John Miller
Mushroom cookies are a whimsical and delectable treat that are perfect for themed parties or special occasions. These cookies are designed to look like mushrooms but are actually delicious cookies, often made with vanilla sugar cookie dough and dark chocolate. They can also be made with a chocolate cookie base and infused with mushroom powder made from scratch using fresh mushrooms. The mushroom powder adds an earthy depth of flavour punctuated by a good dose of umami. To make mushroom cookies, you will need simple ingredients such as butter, flour, eggs, sugar, and chocolate, as well as some specialised ingredients like cocoa powder, poppy seeds, and vanilla extract. The process involves mixing the ingredients, shaping the dough, and decorating the cookies to resemble mushrooms. With some effort and patience, you can create stunning mushroom cookies that taste as good as they look.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type | Chocolate mushroom cookies, Mushroom sugar cookies |
| Main ingredients | Butter, sugar, flour, eggs, chocolate, mushroom powder, mushroom |
| Other ingredients | Baking powder, salt, vanilla, milk, poppy seeds, corn starch, cocoa powder |
| Preparation | Dough is refrigerated, baked in the oven |
| Storage | Stored in an airtight container for up to a week, can be frozen |
| Taste | Buttery, sweet, earthy, umami |
| Texture | Buttery, golden-brown base, slightly crinkly top, gooey chocolate |
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What You'll Learn
- Ingredients: Butter, flour, egg whites, sugar, poppy seeds, chocolate, and milk
- Making the mushroom powder: use a dehydrator or low-temperature oven to dry fresh mushrooms
- Preparing the dough: cream butter, sugar, and vanilla, then add eggs and dry ingredients
- Shaping the cookies: roll dough into small balls and place on parchment paper
- Baking and decorating: bake at 350°F. Decorate with chocolate ganache, white glaze, and poppy seeds
Ingredients: Butter, flour, egg whites, sugar, poppy seeds, chocolate, and milk
To make mushroom cookies, you'll need a variety of ingredients, including butter, flour, egg whites, sugar, poppy seeds, chocolate, and milk. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to create these whimsical treats:
Ingredients:
For the cookies, you'll need all-purpose flour, egg whites, and granulated sugar. You can use either caster or granulated sugar, depending on your preference. Additionally, you'll need butter, which you'll brown in a pan until it has a nutty aroma. This adds a unique depth of flavour to your cookies.
Mixing the Dough:
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and sugar. You can use a whisk or your fingers to mix them together. Pinch or rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles fine bread crumbs. This technique ensures that the butter is evenly distributed throughout the dough. Create a well in the centre of the flour mixture.
Wet Ingredients:
In the well, add mayonnaise, eggs, and baking powder. You can also include a touch of vanilla extract for extra flavour. Incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ones, either by hand or using an electric mixer. If you're feeling adventurous, you can even add some mushroom powder or paste for an umami flavour boost.
Chocolate:
For the chocolate component, you can use chocolate chips or chop up a good quality chocolate bar into chunks. Dark chocolate is a popular choice for its intense flavour. Combine the chocolate with milk to create a smooth and glossy chocolate ganache. This ganache will be used to dip the cookies, creating the illusion of mushroom caps.
Poppy Seeds:
Poppy seeds play a crucial role in the presentation of these cookies. After dipping the cookies in chocolate ganache, sprinkle poppy seeds on the stems to create a "sandy" effect, resembling freshly picked mushrooms. This adds to the whimsical appearance of the treats.
Baking:
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Shape the cookie dough into small pieces and place them in a mould or directly on a baking sheet. Bake the cookies until they are golden brown. Once they are cooled, you can decorate them with the chocolate ganache and poppy seeds.
Remember, this is a creative process, so feel free to adjust measurements and add your twist to these magical mushroom cookies. Enjoy the journey of bringing these treats to life!
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Making the mushroom powder: use a dehydrator or low-temperature oven to dry fresh mushrooms
Making mushroom powder involves drying fresh mushrooms and then grinding them into a fine powder. This process can be done using a dehydrator or a low-temperature oven.
If you have a dehydrator, start by cleaning your mushrooms and slicing them into pieces. It is recommended to cut them into similar sizes, such as 1-2 inch segments, to ensure even drying. Place the mushroom slices onto the dehydrator racks and run the machine overnight or until the mushrooms are completely dry.
For those without a dehydrator, it is possible to dry mushrooms in a low-temperature oven. Preheat your oven to the lowest setting, typically around 140-170 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse and dry your mushrooms, then cut them into thin slices. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the mushroom slices evenly on it. Bake for approximately 3-5 hours, stirring or flipping the slices every hour, until they are fully dehydrated.
Once your mushrooms are dried using either method, let them cool down to room temperature. At this point, you can choose to store the dried mushrooms in an airtight container or vacuum-sealed bag for future use. When you're ready to make mushroom powder, simply take out the desired amount of dried mushrooms and grind them into a fine powder using a spice grinder, food processor, blender, or mortar and pestle. You may need to sift the powder through a mesh sieve and regrind any large pieces to achieve a uniform consistency.
By following these steps, you can make your own mushroom powder at home, adding a savoury, earthy, and umami flavour to your dishes.
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Preparing the dough: cream butter, sugar, and vanilla, then add eggs and dry ingredients
To prepare the dough for mushroom cookies, you'll need to cream together butter, sugar, and vanilla. Start by taking some good-quality, unsalted butter that has been softened at room temperature. Add powdered sugar and beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy. You can use a stand mixer or a hand mixer for this step. Then, add in your vanilla extract and beat the mixture again for a minute or so.
Next, you'll add in the eggs. Beat the mixture until the egg is evenly combined. You can also add in a pinch of salt at this stage, if desired. Now it's time to add in the dry ingredients. Sift together your all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt (if you haven't added it already). Gradually add this dry mixture to your wet mixture, combining them at a low speed and then increasing to medium speed. Continue mixing until the dough comes together into a ball. This should take around 2 minutes.
The dough is now ready to be shaped and baked. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to chill. While the dough is chilling, preheat your oven to 350°Fahrenheit. Prepare a baking pan by lining it with parchment paper. Take the chilled dough and roll small balls with your hands, placing them on the prepared parchment paper.
Once you've rolled out all the dough, your cookies are ready to be baked! Bake the cookies according to your recipe's instructions, keeping in mind that the baking time will depend on the size and thickness of your cookies. Once baked, feel free to decorate your mushroom cookies with a glaze, chocolate ganache, or any other toppings of your choice. Enjoy your delicious and whimsical mushroom-shaped treats!
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Shaping the cookies: roll dough into small balls and place on parchment paper
Once your dough is ready, take it out of the refrigerator. The dough should be chilled for 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350oF and prepare a baking pan with parchment paper.
Now, it's time to shape the cookies! Grab a small amount of dough and roll it into a ball between your palms. Place each ball onto the prepared baking pan, leaving some space between them. The number of cookies you can bake at once will depend on the size of your pan and the size of your cookies. Repeat this process until you've used up all your dough.
If you want to get creative, you can shape the dough into mushroom-like shapes instead of the traditional round cookies. To do this, roll the dough into small oval shapes for the mushroom caps and thinner, longer pieces for the stems. You can use a toothpick or the back of a spoon to create indentations and lines to give the cookies a more realistic mushroom appearance.
Once you've shaped all your cookies, they're ready to be baked! Place them in the preheated oven and bake according to your recipe's instructions. Keep an eye on them to ensure they don't over-bake. Enjoy your freshly baked mushroom-shaped cookies!
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Baking and decorating: bake at 350°F. Decorate with chocolate ganache, white glaze, and poppy seeds
To bake and decorate mushroom cookies, start by preheating your oven to 350°F. While the oven heats up, prepare a baking pan with parchment paper. Roll small balls of cookie dough with your hands and place them on the parchment paper.
Once the cookies are baked, let them cool before decorating. To create the mushroom look, make a white glaze with powdered sugar, egg whites, and milk. Dip the stems of the cookies into the glaze and sprinkle poppy seeds on the wet glaze to create a sandy effect.
For the mushroom caps, make a chocolate ganache by melting chocolate and mixing it with milk until it reaches the desired consistency. Dip the tops of the cookies into the ganache and allow it to set. You can use any type of chocolate you like, such as dark, milk, or white chocolate, depending on your preference.
The chocolate ganache-covered caps, white-glazed stems, and poppy seed decoration create a whimsical and tasty treat that is perfect for themed parties or special occasions.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need butter, flour, egg whites, powdered sugar, poppy seeds, chocolate, and milk. You can also add cocoa powder, corn starch, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt to taste.
You can use any type of mushroom that has a strong flavour, such as matt oyster mushrooms, dried porcinis, shiitakes, fresh maitakes, shimejis, or slivers of portobellos.
Mushroom cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week or frozen for a few months.
