Santa-friendly Cookies

I’m always on the look-out for a unique cookie that will add a new flavour, shape or texture to my annual cookie line-up. I was intrigued by the concept of a cookie brittle when I came across the recipe, so I had to give it a try. I’ve been making it ever since.

White Chocolate and Peppermint Cookie Brittle

Recipe from Bon Appetit, December 2004

• 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly
• ½ cup sugar
• 1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 10 oz white chocolate, chopped
• ¾ cup coarsely crushed red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies, divided

Preheat oven to 350°. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Wisk melted butter, both sugars and vanilla in large bowl until smooth. Stir in flour mixture until just blended. Stir in 1 cup chopped white chocolate and ½ cup crushed peppermint candy.

Transfer dough to prared sheet. Press dough into a 14×8-inch rectangle about 3/8 inch thick. Bake cookie until top is firm and dark golden, about 30 minutes. (NOTE: I find it browns in about 18 minutes, so keep a careful eye on the pan when baking.) Cool on sheet 10 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely.

Stir remaining white chocolate in top of double boiler over barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Using small spoon, drizzle about half of melted chocolate in thin lines over cooled cookie. Sprinkle remaining crushed peppermint candies over chocolate. Drizzle remaining white chocolate over top. Lt stand until white chocolate sets, about 1 hour. Break cookie into irregular 2-to 3-inch pieces.

TIPS

• I find this cooks a lot faster than the recipe calls for. Mine was golden brown in about 18 minutes.
• I use a hammer or rolling pin to smash the candies, depending on my mood that day. Both work well!

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