Chocolate Rum Raisin Cookies

Posted on 08/30/2013 by Laurie

Have a lovely holiday weekend, everyone!

Chocolate Rum Raisin Cookies

Soft chocolate cookies flavored with rum.

Makes about 26 cookies

3/4 c. raisins

1/3 c. golden or dark rum

2 T. water

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. Dutch process cocoa

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

3/4 c. + 2 T. granulated white sugar

1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened

1 lg. egg

2 t. rum extract

1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips or 2 1/2 oz. chopped semi-sweet chocolate

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, bring raisins, rum and water to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for about 12 minutes or until the raisins are well-plumped and the liquid has mostly evaporated. Set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In large bowl, beat together sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and rum extract. On lowest mixer speed, beat in dry ingredients until well combined. Fold in raisins and chocolate.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for about 9 to 11 minutes or until just set and lightly browned on the bottom. Place baking sheets on wire rack and allow cookies to cool.

Serving Suggestion: Drizzle with Sweet Chocolate Glaze and then with White Cookie Icing. (Recipes below.)

Sweet Chocolate Glaze

1 1/2 c. confectioner’s sugar

1 1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted (still warm)

4 to 5 T. half-and-half or heavy cream, divided

1 – 2 t. dark or light rum, optional

Place confectioner’s sugar in a small bowl. Set aside
Heat half-and-half or cream until just at a simmer. Stir 3 T. of it into sugar until perfectly smooth.Then stir chocolate into sugar mixture. If needed, slowly stir in just enough more warm half-and-half or cream to make a perfectly smooth glaze. Stir in optional rum, if desired.
Drizzle over baked goods right away.

Pure White Cookie Icing

1 c. confectioner’s sugar

1 T. milk

2 t. light corn syrup

Place confectioner’s sugar in a small bowl. Stir in milk and light corn syrup until perfectly smooth. The mixture will be a little on the thick side, but should pour from a spoon in a slow, smooth stream.
Drizzle or pipe onto cooled baked goods right away. (This is thick enough to pipe thin lines but not thick enough to pipe firm shapes.)

Happy Reindeer Daiquiri

Posted on 12/16/2012 by Laurie

In my previous post, as part of the Two Little Chefettes’ Cooking Challenge, I published a recipe for Brown Sugar Cinnamon Syrup. One way to use this syrup is in cocktails and mocktails in place of plain simple syrup. Brown Sugar Cinnamon Syrup imparts rich cinnamon and caramel flavors to drinks. The Happy Reindeer Daiquiri is an excellent example. Cheers! Happy Holidays!

Happy Reindeer Daiquiri

2 oz. rum (or apple juice, for an alcohol-free drink)

1 oz fresh lime juice

1/2 – 1 oz. brown sugar cinnamon syrup, or to taste (recipe)

Maraschino cherry

Cinnamon stick

Pour rum, lime juice, and brown sugar cinnamon syrup into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into a coupe or martini style cocktail glass. Garnish with Maraschino cherry and cinnamon stick. Serve immediately.

Cheers!

96 and Going to Havana

Posted on 06/19/2012 by Laurie

Officially, the high in Manhattan (Kansas) yesterday was 96 degrees F; but the official temperature is taken at the airport outside of town, and is always lower than what you’ll find recorded on any thermometer in town. According to ours, it was 101. Downtown, we experience heat reflected off streets and buildings and generated by equipment. In fact, different neighborhoods, even different properties can seem to have their own miniature climate zones. The back yard of the house on the corner near us, for example, is always a few degrees warmer than ours because it receives more reflected heat from the brick of Seven Dolors Church.

With the hot summer temperatures – though not as hot as they are likely to get later in the summer – one of our return guests surprised us yesterday with a bottle of Cuban Havana Club rum. When someone shows up at your door with such a gift, and it is so very hot, what can you do but make Havanas, sit on the front porch, and relax?

Havana

recipe from The Art of The Bar: Cocktails Inspired by the Classics, by Jeff Hollinger & Rob Schwartz

1 1/2 oz. Gosling’s rum

3/4 oz. Cointreau

1/2 oz. fresh lime juice

Splash fresh orange juice

Dash of Orange bitters

Edible Flower for garnish

Line the rim of a cocktail glass with sugar. Combine ingredients in an ice-filled cocktail shaker, shake, and then strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with flower.

(As you can tell from my photos, I was too tired yesterday to strain the cocktails, but I enjoy the pulp from the fresh fruit anyway … and it was so hot, we really wanted ice. And obviously, we substituted rums.)

Blackberry Mojito: A Festive Warm Weather Cocktail

Posted on 04/29/2012 by Laurie

If you are planning a warm weather party, you might be looking for a fun cocktail to serve. Blackberry Mojitos are a festive drink for Spring and Summer celebrations.

Blackberry Mojito (1 Serving)

(1) Muddle (i.e. crush together) several fresh mint leaves, 6 large blackberries, 1.5 T. of sugar in the bottom of a short cocktail shaker.

(2) Fill shaker with crushed iced. Add 2 oz. rum of your choice. (Lighter rum will yield a lighter drink color.) Squeeze the juice of one lime into shaker. Shake vigorously for 1 full minute to chill drink and melt ice.

(3) Run a slice of lime around the rim of a cocktail glass. Dip glass in sugar. Fill glass with ice cubes.

(4) Strain cocktail into glass. Garnish with a slice of lime and sprig of fresh mint. Serve right away. Have fun at your party!