Chocolate Rice Krispies

yield: Makes about 80 balls

After tasting this American classic during a visit to Walt Disney World Resort, Payard gave it a twist by adding bitter cocoa to balance the sweetness.

ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons light butter
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 bags (10 ounces each) mini-marshmallows
• 10 cups crisp rice cereal
• 1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
• Vegetable oil cooking spray

preparations:

Combine butters and cocoa in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Melt butter, whisking until mixture is well combined. Stir in marshmallows, melting them completely. Remove pan from heat and stir in cereal, working quickly before marshmallow mixture sets. Stir in chocolate chips. Coat hands with cooking spray and shape mixture into about 80 walnut-sized balls. Place balls on a baking sheet and let harden for about an hour. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 3 days. (Do not refrigerate.)

yield: Makes about 50 sandwich cookies

active time: 1 1/2 hr

total time: 2 1/2 hr

Our love of lemon grows exponentially at the sight of these delightful melt-in-your-mouth sandwich cookies. It perfumes the tiny treats, which are put together with an easy icing that zings with zest and fresh lemon juice. Rolling them in brightly colored sanding sugar makes them sparkle.

ingredients:

For cookies:

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• White or colored sanding sugars

For filling:

• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened

Equipment: a heavy-duty sealable bag

preparations:

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt.

Beat together butter and confectioners sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, then beat in zest and vanilla. At low speed, mix in flour mixture just until a soft dough forms.

Put sanding sugars in different bowls. Roll a scant teaspoon of dough into a ball and drop into sugar, turning to coat. Reshape if necessary and transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat, spacing balls 3/4 inch apart, until baking sheet is filled.

Bake until tops are slightly cracked but still pale (bottoms will be pale golden), 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment to a rack to cool completely.

Form and bake more cookies on second baking sheet.

Make filling and sandwich cookies:
Beat together all filling ingredients in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until combined well. Transfer to sealable bag and snip off a corner.

Turn over half of cookies and pipe about 1/2 teaspoon filling on flat side of each. Sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing gently.

Cooks’ note: Cookies keep in a metal cookie tin at room temperature 4 days.

Giant Chocolate-Toffee Cookies

yield: Makes about 18

Terrific with cappuccino or ice-cold milk.





ingredients:

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

• 1 3/4 cups (packed) brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 5 1.4-ounce chocolate-covered English toffee bars (such as Heath), coarsely chopped
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped

preparation:

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl; whisk to blend. Stir chocolate and butter in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Cool mixture to lukewarm.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar and eggs in bowl until thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture, then toffee and nuts. Chill batter until firm, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto sheets, spacing 2 1/2 inches apart. Bake just until tops are dry and cracked but cookies are still soft to touch, about 15 minutes. Cool on sheets. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)