Mini POLVORONES (Tri-Color Mexican Cookies)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened…………………....1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (i.e. Crisco)………………...……1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract……………………………………………..1/2 tsp. salt
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour……………………..……………...2 TB cherry jello powder
1 tsp. baking powder…………………………………………….1 tsp. dark chocolate syrup
2-3 drops red food coloring……………………..………………2 TB dark cocoa powder
1 tsp. instant coffee powder
Clear Sparkling sugar and Red sanding sugar (about 1/2 cup each)
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Beat the shortening, butter and sugar with your mixer until creamy and light in color (2 minutes). Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually beat in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Divide dough into 3 parts ~ leaving 1/3 in the mixer bowl.
Add the red food coloring plus cherry jello powder to the dough in mixer bowl ~ beat until the dough is pink and blended well. Take the pink dough out and set aside.
Put another 1/3 dough in mixer bowl. Add cocoa powder, chocolate syrup and instant coffee powder to the dough in bowl ~ beat until well blended.
Make little balls (about 1/2" across) with each color. (I do all of each color at a time, so I can adjust the sizes to make them even). Put the balls down, right next to each (forming a triangle) ~ one of each color ~ but be sure to roll the vanilla balls in clear SPARKLING SUGAR ~ and the cherry balls in RED SANDING SUGAR before you put them on the cookie sheets. Press them down slightly with your hands.
Bake for 9-10 minutes until firm to touch. Cool on baking sheets a few minutes, then remove and finish cooling on racks or paper. Makes about 5 dozen.