The Cookie Press: Grasshoppers

A few of my friends have asked me why I don't experiment more when I bake. My "blog routine" has been to choose a favorite recipe or one from a trusted cookbook, prepare it and then write about the experience, inserting humorous anecdotes as I go.

Since baking is essentially chemistry, it's easy to foul things up by adding too much flour, leavenings, or not enough fat such as butter or shortening. Precise measuring is essential to being a good baker and frankly, I don't have endless amounts of time or cash to make and remake batch after batch of experimental cookies. Instead, I leave the basics of a recipe to the experts who do.

But that doesn't mean I don't do minor things to improve upon a recipe. Using the best chocolate I can find or substituting hazelnuts for pecans can dramatically change the taste and appearance of a cookie. This is where I can, and usually do, safely experiment when baking. I think of it as the fashion equivalent of adding a pocket square to my favorite suit. I look good without it, but I look even better with it.

This week I had to stray a bit from my regular blog routine when my friend Kim requested a batch of Grasshopper cookies as her reward for designing the blog's new look. Since I've never made grasshoppers before, I look online for a recipe. When a few searches came up with zilch, it was time to create my own version using a chocolate cookie recipe I was already familiar with.

Grasshoppers are a cookie made by Keebler and are similar in appearance and taste to Girl Scout Thin Mints. My interpretation is a sandwich cookie with a minty chocolate cookie as the base and top, and a creamy mint filling inside. The top is drizzled with melted white chocolate. The result was a fantastic combination of crispy, chocolaty cookies surrounding a soft, minty filling made with butter, powdered sugar, and creme de menthe. The small amount of white chocolate was just enough to make the cookie decadent and wonderful. Next time I may throw caution into the wind and dip the entire cookie in dark chocolate before finishing it off with white chocolate.

Chocolate Cookie Base
(adapted from Carole Walter's Great Cookies book)

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips)
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
6 tablespoons dutch-processed cocoa powder (different from Hershey's or Nestle)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup superfine sugar (alternatively, process 3/4 cup granulated sugar in a food processor fitted with a steel blade for approximately 10 - 15 seconds)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat and then add the chocolate. When chocolate is almost melted, turn off the heat and let mixture stand, stirring occasionally until the chocolate is completely melted. Blend in the espresso powder and set aside.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Stir the sugar into the chocolate mixture, blending until smooth. Stir in egg and peppermint extract. Add the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing only enough to combine. The dough will be oily and soft.

Shape the dough into two logs, 5 inches long x 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Wrap each log in plastic, twisting the ends tightly to secure. Refrigerate for three hours or until firm. Note: I had to put the dough into the refrigerator for about 10 minutes in order to form the logs.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a thin, sharp knife, cut the dough into 3/16-inch slices. Rotate the dough to maintain the round shape and reshape cut dough into round circles as needed. Press slightly with fingertips. Place two inches apart on cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 - 11 minutes until just set. The cookies will be soft to the touch, but will firm up as they cool. Let stand on cookie sheet for 4 - 5 minutes and then transfer to cooling racks. (Note: it's difficult to see if cookies are browning because of their color, so it's important to watch careful and remove the cookies promptly when timer goes off.)

Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks or frozen for several months.

Creme de Menthe Filling

Beat 1/2 cup softened butter (1 stick) with an electric mixer on high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually beat in 1 cup powdered sugar. Beat in 2 tablespoons creme de menthe (or 2 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon mint extract and a few drops of green food coloring) and 1 tablespoon milk. Gradually beat in 3 additional cups of powdered sugar. Add more milk if necessary to obtain the right spreading consistency.

Assemble Cookies

Place a teaspoon of filling on bottom of cookie and gently press another cookie on top of the filling, bottom first. Repeat using all cookies. You should have about 2 dozen cookies total.

Melt 3 ounces of white chocolate in microwave being careful not to burn it. Check regularly and stir chocolate. Place cookies on sheets of wax paper and drizzle with melted chocolate. (Note: I found that a honey dripper worked well to evenly distribute chocolate over cookies. Use quick, even strokes, back and forth over cookies to create straight lines of chocolate.)

Allow chocolate to set for about 30 minutes before handling. Carefully place on cookie sheets or plates and refrigerate until chocolate has completely set.

Cookie press rating: 4.5 cookies (out of five)

Melted Chocolate, Butter & Espresso Powder