Chocolate Blood Orange Parfaits

By: Co+op, welcome to the table

Recipe Information
Total Time: 50 minutes, plus 2 hours refrigeration; 30 minutes active
Servings: 8

This two-in-one recipe builds a delicious dessert that celebrates some of our favorite sweet flavors. Looking for a shortcut? Grab a couple of cookies from the Co-op and substitute for the made-at-home variety. We recommend the soft and delicious gluten-free chocolate chip cookies our Bakery is famous for.

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1/2 teaspoons blood orange zest

• 3/4 cup cocoa

• 1/2 cups powdered sugar

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 4 large egg whites 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Parfaits

• 6 cups nonfat Greek yogurt

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 2 blood oranges

• Mint sprigs, for garnish

Preparation

1. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Heat oven to 350°F. Zest one orange into a small bowl, reserve. In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk cocoa, sugar and salt. In a glass measuring cup, combine egg whites and vanilla, then slowly beat into dry ingredients on low speed. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes, until glossy. Mix walnuts and zest into batter. Drop scant quarter-cup mounds 3 inches apart on the prepared pan, and use a spoon to spread the batter out to half-inch thick cookies.

2. Put sheet pan on the middle oven rack and reduce heat to 325°F. Bake cookies until thin cracks appear, about 15 to 17 minutes. Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan, peeling off the parchment paper if necessary.

3. Place yogurt in a medium bowl and stir in powdered sugar and vanilla; reserve. Cut an orange in half and squeeze juice from one half into a small cup. Use a knife to slice the rind and pith away from the remaining orange and half-orange, and then use a paring knife to remove segments from the white membranes. Cut segments in half crosswise.

4. To assemble, use eight wine glasses or glass ramekins. Break each cookie into 4 pieces. Place one-third cup of yogurt mixture in each glass or ramekin, then add 2 pieces of cookie. Top with another one- third cup yogurt, add 4 orange pieces and 2 more cookie pieces, then drizzle blood orange juice around the edge of glass. Repeat process.

5. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and garnish with sprigs of mint before serving.

Tips & Notes

It’s simple to cut this recipe in half when entertaining a smaller crowd, or to double the cookie recipe to have extras for snacking later! If you're not a fan of walnuts or absolutely love chocolate, you can substitute chocolate chips for all or half the walnuts in the cookies.

Double Eggnog Spiced Sugar Cookies

This post combines two recipes by Organic Valley and Simply Organic

Recipe information
Total Time: 20 to 30 minutes
Servings: Approximately 2 dozen cookies

This one’s for the eggnog lovers: quick-and-easy sugar cookies flavored with your favorite wintertime beverage. We’ve combined this with a recipe for eggnog frosting too - which is technically optional, but we say go ahead and treat yourself.

Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1/2 cup salted butter, softened

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 cup eggnog

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a small mixing bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, mix butter and sugar until creamy, then add egg, vanilla and eggnog; mix well. When liquid mixture is combined, add the flour mixture and stir until well blended.

3. Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut with cookie cutter. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Or roll dough into balls and slightly press on to an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake approximately 8-12 minutes (depending on thickness) or until golden brown on the edges.

Frosting

Ingredients

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened

• 4 oz salted butter, softened

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 cup eggnog

• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preparation

Using an electric mixer or whisk, whip softened cream cheese and butter together. Whip in vanilla extract. Add half of the eggnog and powdered sugar and mix until blended. Slowly add the remaining eggnog and powdered sugar and mix until combined.