sugar granules. This should take about 3-5 minutes depending on how warm your stove is
Add the mixture to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whisk on medium speed until the mixture has cooled. It will look thick and glossy
Add the butter chunks gradually while running the whisk at medium speed. Wait until previous batch has been incorprated before adding the next. During the course of adding the butter the mixture may look curdled and look like it’s split. Fear no, it all part of the process! Continue to whisk and it will come back together, becoming a lush smooth texture. (*If the butter looks like is separating and looks greasy- it could be because its too warm so place the bowl in the fridge for 10-15 minutes then start mixing again)
Swap your paddle attachment for the whisk attachment and add in the Irish cream liqueur, to your taste preference. Beat on medium speed until fully incorporated
Once fully cooled you can piping or spread the butter cream onto the chocolate layer cake. Dust with cocoa powder, slice and serve. *I pipe it on using an open star tip for that “authentic” look
1 portion rough puff pastry as per my Saskatoon Berry Pie recipe
Filling
1/2 cup sugar
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons cherry brandy liqueur
1 Tablespoon amaretto liqueur
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup ground almonds (almond meal)
3 Tablespoons warmed orange marmalade, sieved to remove the peel
To Finish
1 egg beaten with
1 teaspoon milk
Method
Preheat your oven to 400F
With the pastry divided into 2 as per original Saskatoon Berry Pie, roll to thickness 4mm thick. Using a 9″ plate or cake pan bottom, cut a disc shape from the pastry and place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill, and repeat with the second portion of pastry on a separate lined baking sheet. You should now have 2 discs of pasty chilling in the refrigerator while you move on to making the filling
In a medium bowl combine the sugar and softened butter. Beat with an electric whisk until pale and well combined
Add the eggs, cherry brandy, amaretto, almond extract, cornstarch and whisk until well combined
Add in the ground almonds and fold to combine well
Once combined, cover and chill in the refrigerator
Remove one disc of chilled pastry (still on lined baking tray) from the refrigerator and brush on the warmed marmalade, leaving a 1″ border to the pastry disc
Transfer your almond mixture into a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle and pipe the filling mixture on top of the marmalade, keeping the 1″ border. Using a palette knife or spatula smooth the top of the filling for any major dips or bumps
Liberally wet the border area with water
Remove second disc of chilled pastry from your refrigerator and careful place on top of the first filled disc (I invert the second disc whilst on it’s baking parchment baking and then peel to remove the parchment). Press the edges over the wet area to seal the edge of the pastries
Using a knife (or a chopstick) push into the galette edge to crimp/ scallop it
Brush the top of the galette with the finishing egg mixture until fully covered and golden. Avoid brushing the side of the galette
Using a sharp knife or bakers lame, cut a decorative pattern into the top of the pasty, careful not to go the full way through
Transfer to your preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is a golden brown (There may be some leakage of butter form the filling)
Once baked remove from the oven and transfer to cooling rack to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing
Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a large baking sheet or cookie tray with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
In a large bowl, whisk together ground almond, sugar and salt until well combined
In a mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites and cream of tartar until they hold soft peaks
Add beaten egg whites and almond extract to dry ingredients and stir until mixture forms a soft, sticky dough, kneading with your hands if necessary
Lightly dust your hands with powdered sugar. Use a small cookie scoop to portion dough into 1-inch balls. Roll into a smooth ball, then roll in powdered sugar. Arrange on your prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space between cookies
Bake for 20-25 minutes until tops are cracked and bottoms are just barely golden. Remove from oven; let cool a few minutes on the baking trays, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely
Cookies will keep at room temperature in an airtight bag or container, for up to 5 days
In a bowl combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside until needed
In a medium bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine the sugar, applesauce, oil, and extracts, until well blended. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment, or silicone baking mats. Place the granulated and powdered sugars in two separate bowls close by
Remove chilled dough and roll into balls about one tablespoon size each. Toss first in the granulated and then second in the powdered sugar, coating fully
Bake for 12-13 minutes (cookies should be slightly underbaked). If you would prefer a more crinkled look to your cookies, you can gently bang the baking try on a counter-top at this point. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes before transferring onto a wire rack to cool completely
Once cookies are completely cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days
Crumbs In My Beard 