Black Mushroom Cookies Recipes

MUSHROOM COOKIES RECIPE

Steps:

• Beat softened butter and sugar together well until creamy. Add mayonnaise and beat for 30 seconds. Scrape the sides of the mixer bowl down with a silicone spatula to make sure mayonnaise, butter, and sugar are well combined and beat again for additional 30 seconds. Then add 2 large eggs and beat the batter until fluffy about a minute or so.
• Measure out the flour, baking soda, and salt. Sift into the batter, mayonnaise, and sugar mixture. Using a silicone spatula mix everything until well combined.
• Sift an additional 2 cups of flour into the same glass bowl (you used for the first half amount of flour). Attach mixer bowl onto the mixer and using the dough hook attachment add and mix in the rest of the flour ½ cup at a time.
• The dough will be crumbly but soft similar to play-dough. Knead the dough into a ball, place into the previously floured glass bowl, cover with a lid. (Note: the dough will dry quickly if not covered) Set the dough aside and make the white glaze.
• Separate egg whites into a small glass bowl. Add powdered sugar and mix starting on slowest speed (if you don't want to find yourself standing in a white cloud of powder sugar), increasing the mixing speed gradually. Beat it for about a minute or so.
• Cover the bowl with a lid and always keep it covered when not in use. (Note: Leaving it uncovered will dry out and crystalize the top of the glaze and will look unappealing on the cookies.)
• Heat the Mushroom Cookie Maker over medium heat. While the mold is heating, reshape the dough. Pinch off a little dough, roll into a ball (about 1" in diameter) and reshape it into a rough mushroom form. (Note: It doesn't have look perfect, it will shape itself perfectly in the mold while baking.)
• Place mushroom pre-shaped cookies into the preheated mold. Bake for 3 minutes, then flip it over and bake for another minute or until golden brown. (Note: Baking time will vary depending on the type of metal your cookie mold is made of. If out of aluminum, it will bake faster.)
• While this set of cookies is baking, pre-shape another set of cookies, so they are ready to be placed in the mold right after the baked ones are removed.
• Using a regular tablespoon or a thin spatula remove baked cookies and place on a plate to cool for about 5 minutes or until warm to touch. While the second set of cookies is baking and the first set is cooling, pre-shape another set of mushroom cookies.
• Note: I repeat the cycle of pre-shaping another set of cookies right after I place the previous set to bake.
• Hold the mushroom cookie by its head with one hand, hold and tilt the glaze bowl with the other hand and dip in all the stem into the glaze, hold for a few seconds while excess glaze drips off.
• Stand up the glazed mushroom cookie in a pocket of the smaller egg carton for the stem to dry out. While this set of mushrooms stems are drying, keep going the smooth process of preshaping and baking.
• Most of the stem glaze will dry out except the bottom. So, now it's the time to add some beauty to the mushroom. Hold it by its head and dip the stem into poppy seed, about 1/4 in, and roll on the side of the plate to pack them tightly.
• Tip: I like to use a large plate with a raised edge so I can press down poppy seeds against to create a nicely rounded base. Then place the mushroom cookies into individual pockets of a purple egg carton.
• Keep a smooth workflow by placing everything in order of operation. That way it's easier to keep track and control of the process. You don't need to use a timer to time each step but can tell the readiness stages just by looking at and touching the cookies.
• You should be able to tell which set needs glazing, dipping, removal of baked cookie from the mold, etc. Once you get the hang of it, you will feel like a pro, I promise! ;) The picture below shows the organization set up I use.
• Bake, dip in glaze and poppy seeds all of the mushroom cookies and allow the stems dry out completely before proceeding to the step of dipping the mushroom heads into chocolate ganache.
• Add dark chocolate chips into a bowl placed over a water bath, add milk and let the chocolate melt, stirring from time to time. Once the water boils reduce the heat and let the chocolate melt and mix with milk completely.
• (Tip: Before I always used a Hershey Dark Chocolate bar to make the ganache but didn't have any this time, so I used chocolate chips and must say that I like how the ganache turns out made with the bar.)
• Check out the Simple Chocolate Ganache Recipe. Except for the mushroom cookies ganache, I do not add that extra 2 tbsp. of milk at the end; the ganache should be thicker for dipping cookies. Let the ganache cool a bit before the dipping step.
• Once the mushroom stems have dried completely, it is safe enough to hold the mushroom by the stem (without messing up your work) and dip the heads into the chocolate.
• Hang the mushroom cookies in between the egg pocket peaks so that the lowest possible point of the mushroom head rests against the peaks (this way the chocolate will have minimal contact with the carton and keep its beautiful shape). The chocolate mushroom heads should look smooth and glossy.
• Once the ganache sets completely, the gloss will dull.
• Be very careful when removing them from the egg cartons. Use a blade to separate the sides of the mushroom head from the carton to cause minimal damage to the mushroom head.
• Store in any container with a lid slightly open for up to a week.

MUSHROOM COOKIES (MANTAR KURABIYE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375.
• Cream the butter and sugar.
• Add eggs and beat well.
• Add in the rest of the ingredients except for cocoa. Mix well by hand and knead. The dough will be quite soft.
• Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes.
• Roll dough into 1-inch balls.
• Place cocoa in a small bowl and pour 1 tbsp water in another small bowl. Soak the rim of a bottle cap in the water, then dust it with cocoa. Press the rim of the bottle cap lightly on the dough. You'll need to wipe the rim of the bottle with a tissue occasionally.
• Bake for about 18 minutes. Don't let them turn a golden brown or they will lose the melt-in-your-mouth character!
• Arrange them on the wire rack until they cool down.

STUFFED BLACK MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and chop.
• Sautee the onion, garlic and chopped mushroom stalks in olive oil until the onion is soft, then remove from the heat.
• Mix the breadcrumbs, parsley, herbs and cheese together.
• Add the wine and melted butter to the saucepan, then add the dry ingredients.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Lay the mushrooms on a greased baking sheet and mould a large spoonful of the mixture into each one.
• Bake at 180C/350F for 20 mins, until the stuffing starts to turn golden.
• Serve on a crouton of fried bread (ideal for not wasting the delicious juices), or on a bed of mixed leaves (rocket works well), or both.

BLACK BEAN CHILI WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Spread the minced mushrooms on a clean dish towel or paper towel and squeeze out excess liquid. Heat the oil in a medium pot over high. Add the mushrooms with a pinch each of salt and pepper and cook, stirring every minute or so, until the mushrooms sear to a darker color and any remaining water in the mushrooms has cooked off, about 5 minutes.
• Lower the heat to medium and add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and browns slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers, jalapeño and garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and beginning to brown. Add the chile powder, chipotle powder, cumin and cinnamon and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute, then add the tomato paste and mix.
• Lower the heat to medium-low and add the canned diced tomato and its juices, beans, broth, sugar and porcini mushrooms, if using. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with the lid ajar and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Divide among bowls and serve with sour cream and cilantro.

BLACK MUSHROOM COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine cocoa (and oil), oil, and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to chocolate mixture. Chill several hours or overnight.
• Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Roll each ball in powdered sugar. Place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes; centers will be somewhat soft. Cool on dry rack. Yields: 6 dozen.