Prepare the oven by arranging one oven rack on the
bottom shelf and the other on the second from the
top shelf. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 3
large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a saucepan, heat the cocoa and milk to lukewarm
over medium-low heat, stirring until dissolved.
Add the sugar, shortening, oil, beaten eggs,
currents, and nuts and keep over medium-low heat
until the shortening has dissolved. Cool to room
temperature and add cloves and cinnamon.
In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients
thoroughly. Make a deep well in the center, pour
the liquid ingredients into the well, and using
your hands or a fork, start in the center of the
well and incorporate the flour slowly with the
liquid, going around until all the flour has been
incorporated and the nuts and currants are evenly
distributed. Don’t overwork the dough or the
cookies will be tough. If the dough is too sticky,
add a little more flour.
Take small pieces of dough (a little smaller than
a walnut) and roll gently in between the palms of
your hands to form a ball and press the nuts and
currants inside the dough. (The currants will burn
if they are sticking out.)
Place the balls of dough 4 rows across and 6 rows
down on a prepared cookie sheet. Bake on the lower
oven rack for 5 minutes; move to the upper rack
and back for about another 5 minutes. Cookie are
done when you press lightly on top of the cookie
and it does not leave a depression. Do not
overcook. The bottom of the cookies should be just
golden. When you transfer the first sheet to the
top, add a second sheet to the bottom shelf,
continuing to back each sheet for 5 minutes on the
bottom shelf and 5 minutes on the top.
Cool for 2 minutes; then remove cookie from the
cookie sheet and place on the counter to continue
to cool.
For the Frosting-
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons milk or more if necessary to make a
spreading consistency
When the cookies are fully cooled, they can be
frosted. Combine the frosting ingredients.
To frost the cookies, hold a cookie with the
fingers of one hand and dip it into the frosting.
Use the index finger of the other hand like a
paintbrush to coat the cookie top and bottom with
frosting. Place on wax paper to dry.
Originally Submitted
2/28/2013
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