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Recipes from The Inn
Every December, guests look forward to Chef April Franqueza’s holiday desserts. Now, you can experience a taste of the Inn at home with her Holiday Sugar Cookie and Dark Chocolate Fudge recipes.
Holiday Sugar Cookies
Makes approximately 36 cookies.
Ingredients:
2 cups butter
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
7/8 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1.75 tsp. vanilla
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1.5 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream together the soft butter and both sugars, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until homogenous, then add vanilla. Add all dry ingredients at once, mixing on low speed until combined. On a heavily floured surface, roll the cookies to about a quarter inch thick, cut with desired cutters, and place cut cookies on a tray in the freezer (this is necessary for the cookies to keep their perfect shape!). You may reroll the dough as many times as you desire.
Once cookies are thoroughly chilled/frozen, bake for 8-10 minutes. They will be golden brown on the edges but still light in the center. Don’t be afraid that they’re underbaked- they will continue to bake on the hot sheet tray after you pull them from the oven. Decorate as desired.
Royal Icing
Ingredients:
3 egg whites
1 7/8 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Water as needed
Directions:
Place the egg whites in a stainless-steel bowl for a hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer. Over a pot of simmering water, whisk the eggs in the bowl until they reach a temperature of 165* Fahrenheit (this makes them same to eat as they are no longer raw). Whip them with the hand mixer or whisk attachment on a stand mixer until VERY thick and frothy. Then on low speed, add the vanilla, and then the confectioners sugar a little at a time. Depending on what kind of icing you’d like, you can add more confectioners sugar to make it stiffer, or add a little water to make it a little more runny. Using gel food coloring works best, and sprinkles stick great to it while still wet.
Dark Chocolate Fudge
Makes one 9x13" pan
Ingredients:
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
Corn Syrup 120 grams
2 egg whites
½ tsp cream of tartar
1 tbsp vanilla
2 ½ cups sugar
1 5/8 cups butter
3/4 cup half and half
12 ounces of dark chocolate
1 tbsp vanilla
½ cup nuts (if desired)
All meringue from above
Directions:
In a small pot, combine the water, sugar, and corn syrup. Place over medium high heat, with a candy thermometer inserted in the mixture. In a stainless-steel bowl or a stand mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, begin lightly whipping the egg whites and cream of tartar so they become frothy. When the candy thermometer reads 235* Fahrenheit, turn up the egg whites to medium high, so they start to form soft peaks. When the candy thermometer reads 242*F, remove the pot of boiling sugar, and gently pour it down the side of the bowl while the mixer whips on high speed. Once all of the sugar has been poured in, allow to continue on high speed until the exterior of the bowl is only warm to the touch (not HOT). Add vanilla, whip to combine, then turn off the mixture and set aside.
Grease a glass 9x13 pan with canola spray. In a pot, combine the sugar, butter, and half & half, bringing to a boil. Stir constantly (I prefer a wooden spoon) to prevent scorching, and allow to boil for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove the pot from the heat, and add the chocolate to the boiling milk mixture, stirring until melted and combined. Add the vanilla, nuts if desired, and a heavy pinch of salt, then stir. Finally, fold in your meringue that you made above, until it is completely homogenous. Pour into your greased 9x13, smoothing the top, or sprinkling with a garnish of your choice (crushed nuts, sea salt flakes, sprinkles, etc) and allow to sit uncovered until completely cool throughout (this may take a few hours, I prefer to let it simply sit out overnight). The following day, remove from pan, cut into desired size, and enjoy.
