Another idea from the 12 days of cookies feature I stumbled across. Almond & Pine Nut Cookies. Looked simple enough. Why not? As with most of my holiday cookie production, I doubled the recipe.
First, I got past what I deemed a bit of pretentiousness on the part of the contributor (organic free-range eggs, high-quality vanilla extract, superfine sugar). I use eggs, vanilla and sugar. But that's just me.
Almonds and pine nuts are roasted in a 350° oven for five minutes. A couple handfuls of these are reserved for later. The rest go into a food processor and turned into a coarse powder.
The rest of the ingredients are then added directly. Well, almost all of them. Flour, sugar, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, eggs, baking soda. I think that's it. This gets processed until a pasty dough is formed. This is where I ran into a bit of trouble. Doubling a cookie recipe in a food processor just doesn't work well. Fortunately, the mess was minimal as I transferred everything to a mixing bowl and finished the job with my hand mixer.
Oatmeal is added, and then the reserved nuts, after rough chopping them first.
The dough was absolutely delicious. But it is probably better to form one-inch balls and place them on a cookie sheet. Or use a couple spoons. Do not flatten, even a little, the balls of dough. They bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Let them rest on the cookie sheet for a couple minutes after coming out of the oven. They are very soft and delicate, but firm up quickly.
There is an almost savory flavor to these cookies, as a counterbalance to the sweetness of the sugar. Yes. Plain old sugar. They are now officially admitted to my pantheon of holiday cookies, and will be made every year.
Sorry. I forgot to take a picture.
Bon appétit!
Showing posts with label Cookies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cookies. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Rugelach
I expanded my holiday cookie repertoire this year. To truly make it a "holiday" array of cookies, I looked up a recipe for rugelach in my Jewish Holiday Cookbook. I tried my hand at these tasty morsels before, with a limited degree of success. I was confident I could improve on the final result. Well, hopeful that I could.
The dough is made from cream cheese, butter and flour. That's it. The dough is quite thin and gets covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for at least two hours. At least. I let it chill for five hours. Until it was almost rock hard.
After struggling to remove the dough from the bowl, I cut it into four equal parts. Actually, eight because I had doubled the recipe. Each section is rolled out into a circle approximately nine inches in diameter. I brushed the circle with melted butter and sprinkled it with cinnamon sugar.
With the side of a spatula I cut the circle into 16 pizza-like slices. Then, starting with the outer edge, I rolled each slice into a crescent roll shaped morsel.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment, or a Silpat and space the rugelach a couple inches apart. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet after 15 minutes.
Remove to cooling racks and enjoy. Really enjoy!
Bon appétit!
The dough is made from cream cheese, butter and flour. That's it. The dough is quite thin and gets covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for at least two hours. At least. I let it chill for five hours. Until it was almost rock hard.
After struggling to remove the dough from the bowl, I cut it into four equal parts. Actually, eight because I had doubled the recipe. Each section is rolled out into a circle approximately nine inches in diameter. I brushed the circle with melted butter and sprinkled it with cinnamon sugar.
With the side of a spatula I cut the circle into 16 pizza-like slices. Then, starting with the outer edge, I rolled each slice into a crescent roll shaped morsel.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment, or a Silpat and space the rugelach a couple inches apart. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet after 15 minutes.
Remove to cooling racks and enjoy. Really enjoy!
Bon appétit!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
No-Bake Cookies
Some call these Peanut Butter Balls. Not my mom. Nor me. They were No-Bake Cookies when I was a kid watching mom make them, and they will remain No-Bake Cookies now that I am all grown up and making them myself. The recipe even says so. Who am I to go against mom?
This is a pretty easy recipe. At first. Cream margarine, peanut butter and powdered sugar. Then add graham cracker crumbs, walnuts, coconut and vanilla. Then it gets a little more difficult. The dough must be worked by hand. Try a hand-mixer and you will burn out the motor. A stand-up mixer just isn't big enough to do a double batch and I would never consider making just a single batch. Form the dough into one-inch balls. It will be a bit crumbly so you'll need to pack them tightly.
In a double boiler, melt milk chocolate and some baking wax. Coat the balls in the chocolate and place them on waxed paper to set. I place the waxed paper on a cookie tray so I can place it in the freezer to expedite the setting of the chocolate.
Remember what went into this recipe and you won't need me to tell you these are simply delicious. Very very delicious. But don't just take my word for it. See for yourself.
Bon appétit!
This is a pretty easy recipe. At first. Cream margarine, peanut butter and powdered sugar. Then add graham cracker crumbs, walnuts, coconut and vanilla. Then it gets a little more difficult. The dough must be worked by hand. Try a hand-mixer and you will burn out the motor. A stand-up mixer just isn't big enough to do a double batch and I would never consider making just a single batch. Form the dough into one-inch balls. It will be a bit crumbly so you'll need to pack them tightly.
In a double boiler, melt milk chocolate and some baking wax. Coat the balls in the chocolate and place them on waxed paper to set. I place the waxed paper on a cookie tray so I can place it in the freezer to expedite the setting of the chocolate.
Remember what went into this recipe and you won't need me to tell you these are simply delicious. Very very delicious. But don't just take my word for it. See for yourself.
Bon appétit!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Sugar Cookies
Today's Christmas cookie recipe is not an heirloom. It's just a sugar cookie recipe that I found online. Rather than just make plain old sugar cookies though, I added a twist. And then some.
The recipe was pretty straightforward. Almost boring. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs. Then vanilla. But wait. I substituted peppermint extract for the vanilla, and also added some green food coloring. Back to the recipe. Then the salt and flour. Chill dough for an hour.
I selected the Christmas tree template for my cookie press and dug out all the different sprinkles we have in the cupboard. Not just Christmas trees, but decorated Christmas trees.
And then everything changed. I was struggling with the cookie press, so Susie stepped up to the plate. Then we found that the trees were too small to decorate beyond simple sprinkles. And then the cookie press broke. Riggin' friggin' cheap plastic. Well, we got a bunch of cookies made. And Susie is checking on a new cookie press tomorrow. A metal one. The remainder of the dough is wrapped tightly in the refrigerator.
And, by the way, the cookies are quite tasty.
Bon appétit!
The recipe was pretty straightforward. Almost boring. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs. Then vanilla. But wait. I substituted peppermint extract for the vanilla, and also added some green food coloring. Back to the recipe. Then the salt and flour. Chill dough for an hour.
I selected the Christmas tree template for my cookie press and dug out all the different sprinkles we have in the cupboard. Not just Christmas trees, but decorated Christmas trees.
And then everything changed. I was struggling with the cookie press, so Susie stepped up to the plate. Then we found that the trees were too small to decorate beyond simple sprinkles. And then the cookie press broke. Riggin' friggin' cheap plastic. Well, we got a bunch of cookies made. And Susie is checking on a new cookie press tomorrow. A metal one. The remainder of the dough is wrapped tightly in the refrigerator.
And, by the way, the cookies are quite tasty.
Bon appétit!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Jelly Balls
Also called Thumbprints. More so than they are called Jelly Balls. In fact, my mom is the one who called them Jelly Balls. Since it is her recipe, I will call them Jelly Balls as well.
Cream butter and sugar. Then add, in succession, egg yolks, salt and flour. That's it. Then comes the tedious part. Form one-inch balls and flatten them slightly. These cookies don't spread out so I manage to fit 20 on each cookie sheet. Press a thumb into the center of each to create a small crater. Place a small amount of jam (I use raspberry or blackberry) into the crater. Bake for 20 minutes. That's all there is to it. And they are so tasty!
Bon appétit!
Cream butter and sugar. Then add, in succession, egg yolks, salt and flour. That's it. Then comes the tedious part. Form one-inch balls and flatten them slightly. These cookies don't spread out so I manage to fit 20 on each cookie sheet. Press a thumb into the center of each to create a small crater. Place a small amount of jam (I use raspberry or blackberry) into the crater. Bake for 20 minutes. That's all there is to it. And they are so tasty!
Bon appétit!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Nana's Oatmeal Cookies
Back on the Christmas Cookie production line. Nana's Oatmeal Cookies were always one of my favorites. If I had to pick just one cookie, this would be the one. The recipe comes from my paternal great-grandmother from the 19th century. The real allure of this cookie lies in the frosting.
I never had the cookies that Nana made. She was too old by that time. But her daughter-in-law, my grandmother, made them every year. She would mix the dough, form it into rolls wrapped in waxed paper and chill them. She would then slice the cookies from the chilled rolls and bake them. I did away with the rolls and the chilling and the slicing. I mix up the dough, form it into one-inch balls and gently flatten them with my hand. So much simpler! And, I triple the recipe. I even had to buy an extra large mixing bowl just for this amount of this recipe.
Tripling the cookie recipe means sextupling (Is that even a word?) the frosting recipe. I have written of this frosting before. A mixture of powdered sugar, butter, cinnamon and coffee. I make so much because I like to have some extra. I love peanut butter and frosting sandwiches.
Bon appétit!
I never had the cookies that Nana made. She was too old by that time. But her daughter-in-law, my grandmother, made them every year. She would mix the dough, form it into rolls wrapped in waxed paper and chill them. She would then slice the cookies from the chilled rolls and bake them. I did away with the rolls and the chilling and the slicing. I mix up the dough, form it into one-inch balls and gently flatten them with my hand. So much simpler! And, I triple the recipe. I even had to buy an extra large mixing bowl just for this amount of this recipe.
Tripling the cookie recipe means sextupling (Is that even a word?) the frosting recipe. I have written of this frosting before. A mixture of powdered sugar, butter, cinnamon and coffee. I make so much because I like to have some extra. I love peanut butter and frosting sandwiches.
Bon appétit!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Chocolate Crackles
From my paternal grandmother comes the recipe for Chocolate Crackles. A powdered sugar-coated chocolate cookie. I'd tell you they are a favorite of mine, but that wouldn't be fair. All my grandmother's cookies are my favorites. As with all the Christmas cookie recipes I undertake, I double this. At least.
Chocolate is melted then mixed with brown sugar and salad oil. Eggs and vanilla are then mixed in, followed by the dry ingredients flour, baking powder and salt. The nuts, which she lists as optional, finish the dough. Nuts optional? Not in my kitchen. The dough is fairly thin so it is chilled for about an hour or until firm.
I roll the dough into one-inch balls and roll them through powdered sugar, then onto an ungreased cookie sheet. (Silpat, I do love you!) Carefully, so as to avoid them rolling around on the pan, they go into a 350° oven for 10-12 minutes.
Just a personal note: while the dough is chilling, I clean up the dishes. There really is nothing quite like warm cookies from the oven with but a mixing bowl yet to be cleaned.
Bon appétit!
Chocolate is melted then mixed with brown sugar and salad oil. Eggs and vanilla are then mixed in, followed by the dry ingredients flour, baking powder and salt. The nuts, which she lists as optional, finish the dough. Nuts optional? Not in my kitchen. The dough is fairly thin so it is chilled for about an hour or until firm.
I roll the dough into one-inch balls and roll them through powdered sugar, then onto an ungreased cookie sheet. (Silpat, I do love you!) Carefully, so as to avoid them rolling around on the pan, they go into a 350° oven for 10-12 minutes.
Just a personal note: while the dough is chilling, I clean up the dishes. There really is nothing quite like warm cookies from the oven with but a mixing bowl yet to be cleaned.
Bon appétit!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Melting Moments
Today's Christmas cookie recipe is for Melting Moments. I just love these light cookies. They do melt in your mouth. As long as you're patient and don't just wolf them down. It is a challenge.
The recipe calls for flour, corn starch, confectioners sugar, butter and vanilla. I substituted lemon extract for the vanilla. Just a little twist. Beat the butter until smooth then add the lemon extract and, gradually, the dry ingredients. (They should be stirred together before adding to the butter). Here is where I encountered a problem. I doubled the recipe so I would get a yield of about 6 dozen cookies. After I was done mixing, the dough seemed pretty thin. I checked the recipe again and realized I had quadrupled the amount of butter instead of just doubling it. Ooops. So I quickly stirred another double recipe of the dry ingredients and incorporated them into the dough. Whew! So I'd end up with a dozen dozens. But who's counting? The dough is then refrigerated for an hour.
After the dough has firmed up in the refrigerator, it is formed into one-inch balls and placed on an ungreased cookie sheet. (I use a Silpat, which I absolutely love!) I have some ceramic stamps for pressing the cookies flat. I used the snowflake for this batch. I press the stamp into granulated sugar before flatting the cookies. This helps keep the dough from sticking to the stamp. Twelve minutes at 375° or until the edges start to turn golden.
It's a little difficult to make out the snowflake pattern in the picture, but who cares? They are ever so tasty!
Bon appétit!
The recipe calls for flour, corn starch, confectioners sugar, butter and vanilla. I substituted lemon extract for the vanilla. Just a little twist. Beat the butter until smooth then add the lemon extract and, gradually, the dry ingredients. (They should be stirred together before adding to the butter). Here is where I encountered a problem. I doubled the recipe so I would get a yield of about 6 dozen cookies. After I was done mixing, the dough seemed pretty thin. I checked the recipe again and realized I had quadrupled the amount of butter instead of just doubling it. Ooops. So I quickly stirred another double recipe of the dry ingredients and incorporated them into the dough. Whew! So I'd end up with a dozen dozens. But who's counting? The dough is then refrigerated for an hour.
After the dough has firmed up in the refrigerator, it is formed into one-inch balls and placed on an ungreased cookie sheet. (I use a Silpat, which I absolutely love!) I have some ceramic stamps for pressing the cookies flat. I used the snowflake for this batch. I press the stamp into granulated sugar before flatting the cookies. This helps keep the dough from sticking to the stamp. Twelve minutes at 375° or until the edges start to turn golden.
It's a little difficult to make out the snowflake pattern in the picture, but who cares? They are ever so tasty!
Bon appétit!
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Chinese Almond Cookies
There is a section in my recipe binder labeled "Heirlooms." This particular group of recipes sees the light of day primarily in December. Here is where the cookie recipes from my mom, both grandmothers and my great-grandmother Nana are found. I am the official holiday cookie baker in the family and I declare it officially to be Christmas Cookie season.
I am starting with Chinese Almond Cookies, one of my mom's recipes. I usually start with this recipe because they hold up well in the freezer while I get the other cookies made over the course of the month. That, and they are pretty easy to make. Sift together the dry ingredients, cut in the butter, add egg and almond extract, roll into balls and place an almond on top while pressing down gently to flatten. Then bake. I did say it was a pretty easy recipe, didn't I? I have even simplified step one a bit. Instead of sifting the dry ingredients together, I just use a wire whisk and accomplish the say thing.
Bon appétit!
I am starting with Chinese Almond Cookies, one of my mom's recipes. I usually start with this recipe because they hold up well in the freezer while I get the other cookies made over the course of the month. That, and they are pretty easy to make. Sift together the dry ingredients, cut in the butter, add egg and almond extract, roll into balls and place an almond on top while pressing down gently to flatten. Then bake. I did say it was a pretty easy recipe, didn't I? I have even simplified step one a bit. Instead of sifting the dry ingredients together, I just use a wire whisk and accomplish the say thing.
Bon appétit!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Halloween Cookies
I bought a cookie press thinking ahead to the Christmas cookies I make every year. Lo and behold there was a pumpkin template. With Halloween just around the corner, I was off to the races. I made three batches: one following the recipe that was on the back of the cookie press packaging, one substituting lemon extract for the vanilla and almond extract, and one using maple flavoring. To color the dough I used equal parts of red and yellow food colorings. Somewhere between 1/2 tsp. and a full tsp. They came out of the oven warm and yummy. Susie decorated them with cheery little faces and stems. Little do the happy little cookies know of their fate. I do know. And I know I love my new cookie press.
Bon appétit!
Bon appétit!
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