From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's sometimes a mistake to try and improve on an old favorite recipe. Last year, I shared my recipe and memories of Christmas Rosettes with you. I know that these cookies have lost cache, but they will forever remain one of my favorite treats. My love for them is enhanced, of course, by the sweetness of memory. I think that's OK. We all are creations of time and place and those memories are what make us unique and set our place at the table. Several years ago, Bob and I were in Hawaii for several weeks leading up to the Christmas holiday. The people of the islands know how to celebrate the holiday in an unabashed fashion and it is impossible not to get into the spirit of the season if you are there. Let's say Hawaii, unconcerned with political correctness, bolstered my somewhat flagging Christmas spirit with its exuberant sense of season. We arrived home on Christmas Eve and, despite the hour, I decided we couldn't have Christmas without rosettes on the table. One of the beauties of these cookies is that they require no special ingredients. Another is the ease with which they come together. Ease and simplicity made the cookies possible that Christmas, so I'm not quite sure what possessed me to try this gussied up version of the recipe. It was a mistake. Truth be told, this chocolate version is lacking in flavor and, save for color, has nothing to commend it. It is neither sweet nor chocolatey. Please view me as your early warning system. If you are tempted to try this recipe, pinch yourself and move on. You deserve better.
Chocolate Rosettes...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite
Ingredients:
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cocoa powder (any type)
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
Vegetable shortening
Powdered sugar
Directions:
1) Combine cornstarch, flour, cocoa, sugar and salt in a bowl. Beat egg lightly, combine
with milk, and add to dry ingredients. Stir until smooth.
2) Heat rosette iron in deep, hot oil (350 to 375 F) for two minutes. Drain excess oil from iron; dip in batter about 1/2 way. Fry rosette while counting to 10. Wiggle iron so rosette falls off into oil and continue to fry until golden brown. Lift out with tongs. Drain on paper towels. Reheat iron 1 minute before making next rosette. Yield: 18 rosettes.
You might also enjoy these recipes:
Stained Glass Cookies - Baking and Boys
Pecan Strips - Louanne's Kitchen
Lemon Glazed Christmas Wreath Cookies - Barbara Bakes
Chocolate Chip Biscotti - Mom's Cooking Club
Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies - The Recipe Girl
Peppermint Meringue Cookies - Sugarcrafter
Oh Mary! These are some of my favorites. My Great Aunt is famous for making rosettes only she finishes them in the oven so they are nice and crisp. I have been wanting a rosette iron for a long time but I only want a butterfly one and I cant find one!
ReplyDeleteSo this recipe is not good and we shouldn't make it? How come you didn't post the one that you made Christmas eve? Did you already post it? These do look really good, though. And so pretty.
ReplyDeleteI've never even heard of this little guys before. Such a shame the recipe hasn't lived up to expectation because they look fantastic.
ReplyDeleteI always wanted to get some of those irons, there are so many lovely shapes, and yours is perfect for Xmas...
ReplyDeleteon the other hand there are so many kitchen things that I still would like to get!!!!
Have a great Sunday
ciao
Alessandra
Happy to take your advice on this one, Mary! I've never tried them - good, bad or indifferent so don't know what I'm missing anyway!!
ReplyDeleteHappy travels!!
Buongiorno Mary,
ReplyDeletesono sempre interessata alla forme dei dolci !
Questaforma che riprende un cristallo di neve al microscopio, è molto adatta a questo periodo natalizio che stà per arrivare !
Il biscotto deve essere sicuramente anche molto delizioso oltre che bello da vedere.
Buona giornata :))
Myriam
Hayırlı pazarlar, ellerinize sağlık, çok leziz ve iştah açıcı görünüyor.
ReplyDeleteSaygılarımla.
Mary these are gorgeous! Traditional recipes can truly be the best.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cookies, but I've never had one! That surprises me because my G-Mom-B was always baking, etc.
ReplyDeleteMary, those look too pretty to eat....!!
ReplyDeleteAt least they made up in looks for what they lack in taste. These are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteLove this story of a cookie with such sweet memories attached to it, that you actually made it late at night, after returning from Hawaii. That must be some cookie. Merry Christmas to you, Mary.
ReplyDeleteFondly,
Glenda
I love rosettes and thank you for the heads up on the chocolate version. Alas, I am somewhat of a purist in some things and rosettes would be one of them (creme brulee another) --
ReplyDeleteRosettes are one of our favorite treats too. I like to have a tin of them ready to eat on their own or to serve with a scoop of ice cream. I'll consided myself warned about messing with a good thing!
ReplyDeleteMary, gorgeous chocolate rosettes...it didnt change shape after shaking it out of the hot iron means your batter is of right consistency....thanks for sharing the recipe. Would like to try this out one day when I have purchase the rosette iron :)
ReplyDeleteThese are truely little luscious looking works of art! Too bad they don't taste as good as they look. I have never done these but I would LOVE to try them. I'll find the traditional recipe, since you said they are one of your favorite treats I am asuming that you would recommend a traditional recipe. I'm looking for a rosette iron.
ReplyDeleteI bet the traditional rosettes are so yummy. Anything fried is... except the chocolate ones!
Thanks for the warning and the inspiration.
Yvonne
Oh! Mary, what a delightfull recipe! I bet the rosettes are perfect for Santa when he's delivering the gifts!!!!
ReplyDeleteO.K., I'll just move on to stollens and toffee and cookies instead. They are rather tasty looking but your photo is as close as they'll get to my Christmas kitchen.
ReplyDeleteBest,
Bonnie
They look delicious! I'll bet they'd be great with a cup of hot cocoa!
ReplyDeleteThese almost look too pretty to eat! :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame these are not as wonderful tasting as they look. They are so pretty. I love how it these cookies are espcially dear to you due to memories.
ReplyDeleteI hope one day I can be lucky enough to visit Hawaii at Christmastime!
I have never seen or heard of a rosette iron, interesting. Diane
ReplyDeleteWhether or not they are as good as the original, those chocolate rosettes look just like pretty snowflakes. I may have to dig out my iron and give them a whirl this year.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of these and they look so good! I will have to see of one of the specialty grocers has them in their bakery....
ReplyDeleteYour trip to Hawaii sounds wonderful!
Those look really yummy!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear that these didn't quite turn out the way you like. I love tweaking and putsing with my old favorites, but I think it something is incredibly lodged in memory it can be difficult because sometimes the tweaks never live up to the original.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do love that you still posted the recipe. I think people have differing views on bloggers posting the not quite so perfect things, but I think it can still serve as a great starting point for someone else to tweak if they so desire.
These look so beautiful. I love all of the shapes of rosettes.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the warning, Mary. I probably would have tried this recipe. The original rosette is perfect as is and doen't need any dressing up. I have a rosette iron tucked away someplace. I need to go find it.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds good in theory Mary. Perhaps what you need to do to cure the chocoholic in all of us is drizzle your regular recipe with chocolate:D
ReplyDeleteSOooo cute and beautiful looking rosettes..
ReplyDeleteI love rosettes too. Good to know that the chocolate ones are not the way to go. Thanks for linking to my lemon cookies!
ReplyDeleteHaha oh thanks for the warning, but it was a good idea. I would be tempted to add rose water to the batter!
ReplyDeleteI forgot about these...my family used to make them years ago. Vanilla I believe.
ReplyDeleteSometimes it's just really hard to improve upon a classic like this. I would love to try the original recipe because they look so pretty!
ReplyDeleteOh this is so timely , my mom jus ordered a rosette mold for me and am totally looking forward!
ReplyDeleteI have tried them once when i was little , quite little ie:-)and had a rose cookie mold and to look for it i have to unpack lods of boxes that are kept in a room in my ex residence thats undergoing commercial renovation, for a venture:-)But i will come back to this post for tips and more!
I think the same recipe without the chocolate would work beautiful no?
Ur rosettes are soooo pretty!
Thank you for showing us the the good AND the bad, Mary! In any case, they're very pretty :)
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful and delicate ♥
ReplyDeleteThey look very nice...but I didn't know rosettes.... have a nice week, ciao Flavia
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting what you considered a failed recipe. They look beautiful despite their disappointing taste. I think anyone who has experimented a bit has run into the same problem. However, you have inspired me...I have a rosette iron that I recieved as a gift last year and have yet to use. I'm going to try it, but I'll stick with the original recipe ;)
ReplyDeleteThey look very pretty!
ReplyDeleteThese are abosolutely lovely, Mary! What a wonderful addition to a cookie tray they would be. I would love to try your recipe!
ReplyDeleteSnowflake rosettes look so pretty,if I make like you so perfect and pretty,i wont even have heart to eat these :)
ReplyDeleteUS Masala
Oh, how pretty! I'm sorry this recipe was a disappointment, but they still look very impressive.
ReplyDeleteI think they're pretty but will stick with making the plain ones. I haven't made rosettes for a few years- will use
ReplyDeletemy same recipe if I can remember which one I used;)
wow...pic makes me drool...sounds very interesting n yummy..
ReplyDeleteTasty Appetite
How pretty. I could hang them on a tree and it's totally edible!
ReplyDeleteAt first, I thought this is a cookie! Sounds like a pancake. Love your pan mould. Really gorgeous! Hope you're enjoying your day, Mary.
ReplyDeleteKristy
I've only had rosettes once in my life and I loved them! These sound really good... now all I need is a rosettes iron :)
ReplyDeleteNever had these or even seen them! They look fantastic! What a shame the recipe is that tasty!
ReplyDeleteWell now I'll HAVE to try them just to see why you think they failed...they look so pretty!
ReplyDeleteMary...how nice of you to give us fair warning about the chocolate version. I will however go get your origianl one because I definitely want to try making these...especially since I truly did not know anything about rosettes until this post ;o))
ReplyDeleteCiao for now,
Claudia
Barbara!
ReplyDeleteI have only tasted these once and they were incredibly addictive. No one I know makes them! I know you need the special iron and they are so very beautiful. I also found the post with the traditional flavour. I think that is the one I would prefer, though I can never resist anything chocolate! I see links for other Christmas Cookies under this post and am going to explore now. I have added both these links to my post.
:)
Valerie