Chocolate Gingergread Stars

I mentioned in another entry that I had picked up Cuisine at Home's Holiday Baking issue. It is really fantastic. I want to and probably will make almost everything in the issue. If it is still on the newsstands and you happen to see it, buy it. Don't hesitate!

With the first night of Hannukah approaching, I wanted to make something representative of our holiday. On the nights that we are not entertaining friends and family for dinner, we are invited to others for food and fun. With that said, I wanted to make cookies that everyone could enjoy.

I doubled the recipe and then cut out 3 1/2" stars. After freezing the rolled dough, I cut them into shapes and froze once again (I find the cookies keep their shape when baking when I do it this way). When I was ready to bake them I sprinkled with turbinado sugar and added some white non-perils.

I had so many cookies that I decided to make cream sandwiches out of half of them. I whipped up a batch of the best white chocolate ganache (recipe to follow).

These were absolutely delicious!

Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

Makes: 30 (3-inch) cookies

Total time: 45 minutes + chilling and baking

1 3⁄4	cups all-purpose flour
1⁄4	cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1	tsp. ground cinnamon
1	tsp. ground ginger
1⁄2	tsp. table salt
1⁄2	tsp. baking powder
1⁄2	tsp. baking soda
1⁄4	tsp. ground cloves
1 1⁄2	sticks unsalted butter, softened
2⁄3	cup packed brown sugar
1⁄3	cup granulated sugar
1	egg
	Coarse or turbinado sugar, sifted powdered sugar

Whisk together flour, cocoa, cinnamon, ginger, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cloves in a bowl; set aside.

Using a hand mixer on medium speed, cream butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a bowl until mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Add egg to creamed mixture; beat on low speed until well blended. Add half of the flour mixture; beat on low until ingredients are combined. Add remaining flour mixture, beating only until flour is incorporated into dough.

Divide dough in half. Roll each portion between two sheets of parchment or waxed paper until dough is about 1/8-inch thick. Chill dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°; line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Remove top sheet of parchment. Cut dough into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Transfer cookies to the prepared cookie sheets, spacing cookies 1 inch apart. (Roll scraps again one time only.) If desired, sprinkle cookies with coarse sugar, or wait to decorate cookies after baking. Chill cookies again, about 20 minutes.

Bake cookies, one sheet at a time, until they’re firm to the touch and lightly brown on the bottoms, 13–15 minutes. Let cookies cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.

Sprinkle cookies with powdered sugar or additional coarse sugar