Three Berry Galette with Cornmeal Crust

I love fresh berries! So, what is a better to way to enjoy summer's bounty than making a Berry Galette? While at the farmer's market I picked up a variety of berries; blueberries, blackberries and my favorite black raspberries. The original recipe called for blueberries & blackberries. I decided to add in the black raspberries, making it a 3 Berry dessert!

This was great warm, right out of the oven. I served it with a scoop of frozen vanilla yogurt. I also enjoyed it when it cooled! Very light and fresh!

Three Berry Galette with Cornmeal Crust

Adapted from Cooking Light

Pastry:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 7 3/4 oz.)

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornmeal

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces

1/3 cup fat-free buttermilk

Filling:

2 cups blueberries

2 cups blackberries

2 cups black raspberries

1/2 cup sugar

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

2 Tbsp. fat-free milk

1 large egg white

1 1/2 Tbsp. turbinado sugar

To prepare pastry, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients (through salt) in a food processor; pulse two times. Add butter to flour mixture; pulse 4 to 5 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. With processor on, slowly add buttermilk through food chute; process just until dough forms a ball. Gently press dough into a 4-inch circle on plastic wrap; cover. Chill 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Unwrap and place dough on a sheet of parchment paper. Roll dough into a 15-inch circle. Place dough and parchment on a baking sheet.

To prepare filling, combine berries and next 3 ingredients (through juice) in a medium bowl; toss gently to coat. Arrange berry mixture in center of dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold edges of dough toward center, pressing gently to seal (dough will only partially cover berry mixture).

Combine fat-free milk and egg white in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Brush dough with milk mixture; sprinkle turbinado sugar evenly over dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until pastry is golden brown. Let stand 30 minutes; cut into wedges. Yield: 10 servings (1 wedge).

July Daring Bakers: Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream

This month's DB challenge was selected by Chris from Mele Cotte. What a great dessert! This definitely was a time consuming venture! Everything came together very nicely. I did change a few things from the recipe. I used almonds instead of filberts. I also used amaretto in the syrup and ganache. The praline buttercream was delicious!

Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream

adapted from "Great Cakes" by Carol Walter

1 Filbert Genoise

1 recipe sugar syrup, flavored with dark rum

1 recipe Praline Buttercream½ cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

1 recipe Apricot Glaze

1 recipe Ganache Glaze, prepared just before using

3 tablespoons filberts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Filbert Genoise

Because of the amount of nuts in the recipe, this preparation is different from a classic genoise.

1 ½ cups hazelnuts, toasted/skinned

2/3 cup cake flour, unsifted

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

7 large egg yolks

1 cup sugar, divided ¼ & ¾ cups

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. grated lemon rind

5 lg. egg whites

¼ cup warm, clarified butter (100 – 110 degrees)

Position rack in the lower 3rd of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour a 10” X 2” inch round cake pan.

Using a food processor, process nuts, cake flour, and cornstarch for about 30 seconds. Then, pulse the mixture about 10 times to get a fine, powdery mixture. You’ll know the nuts are ready when they begin to gather together around the sides of the bowl. While you want to make sure there aren’t any large pieces, don’t over-process. Set aside.

Put the yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, and beat until thick and light in color, about 3-4 minutes on med-high speed. Slowly, add ¾ cup of sugar. It is best to do so by adding a tablespoon at a time, taking about 3 minutes for this step. When finished, the mixture should be ribbony. Blend in the vanilla and grated lemon rind. Remove and set aside.

Place egg whites in a large, clean bowl of the electric mixer with the whisk attachment and beat on medium speed, until soft peaks. Increase to med-high speed and slowly add the remaining ¼ cup of sugar, over 15-20 seconds or so. Continue to beat for another ½ minute.

Add the yolk mixture to the whites and whisk for 1 minute.

Pour the warm butter in a liquid measure cup (or a spouted container). * It must be a deep bottom bowl and work must be fast.* Put the nut meal in a mesh strainer (or use your hand – working quickly) and sprinkle it in about 2 tablespoons at a time – folding it carefully for about 40 folds. Be sure to exclude any large chunks/pieces of nuts. Again, work quickly and carefully as to not deflate the mixture. When all but about 2 Tbsp. of nut meal remain, quickly and steadily pour the warm butter over the batter. Then, with the remaining nut meal, fold the batter to incorporate, about 13 or so folds.With a rubber spatula, transfer the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with the spatula or back of a spoon.

**If collected butter remains at the bottom of the bowl, do not add it to the batter! It will impede the cake rising while baking.Tap the pan on the counter to remove air bubbles and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. You’ll know the cake is done when it is springy to the touch and it separates itself from the side of the pan. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Invert onto a cake rack sprayed with nonstick coating, removing the pan. Cool the cake completely.

*If not using the cake right away, wrap thoroughly in plastic wrap, then in a plastic bag, then in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If freezing, wrap in foil, then the bag and use within 2-3 months.

Sugar Syrup

Makes 1 cup, good for one 10-inch cake – split into 3 layers

1 cup water

¼ cup sugar

2 Tbsp. dark rum or orange flavored liqueur

In a small, yet heavy saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add the liqueur. Cool slightly before using on the cake. *Can be made in advance.

Praline Buttercream

1 recipe Swiss Buttercream

1/3 cup praline paste

1 ½ - 2 Tbsp. Jamaican rum (optional)

Blend ½ cup buttercream into the paste, then add to the remaining buttercream. Whip briefly on med-low speed to combine. Blend in rum.

Swiss Buttercream

4 lg. egg whites

¾ cup sugar

1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly firm

1 ½ -2 Tbsp. Grand Marnier or liqueur of your choice

1 tsp. vanilla

Place the egg whites in a lg/ bowl of a electric mixer and beat with the whisk attachment until the whites are foamy and they begin to thicken (just before the soft peak stage). Set the bowl over a saucepan filled with about 2 inches of simmering water, making sure the bowl is not touching the water. Then, whisk in the sugar by adding 1-2 tablespoon of sugar at a time over a minutes time. Continue beating 2-3 minutes or until the whites are warm (about 120 degrees) and the sugar is dissolved. The mixture should look thick and like whipped marshmallows.Remove from pan and with either the paddle or whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and sugar on med-high until its a thick, cool meringue – about 5-7 minutes. *Do not overbeat*. Set aside.

Place the butter in a separate clean mixing bowl and, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter at medium speed for 40-60 seconds, or until smooth and creamy. *Do not overbeat or the butter will become too soft.*

On med-low speed, blend the meringue into the butter, about 1-2 Tbsp. at a time, over 1 minute. Add the liqueur and vanilla and mix for 30-45 seconds longer, until thick and creamy.Refrigerate 10-15 minutes before using.Wait! My buttercream won’t come together! Reheat the buttercream briefly over simmering water for about 5 seconds, stirring with a wooden spoon. Be careful and do not overbeat. The mixture will look broken with some liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Return the bowl to the mixer and whip on medium speed just until the cream comes back together.

Wait! My buttercream is too soft! Chill the buttercream in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes and rewhip. If that doesn’t work, cream an additional 2-4 Tbsp. of butter in a small bowl– making sure the butter is not as soft as the original amount, so make sure is cool and smooth. On low speed, quickly add the creamed butter to the buttercream, 1 Tbsp. at a time.Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or can be frozen for up to 6 months. If freezing, store in 2 16-oz. plastic containers and thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for several hours.

Praline Paste

1 cup (4 ½ oz.) Hazelnuts, toasted/skinless

2/3 cup Sugar

Line a jelly roll pan with parchment and lightly butter.Put the sugar in a heavy 10-inch skillet. Heat on low flame for about 10-20 min until the sugar melts around the edges. Do not stir the sugar. Swirl the pan if necessary to prevent the melted sugar from burning. Brush the sides of the pan with water to remove sugar crystals. If the sugar in the center does not melt, stir briefly. When the sugar is completely melted and caramel in color, remove from heat. Stir in the nuts with a wooden spoon and separate the clusters. Return to low heat and stir to coat the nuts on all sides. Cook until the mixture starts to bubble. **Remember – extremely hot mixture.** Then onto the parchment lined sheet and spread as evenly as possible. As it cools, it will harden into brittle. Break the candied nuts into pieces and place them in the food processor. Pulse into a medium-fine crunch or process until the brittle turns into a powder. To make paste, process for several minutes. Store in an airtight container and store in a cook dry place. Do not refrigerate.

Apricot Glaze

Good for one 10-inch cake

2/3 cup thick apricot preserves

1 Tbsp. water

In a small, yet heavy saucepan, bring the water and preserves to a slow boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. If the mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the saucepan, add water as needed.Remove from heat and, using a strainer, press the mixture through the mesh and discard any remnants. With a pastry brush, apply the glaze onto the cake while the cake is still warm. If the glaze is too thick, thin to a preferred consistency with drops of water.

Ganache Glaze

Makes about 1 cup, enough to cover the top and sides of a 9 or 10 inch layer or tube cake**

Ganache can take on many forms. While warm – great fudge sauce. While cool or lukewarm – semisweet glaze. Slightly chilled – can be whipped into a filling/frosting. Cold & solid – the base of candied chocolate truffles.

6 oz. (good) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, like Lindt

6 oz. (¾ cup) heavy cream

1 tbsp. light corn syrup

1 Tbsp. Grand Marnier, Cointreau, or dark Jamaican rum (optional)

¾ tsp. vanilla

½ - 1 tsp. hot water, if needed

Blend vanilla and liqueur/rum together and set aside.Break the chocolate into 1-inch pieces and place in the basket of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer into a medium sized bowl and set aside.Heat the cream and corn syrup in a saucepan, on low, until it reached a gentle boil. Once to the gently boil, immediately and carefully pour over the chocolate. Leave it alone for one minute, then slowly stir and mix the chocolate and cream together until the chocolate is melted and incorporated into the cream. Carefully blend in vanilla mixture. If the surface seems oily, add ½ - 1 tsp hot water. The glaze will thicken, but should still be pourable. If it doesn’t thicken, refrigerate for about 5 minutes, but make sure it doesn’t get too cold!

Assembling Cake

Cut a cardboard disk slightly smaller than the cake. Divide the cake into 3 layers and place the first layer top-side down on the disk. Using a pastry brush, moisten the layer with 3-4 Tbsp. of warm sugar syrup. Measure out 1 cup of praline buttercream and set aside.

Spread the bottom layer with a ¼-inch thickness of the remaining buttercream. Cover with ½ of the whipped cream, leaving ¼-inch border around the edge of the cake. Place the middle layer over the first, brush with sugar syrup, spreading with buttercream. Cover with the remaining whipped cream.Moisten the cut side of the third layer with additional sugar syrup and place cut side down on the cake. Gently, press the sides of the cake to align the layers. Refrigerate to chill for at least 30 minutes.Lift the cake by sliding your palm under the cardboard. Holding a serrated or very sharp night with an 8-inch blade held parallel to the sides of the cake, trim the sides so that they are perfectly straight. Cut a slight bevel at the top to help the glaze drip over the edge. Brush the top and sides of the cake with warm apricot glaze, sealing the cut areas completely. Chill while you prepare the ganache.Place a rack over a large shallow pan to catch the ganache drippings. Remove the gateau from the refrigerator and put it the rack. With a metal spatula in hand, and holding the saucepan about 10 inches above the cake, pour the ganache onto the cake’s center. Move the spatula over the top of the ganache about 4 times to get a smooth and mirror-like appearance. The ganache should cover the top and run down the sides of the cake. When the ganache has been poured and is coating the cake, lift one side of the rack and bang it once on the counter to help spread the ganache evenly and break any air bubbles. (Work fast before setting starts.) Patch any bare spots on the sides with a smaller spatula, but do not touch the top after the “bang”. Let the cake stand at least 15 minutes to set after glazing.To garnish the cake, fit a 12 – 14-inch pastry bag with a #114 large leaf tip. Fill the bag with the reserved praline cream. Stating ½ inch from the outer edge of the cake, position the pastry tube at a 90 degree angle with the top almost touching the top of the cake. Apply pressure to the pastry bag, moving it slightly toward the center of the cake. As the buttercream flows on the cake, reverse the movement backward toward the edge of the cake and finish by pulling the bag again to the center. Stop applying pressure and press the bag downward, then quickly pull the tip up to break the flow of frosting. Repeat, making 12 leaves evenly spaced around the surface of the cake.Make a second row of leaves on the top of the first row, moving the pastry bag about ¾ inch closer to the center. The leaves should overlap. Make a 3rd row, moving closer and closer to the center. Add a 4th row if you have the room. But, leave a 2-inch space in the center for a chopped filbert garnish. Refrigerate uncovered for 3-4 hours to allow the cake to set.

Remove the cake from the refrigerator at least 3 hours before serving.

Leftover cake can be covered with foil and kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Crispy Chicken Salad Wraps

When I saw this recipe, I knew I had to try it! This was not only easy to prepare, but tasted great! I loved the fresh taste of cilantro in every bite! To give the chicken salad more flavor, I added some extra hot sauce. These will definitely be on the menu again!

Crispy Chicken Salad Wraps

Source: Cook's Country

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 scallions, sliced thin

2 celery ribs, chopped fine

2 Tbsp. sour cream

2 tsp. hot sauce

1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cups)

salt & pepper

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

4 (12-inch) flour tortillas

Whisk mayonnaise, cilantro, scallions, celery, sour cream, and hot sauce in large bowl. Add chicken and toss to combine. Season with salt & pepper.

Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken salad in center of tortilla. Roll stuffed tortillas, spray all over with cooking spray, and sprinkle with salt & pepper.

Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve.

Pan-Seared Shrimp with Ginger-Hoisin Glaze

This recipe is great for a quick dinner. I served the shrimp over rice. Simple but tastes great!




Pan-Seared Shrimp with Ginger-Hoisin Glaze
Source: Cook's Illustrated
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds (21/25) shrimp, peeled & deveined
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
2 Tsp. grated fresh ginger
2 tsp. water
2 scallions, sliced thin

Stir together hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, water & scallions in a small bowl; set aside.
Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until smoking. Meanwhile, toss shrimp, salt, pepper, and sugar in medium bowl. Add half of the shrimp to pan in single layer and cook until spotty brown and edges turn pink, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; using tongs, flip each shrimp and let stand until all but very center is opaque, about 30 seconds. Transfer shrimp to large plate. Repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and shrimp; after second batch has stood off heat return first batch to skillet along with the hoisin mixture and toss to combine. Cover skillet and let stand until shrimp are cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Enchiladas Verdes & Mexican Rice

Earlier this summer my husband and I vacationed in Mexico. We had some delicious food while we were there. I wanted to try to recreate the taste of Mexico at home. The enchilada recipe came together nicely. It had a great smoky flavor thanks to the charred tomatillos and pablano chiles. These two recipes were definitely a hit!

Enchiladas Verdes

Source: Cook's Illustrated

4 tsp. vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped medium

3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 to 3 breasts), trimmed of excess fat

1 1/2 pounds tomatillos (16 to 20 medium), husks & stems removed, rinsed well and dried

3 medium poblano chiles, halved lengthwise, stemmed, and seeded

1 -- 2 1/2 tsp. sugar

table salt

ground black pepper

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

8 oz. pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese, grated (2 cups)

12 (6 inch) corn tortillas

Garnish

2 medium scallions, sliced think

Thickly sliced radishes

sour cream

1. Adjust oven racks to middle and highest positions and heat broiler. Heat 2 tsp. oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering; add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 2 tsp. garlic and cumin; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Decrease heat to low and stir in broth. Add chicken, cover, and simmer until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 160 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to large bowl; place in refrigerator to cool, about 20 minutes. Remove 1/4 cup liquid from saucepan and set aside; discard remaining liquid.

2. Meanwhile, toss tomatillos and poblanos with remaining 2 tsp. oil; arrange on rimmed baking sheet lined with foil, with poblanos skin-side up. Broil until vegetables blacken and start to soften, 5 to 10 minutes, rotating pan halfway through cooking. Cool 10 mins., then remove skin from poblanos (leave tomatillo skins intact). Transfer tomatillos and chiles to food processor. Decrease oven temp. to 350 degrees. Discard foil from baking sheet and set aside for warming tortillas.

3. Add 1 tsp. sugar, 1 tsp. salt, remaining tsp. garlic, and reserved cooking liquid to food processor; process until sauce is somewhat chunky, about eight 1 second pulses. Taste sauce; season with salt and pepper and adjust tartness by stirring in remaining sugar, 1/2 tsp at a time. Set sauce aside (you should have about 3 cups).

4. When chicken is cool, pull into shreds using hands or 2 forks, then chop into small bite-sized pieces. Combine chicken with cilantro and 1 1/2 cups cheese; season with salt.

5. Smear bottom of 13x9 inch baking dish with 3/4 cup tomatillo sauce. Place tortillas on 2 baking sheets. Spray both sides of tortillas lightly with cooking spray. Bake until tortillas lightly with cooking spray. Bake until tortillas lightly with cooking spray. Bake until tortillas are soft and pliable, 2 to 4 minutes. Increase oven temp. to 450 degrees. Place warm tortillas on countertop and spread 1/3 cup filling down center of each tortilla. Roll each tortilla tightly and place in baking dish, seam-side down. Pour remaining tomatillo sauce over top of enchiladas. Use back of spoon to spread sauce so that it coats top of each tortilla. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and cover baking dish with foil.

6. Bake enchiladas on middle rack until heated through and cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with scallions, and serve immediately, passing radishes & sour cream separately.

Mexican Rice

Source: Allrecipes

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 cup uncooked long-grain rice

1 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup tomato sauce

2 cups chicken broth

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt & cumin.

2. Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce & chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover & simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Peanut Butter Crisscrosses

I love peanut butter! So, what could be better than these peanut buttery cookies? These were very easy to make. They came out crisp on the outside and nice and chewy on the inside, just like I like them! Craving satisfied!

Peanut Butter Crisscrosses

Source: Baking: From My Home to Yours by: Dorie Greenspan

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup peanut butter -- crunchy or smooth (not natural)

1 cup (packed) light brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups chopped salted peanuts

About 1/2 cup sugar, for rolling

Position racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt & nutmeg.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for a minute or two, until smooth & creamy. Add the peanut butter and beat for another minute. Add the sugars and beat for 3 minutes more. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and, on low speed, add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they just disappear. Mix in the chopped peanuts. You'll have a soft, pliable (mushable, actually) dough.

Pour the 1/2 cup sugar into a small bowl. Working with a level tablespoonful of dough for each cookie, roll the dough between your palms into balls and drop the balls, a couple at a time, into the sugar. Roll the balls around in the sugar to coat them, then place on the baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between them. Dip the tines of a fork in the sugar and press the tines against each ball first in one direction and then in a perpendicular direction -- you should have a flattened round of dough with crisscross indentations.

Bake for about 12 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. When done, the cookies will be lightly colored and still a little soft. Let the cookies sit on the sheets for a minute before transferring them to cooling racks with a wide metal spatula. Cool to room temperature. Repeat with the remaining dough, making sure to cool the baking sheets between batches.

Cardamom Butter Squares

A friend passed this recipe on to me. The cookies came together easily. I preferred the cookies plain, but everyone else enjoyed the ones that were iced. I iced some with the espresso/chocolate combination but also did some with just chocolate. They were a hit!

Cardamom Butter Squares

Source: Gourmet

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

For icings:

1 tsp. instant-espresso powder

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp. milk

1 cup confectioners sugar

3 oz. fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), melted

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, and allspice in a bowl.

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes in a stand mixer.
Beat in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, then mix in flour mixture until just combined.

Form dough into 2 (12-inch) logs (1 1/2 inches in diameter), each on its own sheet of plastic wrap.

Use plastic wrap and your hands to roll, press, and square off sides of logs. Chill logs on a baking sheet until slightly firm, about 1 hour, then smooth logs with plastic wrap and flat side of a ruler to achieve straight sides. Chill logs on baking sheet until firm, about 1 hour.

Put oven racks in upper & lowder thirds of over and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut 1/4-inch-thick slices from a log with a knife. Fill 2 large ungreased baking sheets, arranging slices about 1 inch apart (chill remaining dough, wrapped in plastic wrap).

Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are golden, 10 to 12 minutes total.

Cool on sheets 3 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely. Make more cookies iwth remaining dough on cooled baking sheets.

Ice cookies:

Whisk together espresso powder, vanilla, and 1 1/2 Tbsp. milk until espresso powder is dissolved, then add confectioners sugar and enough additional milk to make a thick but pourable icing. Spoon into a sealable bag and snip off a bottom corner. Spoon melted chocolate into another sealable bag and snip off a bottom corner.

Pipe some espresso icing and chocolate over each cookie and let cookies stand on reacks until icing sets, about 2 hours.