In the Oven: Chocolate Mint Thumbprints

Welcome to the new home of Baked Sunday Mornings! Next up is the Chocolate Mint Thumbprints. Use this thread for discussion, and we’ll post a call for links on or just before October 23, followed by a round-up.

To get the conversation started – any thoughts on ingredients for this one? What kind of cocoa powder are you going to use? White chocolate? Mint chocolate? Do you think your choice will significantly alter the outcome?

Ingredients
serves 40 cookies, active time 45 minutes, total time 1 1/2 hours

For the chocolate mint thumbprints:
2 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (60 to 72%)
2 ounces mint chocolate (or Andes mint chocolate candies)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder (like Valrhona)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes, at room temperature
1⁄3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup coarse sugar for rolling
For the white chocolate filling:
3 ounces good-quality white chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract

Procedures
To make the chocolate mint thumbprints: Melt the dark chocolate and mint chocolate together in a microwave or over a double boiler. Whisk until smooth, then set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy. Add the granulated and brown sugars and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and beat again until combined. Scrape the chocolate into the mixer and beat just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the flour mixture all at once. Beat on low speed, scraping the side of the bowl occasionally, until the dough is smooth. Transfer it to a sheet of plastic wrap and pat it into a disk; wrap and refrigerate it until it is chilled and firm, at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Pour the coarse sugar into a shallow bowl.

With clean hands, form tablespoon-size dough balls, taking care that they have no lumps or cracks. Roll each ball in the coarse sugar and place it on a prepared baking sheet. Use your thumb or a small dowel to make an indentation in the center of the cookie. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the sheet from the oven, and use your thumb or the dowel to make the indentation more visible. Return the sheets to the oven and bake for another 4 to 5 minutes.

(These are the type of cookies that can overbake very quickly—pull them out at the first signs of cracking.) Set the baking sheets on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the rack to cool completely before filling them.

To make the white chocolate filling: Place the white chocolate in a glass measuring cup with a pour spout. Put the cream in a microwave-safe bowl or cup and microwave it on high power until it boils, about 30 seconds. Pour the hot cream over the white chocolate and let stand for 30 seconds, then whisk until smooth. Stir in the peppermint extract. Fill the thumbprint cookies with the white chocolate ganache and refrigerate them until set, about 30 minutes.

Note: These cookies taste great at room temperature or directly from the refrigerator. They can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Excerpted from Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2010 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.