I had my first dessert catering job! Sort of. Does making dessert for your husband's employees and
the instructors coming in to teach them continuing education classes count? I didn't get paid.
But no one else brought anything in and lunch was purchased and brought in as well. Not the usual potluck the office does when they are celebrating a holiday or just doing a Friday lunch. So it counts right? No matter, I'll pretend it does. =)
Meet Mint Milanos. This isn't the first time they've made an appearance. This time I found red and white sugar that is peppermint flavored! It really helps emphasize the mint of the cookie. They are from an original recipe. See below.
Mini Yellow Cupcakes. I spent way too much time gluing punched out red hearts to toothpick halves but I think they look cute with the hearts.
Angel Food Trifle. The trifle has pastry cream, whipped cream, bananas, strawberries and blueberries. Can you spot why I'll never be a food photographer? Look at the trifle. I took a picture of it not realizing that the angle I was taking it from had had a banana that must have fallen back into the center. It messes up the pattern. A real food photographer would have caught that before snapping the picture.
A real food photographer also would have pressed down the point of the middle heart too.
Mint Milanos
by Michelle
1/2 cup room temperature butter----never margarine!
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/3 cups of all purpose flour
Semi-sweet chocolate, 4-8 ounces OR chocolate of your choice.
1 tablespoon butter
Coarse colored sugar
Preheat oven to 350.
In a small bowl, whisk salt, baking soda and flour together and set aside. In another mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium high until light and fluffy--about 5 minutes. Add the egg and the peppermint and beat well. With the mixer on low (or by hand) slowly add in the flour mixture in thirds, stirring until just combined.
Drop rounded teaspoons (or larger depending on your size preference) onto a lightly greased cookie sheet or a cookie sheet with lightly greased parchment paper. It's important to try to get them to be the same size. Bake 12-15 minutes or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden. Let cool on the sheet for an additional minute before removing to a wire rack to cool. Cool cookies completely before assembling.
In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter. Spread the bottom of one cookie and place another cookie's bottom on top of it. You can either spread enough to squish chocolate out or you can spread a little chocolate around the seal yourself. Roll the edges in coarse colored sugar.
This cookie will keep well for up to a week if it's placed in an airtight container and put in a cool place.
