Hot Mouth-Sex Cookies

…or Triple Chocolate Raspberry Cookies.

These are probably the most decadent, over-the-top cookies I've ever made. They're indulgence. They're almost sinful.

They're for rare occasions -- they're too much to eat more than maybe two, and are meant to be shared. They usually get made as gifts or when I want a general crowd pleaser, assuming the crowd love chocolate (and if a crowd doesn't love chocolate, I'm not sure I want to be in that crowd).

The original recipe (and name) for these cookies was given to me by an online friend who I often shared and swapped recipes with. I made it once when I got it, two years ago, and it was pretty damn good. Last year, though, I discovered that the ingredients used no longer existed, so I had to improvise/modify the recipe. I believe these modifications led to an even tastier cookie, but none of it would be possible without Jen.

Originally there were no real raspberries in these cookies -- the old raspberry-chocolate swirl chips were all that lent these cookies their bittersweet berry tang. I added raspberry extract to even out that flavor and keep it sweet.

And honestly, take a clue from the name -- serve these warm, if you can.



Hot Mouth-Sex Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter -- softened
3/4 cup baker's/superfine white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp raspberry extract
2 eggs -- room temperature

1/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 oz. crushed Just Raspberries

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

1/2 bag high-quality ilk chocolate chips (I prefer Guittard over any other brand, for size, fat content, and flavor)
1/2 bag Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
   
2. Cream the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.
   
3. Add the vanilla and raspberry extracts and eggs. Cream smooth.
   
4. Slowly add the cocoa powder and Just Raspberries to the mixture. Be careful, if you mix this on too high of a speed or put too much in, you'll be inhaling chocolate and raspberry dust. Mix evenly into the creamed mixture so that it is again smooth.
   
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture one cup at a time, mixing by hand.
   
6. One half-bag at a time, mix in the chocolate chips. Mix evenly.
   
7. Place in tablespoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheets and bake for approximately 9 minutes.

Enjoy!

Lavender Shortbread

Ever since visiting France in the summer of 2004 and sampling a large range of floral-flavored and infused treats, a couple friends and I have challenged ourselves to incorporate the less popular flavours here in our cooking at home. From violet ice cream to ginger-lavender cake, we are always looking for new ways to enjoy the powerful, clean taste of flowers.

These slices of shortbread are light and crumbly, buttery and fragrant. If you're a fan of lavender scented things, you might like these. Criticized for tasting like soap or smelling of old ladies, lavender as a cooking spice has a lot to overcome. But there's a good reason these cliché ideas are what come to mind when you hear lavender -- it's strong and fresh, a clean herby scent.

The texture is kept light while the lavender permeates it. The butter balances the sharpness of the flower and the biscuit is only lightly sweet so as not to overwhelm the palate. It's a refreshing cookie perfect for Spring.



Lavender Shortbread

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup superfine/bakers' sugar
2 Tablespoons dried lavender, finely ground
1 cup butter, room temperature

1/4 cup coarse sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
   
2. Combine flour, sugar, and lavender in medium bowl.
   
3. Using a fork, mix in the butter. The mixture should be evenly grainy looking and loose, not clumpy.
   
4. When mixed, transfer the mixture into a non-stick baking pan. I use an 8"x8" pan because I like my shortbread a little thicker. Spread evely.
   
5. Press the mixture down firmly.
   
6. With the tines of a fork, poke holes throughout the shortbread to vent it and prevent it from cracking.
   
7. Bake for 20 minutes, or til the edges brown just a touch.
   
8. Remove from the oven and immediately cut the shortbread. I did three columns and about 7 rows. Leave it in the pan to cool, on a cooling rack.
   
9. When cooled, pop the shortbread out of the pan by turning it over.
   
10. Since it's not an extremely sweet biscuit, dot the top surface of the biscuits with water and lightly sprinkle coarse sugar.

Enjoy!