An amazing desset: Dark Chocolate Mousse with Alfajores Cookies Ingredients For Cookie Dough 1 ? cups butter, room temp 1 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons sugar ? teaspoon salt ? teaspoon vanilla extract 1/3 cup almond meal 3 cups all purpose flour For Garnish Powdered sugar to dust the cookies Fresh berries For Caramel 2 cups packed brown sugar 1 cup evaporated milk 3 tablespoons butter ? teaspoon vanilla extractFor Chocolate Mousse 8 oz bittersweet chocolate 3 tablespoons water 3 large egg yolks ? cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons Frangelico 1 ? cups cold heavy cream Instructions For Caramel In a medium stainless steel saucepan, heat brown sugar with evaporated milk over medium heat. As it cooks, brush inner sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. This wipes away grainy sugar crystals. Heat until mixture reaches soft ball stage (238-240 F). Remove from heat - let cool to about 110 F. Stir in the butter and beat until mixture is thickened. Add vanilla. (Heat to loosen or add additional cream). If mixture is too thin, add in a little powdered sugar. For Chocolate Mousse Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Cool briefly. Meanwhile, combine water, yolks and powdered sugar in large metal bowl. Set bowl over simmering water in base of double boiler and whisk until mixture is frothy and candy thermometer registers 160°F, about 6 minutes. Remove from over water. Using electric mixer, beat until thick and cool, about 3 minutes. Fold cooled chocolate, then Frangelico into yolk mixture. Beat cream in medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture in 3 additions. For Cookie Dough Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter with the powdered sugar and granulated sugar until fluffy. Stir in salt, vanilla extract, almond meal and flour until just combined. Do not over-mix. Wrap small portions in plastic wrap and roll out into 1” diameter tubes twisting both ends of the plastic wrap until tight. Chill in the fridge over ice packs for a few minutes. Remove chilled cookie dough and slice into ?” rounds. Place rounds on a parchment lined sheet pan and bake in the oven for around 10 minutes or until set. Chill the cookies to room temperature then pipe a small amount of caramel onto the top of half of them. Place the other half of the cookies on top and gently press to make a sandwich. Dust the finished cookies with powdered sugar To Serve Pipe the mousse onto a chilled plate and stick an Alfajores cookie standing sideways in the side of the mousse. Serve with fresh berries. Special Equipment Large pastry bags Bowl scraper Biscuit cutters Rolling pin Baking pans Stainless steel sauce pot Stand Mixer or electric mixer Pastry brush Digital thermometer Mini sieve for dusting

INGREDIENTS: 1 cup sugar 1 cup butter or margarine, softened 3 tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 egg 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red food color Sugar, if desired DIRECTIONS: 1. In large bowl, beat 1 cup sugar, the butter, milk, vanilla and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended, scraping bowl occasionally. On low speed, beat in flour, baking powder and salt until well mixed, scraping bowl occasionally. 2. Divide dough in half. To one half of dough, stir or knead in red food color until desired pink color. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 1 hour for easier handling. 3. Heat oven to 400°F. Work with 1/3 of white dough at a time; keep remaining dough refrigerated. On lightly floured work surface, roll out white dough with rolling pin to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with floured 2 1/2-inch heart-shaped canape or cookie cutter; place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Repeat with 1/3 of pink dough, keeping remaining pink dough refrigerated. 4. Using floured 1-inch heart-shaped canape or cookie cutter, cut center from each pink and white cookie. Remove centers; replace each center of cookie with cutout of opposite colored dough. Sprinkle with sugar. 5. Bake 5 to 9 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. For a sweet finish, use purchased decorating icing to pipe the initials of your favorite valentines on individual cookies. Let the kids cut dough into shapes for any season or holiday - stars, eggs or flowers - with a corresponding small shape cut in the center of each.