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First, know that you can use any type of cookie of your partners fancy.
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Just make certain that they're not soft or weak cookies that will dissolve once dipped in warm chocolate.
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Second, know you also have the option of dipping and decorating strawberries, bananas and cherries with this same recipe.
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Have all chocolates and shortening at room temperature.
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Make certain you kitchen is at a nominal temperature.
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65 to 69.
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A source of ventilation [ceiling fan] wouldn't hurt either since your cookies won't go into the fridge, they'll cool and harden on the counter.
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You'll need everything ready to go before you start melting your chocolates, especially if you're going this alone.
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Know where everything is before you need it since once the chocolates are melted, the process goes pretty quick.
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It's helpful to set up your counter assembly line style.
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Have all utensils at the ready.
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Lay flat several large pieces of wax or parchment paper throughout your kitchen.
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Crush or chop all cookie garnishments and place on individual plates.
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Have all boxes, bottles or bags open and ready.
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If you're making any cookies on a stick, have those already attached together.
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It's very important that your bowls be glass or ceramic for heat control, distribution and cooling.
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Add 2 tbs shortening [added for chocolate to achieve a tempered like sheen] to each glass or ceramic bowl and add each 12 oz package of chocolate chips to them.
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Know that you'll only be working on one type of chocolate at a time.
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A batch of dark chocolates first, white cookies second, etc., etc.
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Place one glass bowl with chips and shortening in the microwave at 50% strength/output and set time for 1 - 2 minutes.
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Watch your heating chips very carefully.
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Mix chocolate regularly.
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Ideally, you will only want your chips to melt at their edges.
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You'll use the residual heat in your glass bowl and the friction of your spatula to finish melting your chocolate.
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Do not overheat your chocolate or get any water into it.
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That will destroy it.
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Now you can start dipping your cookies or strawberries.
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If dipping fruit, make certain they are clean and dry.
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Dip and place on parchment paper.
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Decorate and let cool and dry.
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Reserve your leftover chocolate for decorations.
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Start your next batch of chocolate in a clean bowl water free and follow the same steps as the last batch.
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Now that you have two different colored cookies, you can use both to lightly drizzle on each other for decoration.
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Continue to heat up your other chocolates, decorate and allow your cookies to set up.
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Authors Note: You can get some extra milage out of your white chocolate by adding some food coloring jels to it.
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[pink, red, purple]
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Place cooled and firm cookies in festive paper cups.
