Woodgrain Cookie Plaques
These amazing cookies are worth the effort. They have a very chocolatey, brownie-like texture and the blend of rich chocolate on top makes them very decadent. Make sure to read the instructions thoroughly to make sure you have the time and equipment you need.
Servings
40cookies
Servings
40cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
To Make Cookies:
  1. Cream the butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time then beat in extracts. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder. With mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet until combined.
  2. Divide the dough into two disks, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least two hours, preferably overnight.
  3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured board, roll out dough to 1/4″ thick and cut out your plaques. Return cut-out cookies to fridge for 10 minutes to chill. Then bake for 8-11 minutes depending on the size of your cookies. Remove from baking sheet and let cool on a rack. Cookies can be stored at room temperature for two weeks in an airtight container or frozen for several months.
To Make Woodgrain Chocolate:
  1. Microwave the semisweet chocolate in a microwave safe bowl at 30 second intervals on half power, stirring in between intervals until the chocolate is s both and melted. Do the same with a mix of milk and white chocolate. Do not get any water into the mixture or it will seize and become unworkable.
  2. Cut a piece of 3″ acetate to the length of you cookie sheet. Tack one end of the acetate to the sheet with a bit of melted chocolate. using a spoon or offset spatula, spread a few teaspoons of melted semisweet chocolate along the length of your acetate. Using a woodgraining tool, pull the chocolate across the acetate, rocking the tool back and forth slowly as you go. You can repeat this step if you’re not happy with the effect. Scrape any excess chocolate from the woodgrain tool if necessary. Place the acetate, still on the sheet, in the freezer for 5 minutes, or until set and firm. Remove from freezer. With a spoon or offset spatula, spread the melted milk and white chocolate over the woodgrain pattern in a smooth layer. Try to work quickly and don’t go over areas multiple times, it may smear the pattern underneath. Place the strip back in the freezer for 5 minutes, until just set.
  3. Turn over your strip and remove the acetate. With the same cutter you used for your cookies, cut out pieces of chocolate “veneer” being careful not to handle them too much. If the heat from your hands is melting the chocolate, try wearing some latex gloves.
  4. Working one cookie at a time, spread a thin layer of melted chocolate on the top of each cookie and drop a veneer onto the top, pressing very gently to get it to adhere. Let cool. Finished cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks.