Recipes: White Chocolate

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While you won’t find it on your calendar, you shouldn’t pass up celebrating National White Chocolate Day this week. We’ve pulled together the best collection of white chocolate-centric recipes that will turn every day into a holiday.

Chunky White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
11/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
11/2 cups white chocolate, cut into chunks
1 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2) In an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar together on medium speed. Add the egg and vanilla, beating until fluffy.

3) On low speed, add the flour, baking soda, salt, white chocolate and cranberries, mixing just until the flour disappears. Do not overmix.

4) Drop heaping tablespoons of batter on prepared baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, just until the edges begin to brown. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Yield: 16 large cookies

White Chocolate Snickerdoodle Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 ¾ cups flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp kosher salt
14-16 white chocolate squares

2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

White chocolate, melted for garnish

Directions
1) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg, egg yolk and vanilla, beating until well mixed. Add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt, mixing on low speed just until flour disappears. Chill dough for 1 hour before scooping it.

2) Preheat oven to 350ºF. Once the dough has chilled, use ¼ cup dough and wrap 1 white chocolate square in the center. Form dough into a ball. In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp ground cinnamon. Roll each dough ball in cinnamon sugar. Place on prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake 16 minutes, until the cookies are set. Remove from oven and cool a few minutes before transferring cookies to a wire rack. Cool completely before drizzling with melted white chocolate.

Yield: 14-16 large cookies

Raspberry White Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients
Raspberry Cupcakes
3½ cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 egg whites
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk
½ cup Raspberry Iced Tea

½ cup raspberry jam

White Chocolate Frosting
½ cup butter, room temperature
2½ cups icing sugar
6 oz. white chocolate, melted
2 tbsp whole milk

Seedless raspberry jam, to drizzle
White chocolate curls, for garnish

Directions
1) For the cupcakes, preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 24 muffin cups with cupcake liners and coat lightly with non-stick cooking spray.

2) In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg whites and full egg one at a time, until well combined. Mix in vanilla extract. On low speed, alternate adding flour mixture with the milk and raspberry iced tea, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined. Fill cupcake holders halfway with cupcake batter. Place 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam in the middle of the batter and top each cupcake with more batter, filling tin ¾ full. Bake 20-22 minutes, until slightly golden and cooked through. Cool completely before frosting.

3) For the white chocolate frosting, using an electric mixer, cream together butter and icing sugar on low speed until well combined. Add melted white chocolate and milk, mixing until smooth and desired spreading consistency. Frost cooled cupcakes and drizzle seedless raspberry jam over the frosting, topping with white chocolate curls.

Yield: 24 cupcakes

White Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake

Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup sugar
½ cup butter, melted

White Chocolate Cheesecake Filling
4 8oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 ¼ cups sugar
3 tbsp flour
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
6oz white chocolate, chopped and melted

Cherry Topping
1 15oz can cherry pie filling
1 cup white chocolate chips, melted

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 450ºF. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

2) For the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a medium bowl. Mix until well combined. Press into the bottom and halfway up the sides of the prepared pan. Place in the freezer until ready to use.

3) For the cheesecake filling, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 3-5 minutes. Add the flour, mixing until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, add in vanilla extract and melted white chocolate. Pour filling into prepared crust and bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 250ºF and continue to bake 45 minutes more. The cheesecake is ready when the edges begin to brown slightly and the center is slightly wiggly. It will firm as it cools. Remove from the oven and run a sharp knife around the edge to loosen it from the pan. Cool cheesecake completely then refrigerate for 4-6 hours.

4) Before serving, spoon cherry filling over cheesecake and drizzle with white chocolate.

Serves 10-12

White Chocolate & Raspberry Milkshake

Ingredients
Raspberry Syrup
1 cup fresh raspberries
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp fresh lemon juice

White Chocolate Milkshake
2 cups vanilla ice cream
¼ cup white chocolate, melted
¼ cup whole milk
raspberry syrup, recipe above

Fresh raspberries, for garnish
White chocolate, melted for garnish

Directions
1) Place raspberries, sugar and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook and mash raspberries until mixture comes to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and press through a fine mesh sieve, discarding solids. Let raspberry syrup cool before using in milkshake.

2) For the milkshake, using a blender, combine vanilla ice cream, melted white chocolate, milk and raspberry syrup. Blend until smooth and pour into a milkshake glass. Garnish with fresh raspberries and drizzle with melted white chocolate.

Serves 1

Strawberry White Chocolate Martini

Ingredients
Strawberry Puree
10 strawberries, stems removed, halved
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp water

2 oz vanilla vodka
3 oz white crème de cacao
2 oz strawberry puree

Directions
1) In a small saucepan, mash strawberries, sugar and water together over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and discard solids. Cool completely.

2) For the martini, in a cocktail shaker filled half with ice combine vanilla vodka, crème de cacao and strawberry puree. Shake and strain into a martini glass.

Serves 1

White Hot Chocolate

Ingredients
2 cups whole milk
4 oz white chocolate, chopped
½ tsp vanilla extract
Pinch ground cinnamon

Whipped cream, for garnish
White chocolate curls, for garnish

Directions
In a small saucepan, heat milk over low heat. Whisk in white chocolate until melted. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and cinnamon. Pour into a large mug and garnish with whipped cream and white chocolate curls.

Serves 1