Halloween Chocolate Espresso Tombstone Shortbread

Who loves a good scare in October? 

I do and all things Halloween of course!

What I love most is that out here in Southern California our weather gradually begins to change as in less heat waves! The ocean breeze blows cooler and dark overcast clouds gradually return, that's our Fall.  But the best news about this is I can finally turn the oven on without over heating the house, and get a little creative in the kitchen!

On a recent trip to the Low Country, I was excited and enchanted when I entered the beautiful Southern Gothic Bonaventure Cemetery just outside Savannah. It's breathtakingly beautiful. 

Paths surrounded with 100 year old live oaks dripping with Spanish moss hanging in long silvery-gray skeins. They reach lengths no less than 10 ft long and when slowly waving in the wind they produce a solemn funeral effect absolutely impressive. 

It's a place that has captured the imagination of many writers, photographers and filmmakers. This 100 acre cemetery is historically significant as a reflection of changing views on death and dying in the Victorian era. As death became more romanticized and ritualized during this period, cemeteries became lush, beautiful "cities of the dead."

My tombstone chocolate-espresso shortbread cookies are dead ringers for this Halloween season. Their deep, dark flavor with a hint of espresso and cinnamon offer both a warm and bold taste. And, although they may lack in beauty compared to the 'the real ones' their taste is hauntingly exquisite and unforgettable!

Let's bake...shall we?

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

1tbsp plus 1 tsp instant espresso powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Sugar sprinkles of your choice

TOOLS

Gravestone shaped cookie cutter

2 baking sheets

2 wire cooling racks
Sifter
Rolling pin

Parchment paper

Mixer with paddle attachment
Measuring cups & spoons
#3 piping tip
piping bag or parchment paper

DIRECTIONS

Sift together flour, cocoa butter, salt, cinnamon and espresso into a bowl and set aside.

In stand mixer bowl fitted with paddle attachment beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients and  mix until the dough comes together.

If the dough is soft wrap it tightly in plastic wrap for about 1 hour. (Dough will keep wrapped in plastic, for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or 3 months in freezer.) Otherwise, roll out the dough to 1/2" thick on a lightly floured surface and press the cookie cutter against the dough.  To make the additional feature on the tombstone I pressed the 1/4" teaspoon to cut the shape out. 

Place them 2" apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 

Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Bake for about 13 minutes. Remove shortbread to a wire rack to cool.

To pipe the shortbread with chocolate: 
Pour the chocolate chips into a small microwaveable cup and heat in 20 sec intervals until the chocolate chips are melted. Let the chocolate cool down and pour it into the piping bag with the #3 tip.  
Pipe the chocolate along the edge of each cookie and create your own designs, decorate with sprinkles of your choice. The shortbread can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 2 dozen 2.5"x2.5" gravestones.

Happy Halloween y'all!

Whodunnit Halloween Cake!

A whodunnit mystery cake!

Get into the spirit and take a stab at doing this easy Halloween inspired cake!

INGREDIENTS

chocolate box cake mix
powdered confectioner's sugar
white store bought frosting
red and yellow food coloring
white fondant (find this at your local cake or craft supply store)
crisco

TOOLS
half 'ball' or sphere cake mold (I found mine on Amazon.com)

plastic knife from your local Halloween store

rolling pin
fondant smoothing tool
rolling mat with measurements

2" orange ribbon, about 24" long
2-3 pins to hold the ribbon

small and medium mixing bowls
round 9" cake board
frosting spatula
rubber spatula
kitchen butter knife
cake stand

Bake chocolate cake per cake box instrucions. When cake has cooled cut a bottom 1" layer for the base. Place the cake base onto the 9"round cake boad. This will help you transfer the cake to the cake pedestal later.
After you have cut the 1" base layer, carefully cut out a small round dome.

Scoop the white frosting into a mixing bowl and add a few drops of red and yellow food coloring until you get the desired shade of orange.  Frost the top of the cake base. 

Place the mini 'half dome' on top of the base layer and cover with frosting too.  

Add the larger 'dome' cake piece over the frosted layers. 

Add a thin layer of the orange frosting over the larger 'dome'. The frosting will act as the glue when the rolled fondant is placed over the cake.  Set the cake aside.

On a smooth clean surface sprinkle powdered sugar over the rolling matt with measurements. 

Carefully roll out the fondant using the rolling pin.  Roll from center towards out.

Roll to a smooth 10" round flat shape. The fondant should be an even 1/4" thick all around. 

Carefully and with lots of patience place your flat fondant over the frosted cake. Try not to tear the fondant as it tends to dry out. If it begins to dry out rub a small amount of Crisco into your hands and carefully smooth the tear out with your fingers.

Smooth out the fondant with your fingers or a fondant smoothing tool so it covers all the cake. Then with the butter knife carefully cut the edges to leave a clean edge.

Transfer the cake to your cake pedestal or cake plate. Wrap the orange ribbon around the cake and secure with pins by pinning against the cake. 

To make the blood. Place 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar into a small mixing bowl and with a few drops of red and a very few drops of water mix all until you get the desired color of blood and thickness consistency. Test the consistency on something else before you drizzle over cake. 

Take the toy knife and stab the cake, carefully. Drizzle strategically the 'blood' over stabbed area. 

Happy Halloween...now eat some bloody cake!