Holiday Cookies 2011, Part 2

Here's my holiday gift to you, my wonderful readers: Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies. I can't describe to you how much I love peanut butter, and of course chocolate! I've had these at holiday parties for years, and never realized how easy this was to make.

Also, I made these with traditional milk chocolate Hershey Kisses. However, there are some fun holiday versions - peppermint, white chocolate, candy cane flavored - these could easily be changed up!

Peanut Butter Blossoms (adapted from Bakergirl)
(makes about 32 cookies)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Hershey kisses
1/4 cup granulated sugar to roll cookies in
Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a bowl with a mixer, beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter. Then beat in egg and vanilla.
3. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture and beat until well blended.
4. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls and roll in 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Set ball 1 1/2-inches apart on a greased baking sheet.
5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until slightly darker brown.
6. Place 1 chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie; expect dough to crack. Return to oven and continue to bake until chocolate is shiny and soft, about three more minutes. Cool and then serve.

The Chocolate Bar aka My Idea of Heaven

Looking for a unique place to take family or friends visiting Boston? I would highly recommend the Chocolate Bar at Langham Hotel. The hotel is exquisite, service is top notch, and you leave feeling absolutely decadent. My friends and I have made this a girl's Saturday lunch for a number of years, they have a different theme each year, and the food is always creative...we even went here for Jen's bachelorette party (followed by a day at the spa - can life GET any better!?)

Hurry though - this slice of decadence only happens on Saturdays, from September 11-June 25 and reservations can fill up!

For more information: http://boston.langhamhotels.com/restaurants/chocolate_bar.htm

Grown-up Peanut Butter Cup

This chocolate pie literally tastes like a fancier Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, hence the name. The recipe is more time-intensive than other pies, but the end product is SO worth it. The layers of double ghiardelli chocolate, creamy almost cheesecake-like peanut butter and the crunchy homemade wafer crust makes it heavenly to bite into.

Trust me, this one's a winner. In fact, I made this in a Pie Bake-off at my new job and won first place! Here's the link and the recipe is copied below. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

Chocolate Crust

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (1/2 cup)

1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

8 ounces chocolate wafer cookies (from a 9-ounce package), finely ground (2 cups)

Peanut Butter Filling

8 ounces cream cheese, softened (1 cup)

1 cup chunky peanut butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup well-chilled heavy cream

3/4 cup salted roasted peanuts, chopped

Kosher salt

Chocolate Topping

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (1/2 cup)

1/2 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

1. MAKE THE CHOCOLATE CRUST: Preheat the oven to 375°. In a medium glass bowl, combine the chocolate and butter and microwave at high power in 20-second intervals until the chocolate is melted. Stir well, then stir in the cookie crumbs. Press the cookie crumbs over the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan and 1 1/2 inches up the side. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, or until set; the crust will continue to firm up as it cools.

2. MEANWHILE, MAKE THE PEANUT BUTTER FILLING: In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the cream cheese with the peanut butter, sugar and vanilla extract until blended. In another large bowl, using the same beaters, whip the chilled cream until firm. Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture to loosen it, then fold in the remaining whipped cream and 1/2 cup of the chopped peanuts. Spoon the filling into the crust, smoothing the surface. Sprinkle lightly with salt and refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.MAKE

3. THE CHOCOLATE TOPPING: In a medium glass bowl, combine the chocolate with the heavy cream and microwave at high power in 20-second intervals until the chocolate is melted and the cream is hot. Stir the chocolate topping until blended, then let cool to barely warm, stirring occasionally.Spread the chocolate topping over the peanut butter filling and refrigerate until just firm, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chopped peanuts around the edge of the pie. Carefully run a thin knife around the pie crust to loosen it, then remove the springform ring. Using a sharp knife, cut the pie into wedges. Run the knife under hot water and dry it between each cut.

MAKE AHEAD

The pie can be covered and refrigerated overnight. Garnish with the chopped peanuts before serving. Serve the pie chilled or slightly cooler than room temperature.