This week’s Cocoa Club Recipe is Snappy Turtle cookies!

Try it out! We’ll be reading a short story by Roald Dahl that pairs with these perfectly. Ingredients

1 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 egg, beaten1 egg, separated

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

⅛ teaspoon maple flavored extract

42 pecan halves

2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate

¼ cup milk

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

Step 1Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda and salt. Cream 1/2 cup butter and gradually add 1/2 cup brown sugar, creaming well. Add egg and egg yolk and beat well. Blend in vanilla and maple flavoring. Add the dry ingredients gradually, mixing thoroughly. Chill to slightly firm dough.Step 2Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).Step 3Arrange pecan halves in groups of five on greased baking sheets to resemble head and legs of a turtle. Shape dough into balls; dip bottom into unbeaten egg white and press lightly onto nuts. Use a rounded teaspoon of dough for each, so tips of nuts will show when cookies are baked. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool; frost tops generously with Chocolate Frosting.Step 4To Make Frosting: Combine 2 (1-ounce) squares of unsweetened chocolate ( or 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces), 1/4 cup milk and 1 Tablespoon butter in top of double boiler. Heat over boiling water until chocolate melts; blend until smooth. Remove from heat; add 1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar. Beat until smooth and glossy. If too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar until the desired consistency.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

283 calories;

protein 4g 8% DV;

carbohydrates 33.8g 11% DV;

fat 15.9g 25% DV;

cholesterol 54.3mg 18% DV;

sodium 153.8mg 6% DV.

Every Sunday morning in December in between 9:30 and 10, fix the family some delicious mugs of hot cocoa and tune in to WHDD 91.9 to listen to a short story read by Mrs. Sam of The Hotchkiss Library of Sharon. Our local children’s librarian is teaming up with Robin Hood Radio to bring us all a cozy winter tradition with two components- making food and listening to stories. Mrs. Sam says, the library wants to reach out to our community by any means possible during COVID-19 and I think revisiting the novel experience of making food together and collectively listening to the radio is a great way to inspire young minds, bring families closer and provide the entertainment we all are looking for.

The library will post a recipe challenge on social media every Monday for the families of Sharon and surrounding towns. Then, we can all make a scrumptious snack to go with our Sunday morning cocoa and story. Mrs. Sam will read a family-friendly short story and a poem, plus discussion starter questions. Everyone will have the opportunity to join the conversation online by posting pictures of the recipe they tried or writing about their thoughts on the story. Engage with your children and community with Cocoa Club. 

Please contact Mrs. Sam at ssaliter@hotchkisslibrary.org or (860) 364-5041 if you have any questions. 

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