50th Anniversary Cookies – what’s your special event?
Happy 50th Anniversary! If you have a particular event coming up, these are definitely the most fun and easiest cookies to make. They come out perfect every single time and they are quick to make. But are they really cookies? Mine certainly are since I’ve hidden real cookies inside all of that delicious chocolate.
Select a distinct chocolate mold that fits your special event – birthday, anniversary, wedding, etc. They are easy to use for any occasion. For this event I’ve chosen the number 50 for a 50th Birthday or Anniversary.
Pour melted candy wafers in the bottom of the chocolate mold, to fill it about one third. Place your favorite Oreo cookie, or any other cookie of the same size, on top of the chocolate. Press it lightly so the melted chocolate seeps up the side, all around the cookie. It’s fun to watch the chocolate crawl up the sides.
Then pour a little more melted chocolate on top so the cookie is completely encased. Repeat for all the molds and chill for 30-45 minutes or longer. Carefully pop them out onto a platter and you have a beautiful chocolate cookie a perfect decoration on the top of the cookie from the bottom of mold. It’s as easy as that!
For the molds, check out your favorite baking supply store of search for them online. What’s your choice of decorated mold for a fun celebration? Birthday? Anniversary? Flowers? Hearts? Or other designs?
Encase different cookies inside the chocolate. Try different flavors of Oreos or make our own cookies as special first bite surprises. How about flat round peppermint candies? Soft caramels? Truffles? Nuts? Coconut candies? You could even mix and match the candies inside. Check the candy aisle in your favorite specialty store for creative flavors and colors to create your own chocolate covered cookies for that special someone.
This project makes about 16-20 fully chocolate covered cookies, depending on the size of the mold and how full you fill it.
Gather up Ingredients and Tools for this cookie project:
50th Anniversary embossed cookie/chocolate mold
Microwave safe bowl
Pan large enough to set the molds on
Offset spatula
1# Block of melting chocolate (or equivalent candy wafers)
Edible gold dust, small jar
1 Food safe delicate paint brush
16 Paper Cupcake liners
Pour and make your chocolate covered cookies:
-Place your mold(s) onto a small rimmed baking pan. (No, you’re not going to bake them, but you’ll need a sturdy base when you transfer them in the refrigerator.)
-As a test, make sure the Oreo cookies or other cookies or candy you plan to envelope in chocolate fit in the molds. Set the empty molds aside.
-Using a cutting board and sturdy large sharp knife, chop the chocolate block into smaller pieces. This helps melt the chocolate without leaving large chunks.
-Melt the chocolate in a safe bowl in the microwave according to package directions. (Or, you can melt in a saucepan in the stove, but be sure to follow the directions on the package of chocolate.) I use a microwave safe bowl large enough to hold half of the chocolate block at a time and melt it in the microwave, first chopping up the chocolate into smaller pieces. Be sure to stir the chocolate after each microwave timing to help it all melt together.
-When the chocolate is melted, pour it into a small pitcher or piping bag. I prefer using a tablespoon sized measuring spoon to better control the amount of chocolate being poured into each mold. It’s your own preference as to which tools you’re more accustomed to using.
-Working quickly but carefully, fill one mold one-third full.
-Lightly press one Oreo cookie into the mold, allowing the melted chocolate to squeeze up the sides of the Oreo cookie.
-Gently fill the mold with melted chocolate so that the Oreo cookie is covered and the chocolate completely fills the mold.
-Tap the pan with the molds gently on the countertop to release any air bubbles that may appear in the chocolate.
-Place the pan with the molds full of the chocolate delight in a safe even horizontal spot in your refrigerator for 30-60 minutes to chill and solidify.
-When they look and feel solid, take the pan from the refrigerator and turn upside down to pop them out of the molds.
-Turn the cookies over so the embossed surface faces up.
-Open the container of edible gold dust and gently dip the brush so it barely touches the gold dust.
-Swipe the gold across the embossed surface a couple of times so that the writing is readable. Make a swipe or cover the entire embossed area with the gold dust.
-Voila! You have beautifully embossed and gold dusted 50th Anniversary Cookies!
Tips:
-Look for chocolate molds that are deep enough and big enough around to fit your cookie of choice inside the mold.
-Use chocolate that is made for making molds. You’ll have less problems.
-Taste your chocolate to make sure it has a good flavor and that it is compatible with the cookies you plan to envelope. (I love to do this testing…)
-Before brushing the gold onto your cookies, spread a Silver Dollar sized dollop of melting chocolate onto some parchment paper. Chill it in the refrigerator to quickly solidify. Then test your brush strokes with a small amount of gold in order to get the feel for painting it onto the chocolate. (You can always use these chocolate test pieces for stand-up garnishes on cupcakes or other cookies. Don’t waste them!)
Displaying your delicious chocolate treasures:
-Stack them as a tower.
-If you’re at a special event, display the chocolate delights in pretty paper cupcake liners or special paper truffle liners on a platter.
-Place them on a 2-4 tier plated stand as a focal point on a dessert table.
-Scatter them about on a dining table or place one at each place setting.
-Arrange them in a basket, adorned with bows.
-Present them in a special ribbon-tied bakery box as a gift.
These are so easy to make and beautiful to display. Whoever you celebrate your anniversary, birthday or other special day with…be sure to “Bake your own Memories!”