This variation of shortbread-like thumb-print cookies are filled with peppermint flavored ganache and decorated with white chocolate drizzle and crushed candy cane. They look and taste wonderful.
1 - 2dropspink gel food coloringor red liquid food coloring
Decorating ingredients
½cupwhite chocolate
½cuppeppermint candy canecrushed
Instructions
Make thumb-print cookies
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cream butter using a mixer on medium high speed.
Add the sugar gradually until the mixture is light in color and fluffy in texture -- about 3 minutes.
Beat in egg yolks and vanilla, scaping sides and bottom of the bowl.
Add flour and salt. Beat on low speed just until the dough comes together.
Form 1 Tablespoon-sized balls using a small cookie scoop or a dessert spoonful of dough rolled between your palms.
Place balls 2 inches apart on parchment-covered cookie sheets,
Make an indent in each ball using your thumb or the back of a melon baller.
Refrigerate the trays with the cookies for 30 minutes.
Bake the cookies for 12 minutes until slightly brown. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven after 6 minutes and re-indent the cookies with the melon baller (or a small spoon). Return immediately to the hot oven and continue cooking for 6 -7 minutes.
Cool on pan for 5 minutes. Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Ganache filling
Place the chopped white chocolate into a medium sized heat-proof bowl. Set aside.
Heat whipping cream in a small saucepan over medium high heat until it is steaming and little bubbles form in the middle.
Pour the hot cream over the white chocolate.
Let sit for 30 seconds.
Add flavorings and gel food coloring.
Stir until you have a well-blended smooth paste.
Let cool for a few minutes.
Transfer filling to a piping bag fitted with the slotted tip.
Pipe the ganache into each indent until it is full.
Set the filled cookies on parchment paper to allow the ganache to set, about 1 hour.
Decorating
Melt ½ cup of white chocolate in the top of a small double boiler (stirring constantly) or in the microwave.
Let the chocolate cool for a minute or two, then transfer to a clean piping bag fitted with a round holed tip.
Drizzle lines of white chocolate over half of each cookie.
Sprinkle crushed candy cane onto the wet chocolate.
Set cookies back onto the parchment paper to allow the chocolate to harden.
Notes
Use the best quality white chocolate you can find. I used Belgium chocolate from the Bulk Barn.
Do not over beat the dough so that the cookies are not tough.
A very little food coloring goes a long way. (I added more than I needed, so ended up with a neon pink ganache rather than the light pink I would have preferred.)
Store cookies in an airtight container between layers of parchment paper. They will keep in the refrigerator for a week or can be frozen for a month.