Chocolate Nut Buttons Recipes

SUPER CHOCOLATEY BUTTONS

Steps:

• Position racks in the lower and upper third of the oven. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. (If you don't have 3 pans, simply cool the pan between batches.)
• Put the butter, unsweetened chocolate and 4 ounces semisweet chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat at 75 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 2 minutes. Stir and heat again until melted, up to 2 minutes more. (Alternatively, put the chocolates and butter in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth.)
• Stir the granulated and light brown sugars and vanilla into the chocolate mixture with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs and buttermilk and beat vigorously until thick and glossy.
• Whisk together the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa and the salt in another bowl. Add them to the egg mixture and stir until just mixed. Stir in the remaining chip-size semisweet chocolate. Cover and refrigerate the dough until firm enough to scoop, about 1 hour.
• Roll the dough into scant 1 tablespoon (about 3/4 inch) balls and place 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put the remaining 1/2 cup cocoa powder and the confectioners' sugar in two separate bowls for rolling. Roll the dough balls in the confectioners' sugar, then in the cocoa powder and place on the baking sheets. Bake until the cookies set but are soft and fudgy on the inside, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE-NUT BUTTONS

Steps:

• Microwave 3 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate on 75% power until melted, about 2 minutes. Beat 1/4 cup peanut butter, 2 tablespoons softened butter and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar until smooth. Roll into balls. Dip in the melted chocolate, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 3 minutes.
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CHOCOLATE NUT COOKIES

Steps:

• PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees F.
• CREAM shortening and sugar with electric mixer at medium speed until light.
• ADD egg, milk and vanilla, beating until thoroughly blended.
• COMBINE flour, salt and soda. Add to creamed mixture gradually, beating just until blended.
• STIR in semi-sweet chocolate chips and walnuts with a spoon.
• DROP cookie dough by heaping spoonfuls on ungreased baking sheets.
• BAKE for 10 minutes on center rack. Cool for 2 minutes, then remove to cooling rack.

SO EASY CHOCOLATE NUT CANDY CUPS

Steps:

• Place chips and shortening in medium microwave safe bowl and microwave on high or 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until smooth when stirred.
• Stir in nuts.
• Spoon heaping teaspoonful of mixture into 1" paper candy cups.
• Refrigerate until firm.
• Peel off paper cups, if desired.

CHOCOLATE NUT BALLS

Steps:

• In the top of a double boiler over hot (but not boiling) water, melt the chocolate chips.
• Stir in nuts, condensed milk, vanilla and salt.
• Mix well.
• Cool the mixture until until you can work with it comfortably. If it is too soft, chill it in the refrigerator until it is workable. The temperature in your kitchen and the type of nut (and fineness of chopping) used can influence how much it needs to chill before being workable.
• Butter hands and roll mixture into 1 inch balls.
• Roll the balls in the chocolate sprinkles (or grated chocolate) and refrigerate.