Mad for madeleines.

I often see madeleines sold in bakeries or at cafes, wrapped, usually in twos, in clear cellophane bags.  They look so delicate and special, almost precious, which always made me curious about them.  They aren't shaped like the average cookie, but are like sea shells on one side with a dimple (or zit) on the other.  I have to admit there is an appeal to the idea of sipping tea while taking bites out of these dainty cookies, and honestly, my weakness is anything cute (which these cookies are).

Deciding to do a little baking today, when it comes to pastries, my heart is still in Paris.  I bought a mini-madeleine pan some months ago and have been itching to try a madeleine recipe out. 

After making financiers, I thought these would be similarly easy to make.  I soon found out that getting the batter to perfectly bake into the mold and achieving the dimple on each cookie were trickier than it looked.  Estimating the right amount of batter for each mold took several tries, and I was only able to get the slightest dimple by baking them on the top third rack of the oven.  But I also missed the instruction to freeze the pan after brushing each mold with butter and dusting them with flour, which could have helped produce the elusive dimple.  My madeleines may not look as perfect as the ones from the bakeries and cafes, but the taste and texture were pretty close.

Orange Madeleines

makes about 54 mini madeleines

adapted from David Lebovitz's The Sweet Life in Paris

Butter and flour the molds of the madeleine pan (and put in freezer until ready to bake).

1.  Melt 8 T. of unsalted butter, and cool to room temperature.

2.  Grate the zest of one orange.

3.  In a mixing bowl, whip the following until frothy and thick, approximately 5 minutes:

- 3 large eggs at room temperature

- 2/3 cup sugar

4.  Sift and fold by hand into the batter in #2:

- 1-1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

- 1 t. baking powder

5.  Add orange zest to the melted butter, then spoon the butter into the batter, folding the batter to just incorporate the butter after each few spoonfuls.  

6.  Cover the mixing bowl and refrigerate the batter for at least one hour (and up to 12 hours).

7.  When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425F degrees.  Scoop out batter into each mold--this should be enough to fill into the mold when baking, but do not spread the batter.  

8.  For mini-madeleines, bake on the upper third rack of the oven for approximately 6 minutes until light brown and slightly firm.

Dreaming.

 
In 2 days, it'll be Christmas.  Another year has come and gone, and somehow Christmas has snuck up on me again.  As an adult, time goes by so quickly, but as a child, Christmas couldn't come soon enough.  I sometimes think about that eagerness and earnestness and wish for a little while I could return to that innocence when my biggest anxiety was wondering what was waiting for me under the tree.  The world seemed simpler back then--but maybe what's changed is my own awareness of how life moves around me.  And with the bustle of this time of year, there seems to be barely time to savor the season.  Speaking with a friend this evening, she mentioned how someone was talking about spending less time getting presents and spending more time in the presence of friends.  Though there is something to be said for showing love to others tangibly with gifts, quality time with loved ones is priceless.

One of my favorite holiday movies growing up is White Christmas.  There are no special effects, no sophisticated story lines, but the premise is simple: Christmas can be a time to show appreciation to others while expecting nothing in return (and you can sing and dance while you're at it).  This year I won't be dreaming of a white Christmas (I've given that idea up long ago, since it never snows where I live).  But I'll be dreaming of quality (and peaceful) time spent with those I care about.

Attempt #1

My Christmas recipe this year is for ricciarelli, Sienese almond cookies (I might have mentioned them in a prior blog about my trip to Italy, I can't remember).  I loved these in Italy, and I've tried making this three times now, trying to get them to look and taste somewhat similar to what I had in Siena, but I can't seem to get it right.  The first time, they were too wet and spread out too thinly.  The second time, they were almost too dense--perhaps because of the almond flour I used.  The third time, they puffed up like pillows.  They may not have looked like how I remembered them but they all still tasted pretty amazing, and the white dusting of powdered sugar make them perfectly festive for the holiday season.  There may not be snow here but these might do as a substitute.  Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

Attempt #3

Ricciarelli
Adapted 
Makes about 20 cookies

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

1.  Mix together in a bowl:
- 3 cups almond flour
- 1 cup superfine sugar (regular granulated works too)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 t. baking powder
- grated zest of one medium orange

2.  In a separate bowl, beat until soft peaks:
- 2 egg whites

3.  Stir egg whites into almond flour mixture from #1 using a spoon.  The mixture should be a sticky mass.

4.  Spoon out lumps of dough with a tablespoon and form into oval or diamond shapes approximately 1 cm thick and 2 to 2-1/2 inches long.  Roll in powdered sugar, and place on the cookie sheet 1/2 inch apart.  Sift powdered sugar over cookies.  

5.  Allow cookies to dry for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature before baking.  This is an important step to get the right texture.

6.  When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 275F degrees.  Bake the cookies for 30 minutes, until the outside is firm.  Cookies should be crunchy and chewy on the outside and soft on the inside.  Cool completely before serving.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

Pretty in pink

The forecast for today said chance of rain with a high of 57 degrees and a low of 44.  Yesterday, Easter Sunday (one of my favorite days of the year not only because it marks the arrival of Spring but even more so because of all it really means), the weather was cold and rainy.  Could someone remind me what time of the year this is?  I've always loved rain and colder weather--during the right season--but now I'm itching for Spring to come full bloom so I can let my (pasty) legs see some sun finally.  I've even prepared my wardrobe for Spring with floral prints, but instead I am wrapped up in turtle necks and wool coats.   

Regardless of the weather condition, Spring always says "girly" to me.  It anticipates freshness, flowing flowery dresses and pink tulips.  For a bridal shower I helped throw recently, we pulled out all the stops and celebrated all the girlishness that is appropriate (and possibly bearable) for a bridal shower in the Spring.  The theme was *pink*, and we showed little restraint in how we used the color: pink table cloths, pink plates, pink cups, pink napkins, shower games on pink paper, pink desserts, all a la Martha Stewart.  Only after the shower was over did I check with the bride-to-be on whether she even liked the color pink, which to my relief, she said she did.  Or maybe she was being nice.

My contribution to the shower consisted of yellow cupcakes with pink buttercream and pink sprinkles and pink frosted heart-shaped sugar cookies for the guests to bring home--tied up with a pretty pink bow, of course.  The recipe I used is my favorite sugar cookie recipe which consistently yields what I think is the perfect texture (a little soft but very buttery).  Someone even said it was better than the sugar cookies from a well-known bakery in the area.  I don't think I'm someone who needs many compliments, but hearing stuff like that makes me all giddy inside. 

Sugar cookies with royal icing
Adapted from Sherry Yard's The Secrets of Baking
Makes about 18 4" heart-shaped cookies

1.  Cream the following with an electric mixer on low to medium until light:
- 12 T. (1-1/2 sticks) of unsalted butter

2.  Add the following and continue creaming on medium:
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 1/4 t. of salt
- 1 t. vanilla extract


3.  Mix in the following, one at a time, each until combined and scraping down the bowl in between:
- 1 large egg
- 1-3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour


4.  Once the dough is evenly combined, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.  When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F degrees with the rack positioned to the lower third of the oven.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Roll out the dough to about 1/3" thickness and cut into your shape of choice using cookie cutters.  Place on the baking sheet about 1" apart.  It's helpful to refrigerate the cut-out cookie dough about 15 minutes before baking to prevent the cookies from losing their shape when they bake.


5.  Place one baking sheet in the oven and bake for approximately 13 minutes or until firm and very lightly brown on the edges.  Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.


6.  To make the royal icing, combine the following in mixing bowl with an electric mixer on low:
- 1 large egg white (I sometimes use powdered egg whites since I can be a little paranoid about salmonella poisoning)
- 1 t. of lemon juice or vanilla
- 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
Once the mixture is smooth, the consistency should be ideal for piping.  To spread, add 1 t. of water at a time and continue mixing until the frosting thins out but is still thick enough to spread on the cookies.

Everything nice.

In case you haven't picked it up by now, I'm kind of lazy. I applaud the return to simplicity but really all that means is that I don't want to put out a ton of effort when I bake or cook. I like things that are easy to make (but tasty), and I'll sacrifice presentation for convenience (unless I'm going to serve it to guests or something). Now that I've been baking and blogging for about 3/4 of a year, I realize that it's because I am so painfully slow when I bake and cook (and maybe even slower when writing my posts?!). When recipes include an estimated time to completion, without fail, I exceed that time period. I'm not even referring to Rachel Ray's recipes, which, as we know, take more than 30 minutes (I'm not docking her, I know few who can make a "real" full meal in under 30 minutes).

I can't really pinpoint what I'm doing inefficiently--although I do try to keep things tidy while I bake because I don't like to make a mess. Prep time (not including baking time) for something like chocolate chip cookies is rarely half an hour, as quoted. If I were to undertake a slightly more elaborate endeavor, say a chocolate cake with frosting, I could easily spend half a day in the kitchen. Making something like frosted cut-out cookies becomes a whole day affair.

For this reason, I love today's recipe (actually, what I mean is, I love the cookies you can make from this recipe). Again, it's "simple" but so appealing. Cinnamon and sugar is always a winning combination in my book (think cinnamon rolls or one of my favorite sugary cereals, Cinnamon Toast Crunch!). Plus I've been reading studies that cinnamon helps lower blood sugar levels, so these cookies can't be that bad for you (don't believe it). The recipe is from Sherry Yard, again, and it has an old-fashioned flair to it because it uses cream of tartar and baking soda, which predates the concept of baking powder. With prep time coming in at under 30 minutes, this will be a recipe I'll come back to in a pinch when I'm craving something sweet.

Snickerdoodles
Adapted from Sherry Yard's The Secrets of Baking
Makes about 2-1/2 dozen cookies

1. Sift together the following in a bowl, then set aside:
- 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 t. baking soda
- 1/2 t. cream of tartar

2. Using a mixer on medium, cream until color becomes lighter:
- 1 stick unsalted butter, cut in 1 inch cubes

3. On medium speed, mix in until smooth:
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1-1/2 t. cinnamon
- 1/8 t. salt
- 1-1/2 t. vanilla

4. Scrape down the side of the mixing bowl, then fully incorporate (but don't over mix):
- 1 large egg

5. Add in the flour mixture from #1, mixing on low, until dough is even. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

6. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and arrange the rack to the lower third of the oven. Line two cookies sheets with parchment paper.

7. In a small bowl, mix together by hand:
- 1 T. cinnamon
- 2-1/2 T. sugar

8. Removing the dough from the refrigerator, roll the dough into one-inch balls. Coat each ball with the cinnamon and sugar mixture from #7. Place each ball about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.

9. Bake each sheet individually for approximately 13 minutes. Cookies should be dry on the outside.

10. Allow the cookies to cool for about 10 minutes, then serve (or save some to store).

Hidden treasures.

Even though I really enjoy looking at other people's blogs and seeing their creativity, I am terrible at following them consistently. For that reason, it makes me really appreciate when people leave comments or tell me they love reading my blog--I know that it takes time to do something like that. And it's knowing that people read this that helps keep me going. So for today, I'd like to spotlight one of my readers, who has played a part in helping me keep my endeavor up. I'll refer to her as "Bikegal", the alias she uses in her comments, and I've asked her to be a guest blogger on this site to share a recipe that she discovered recently. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks so much Bikegal--they look yummy!


Cookies are a mystery to me. You can do everything right from the perfect dough to the ideal convection oven, it can still come out flat as a pancake. Just as I had nearly given up my search for the perfect cookie recipe, life presented me with an opportunity to redeem myself; road trip and the Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Book of Cookies! That's right, a road trip means many hours in a car which means a need to snack. The Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Book of Cookies that has gotten lost in my kitchen cabinet has over 475 recipes so the odds are definitely in my favor. I wanted cocoa for its health values and almond butter because I like the taste. BHG didn't let me down and I was able to find this cookie recipe which turned out to be a real jewel!

The original recipe is peanut butter filled chocolate cookie but since I loved almond butter, I simply switched the main ingredient. I was a little nervous how this would alter the consistency and taste but it didn't seem to be an issue.


Almond Butter-Filled Chocolate Cookies
Adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Book of Cookies recipe

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup almond butter
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar (I skipped the sifting)
1/2 cup almond butter

1. In a medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat butter, the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and the 1/4 cup almond butter with an electric mixer until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour mixture with a wooden spoon. Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls (should have 32) set aside. I ended up with 24 since I made bigger cookies.

2. For almond butter filling, in a medium bowl stir together powdered sugar and the 1/2 cup almond butter until smooth. Shape mixture into 1/4 inch balls. (should have 32). * I didn't bother to shape it into a balls but just generally mixed it together and it was just in a large clump.

3. On a work surface, or in your hands, slightly flatten each chocolate dough ball and top with an almond butter ball. * I just peeled off a small clump from the bigger clump. Roll dough into balls.

4. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

5. Bake in a 350 degree about 8 minutes or until just set and surface is slightly cracked. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool. * In a convection oven, the cookie sheet placed closed to top of oven was done in 8 minutes but sheets on the lower shelf took an extra 5 minutes.

A bite into the almond butter inside the cookie was like finding the hidden treasure that is the ultimate flat proof cookie recipe!

A new believer?

I think I am back on my oatmeal kick. Yes, again. I can't seem to help it. Every time I make cookies, I just want to add oatmeal to it. There's something about the texture I can't get enough of. And lately, I've been in a sort of cookie mood which gets me back into the oatmeal mood. For a while I was eating brownies and a lot of chocolate anything, but maybe I needed a little break from the decadence. I know, impossible, right? Who ever needs a break from chocolate?

My coworkers organized a potluck for today, which meant an opportunity to try another cookie recipe. This is how much I needed a break from chocolate--I made oatmeal cookies with white chocolate. I have never really understood the appeal of white chocolate. White chocolate is real chocolate stripped of everything that makes it irresistible, the lesser distant relative to the granddaddy of all confection, the wannabe in the cocoa butter sphere...you get the picture. In my past experience with white chocolate desserts (and by that, I just mean eating desserts with white chocolate), I always thought its sweetness outweighed and overshadowed any real flavor--there was no real flavor to white chocolate except sweet.

I adapted a recipe from foodnetwork.com that called for dried peaches. Dried apricots are easier to find, and with this new element to the oatmeal cookie repertoire, I thought white chocolate really could be the better complement in something like this combination. After trying out one of the cookies, it was the right creamy texture and sweetness to bring out the oatmeal, walnuts and dried apricots. I may be a new believer in white chocolate just yet, and there really can be a use for white chocolate--at least when it comes to cookies. I think I may even elevate it to first cousin or something like that to real chocolate.


Apricots and Cream Oatmeal Cookies
Adapted from Sunny Anderson's recipe on foodnetwork.com
Makes about 1-1/2 dozen 3" cookies

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

1. Whisk together in a bowl with a wire whisk:
- 3/4 cup of unbleached all purpose flour
- 1/2 t. baking soda
- 1/4 t. salt

2. Cream together in another bowl with an electric mixer:
- 1/2 cup (or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar

3. Gradually mix in to the the butter mixture from #2, each of the following in order:
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 t. vanilla
- flour mixture from #1
- 1-1/2 cups rolled oats
- 3/4 cup chopped dried apricots
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips

4. Form the cookie dough into approximately 18 balls, spacing each one about 3 inches apart on the baking sheet. Press each ball down with your fingers or palm to about 1/2 inch thick disks.

5. Bake for about 12 minutes or until the tops turn golden. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Morning glory.

I am a slow riser. There are people who get up, make themselves a cup of coffee, read the morning paper, watch the morning news, maybe even go for a jog or walk their dog, and then get ready for their day. I am not one of those people. I have perfected my morning routine to take less than 15 minutes to get ready for work so I can stay in bed for as long as absolutely possible. Of course, I sacrifice a few things in doing so--such as never changing my hairdo or uncoordinated handbags and shoes, but what is that in comparison to an extra 5 minutes of sleep?

On Sunday, I ran a 10K with some friends in the city (I'm referring to San Francisco--somehow it's just become known as "The City" to those who reside in Northern California, as though there really aren't any other cities in comparison) which started at 8AM. 8AM! Not to mention the drive to get there. This was going to be a challenge. Maybe it was the race jitters or fear (most likely fear because I didn't feel that ready for it), but I was up extra early, and running 6+ miles at 8AM in the morning turned out to be a pretty awesome and awe-inspiring experience.

The route included running across the Golden Gate Bridge, which was something I've always wanted to do, and the morning was simply glorious with the clear blue skies, glassy ocean, lush hills, and bright shining sun. It was as though just for that day, San Francisco's fog lifted and let the sun shine to lead me to the finish line (okay, a bit over-dramatic). There are times when I see something and wish I could reproduce that image I have in mind in a photograph--this is one of those times, just so I could show you how breathtaking it was.

I won't try to convince you that my breakfast cookies I baked last night were just like that, inspiring and glorious. They're full of whole wheat, oats, nuts, that wholesome stuff. They're not bad at all, actually, but they do make me feel good when I start the day with one (translation = healthy--remember, I'm a health nut!), and I like that they're called "cookies" instead of something like "bars", because it tricks me into thinking it's a really special bad-for-you kind of treat or reward. I used dried cranberries and pecans, but you can use any fruit and nut combination, or even chocolate chips! It won't be a jog across the Golden Gate Bridge on a bright, beautiful morning, but it might be enough to get me out of bed a little earlier than usual--just a little.


Breakfast Cookies
Adapted from Ellie Krieger on foodnetwork.com
Makes about a dozen

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

1. Whisk together the following ingredients in a bowl with a wire whisk:
- 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 t. baking soda
- 1 t. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 t. salt

2. In another bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the following on medium to high speed until combined:
- 2 T. unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1/2 cup brown sugar or honey

3. Add the following to the mixture from #2 and mix until combined:
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup apple sauce (or strained carrot baby food, according to the original recipe)
- 1 t. vanilla extract

4. Combine the flour mixture from #1 into the mixture from #3.

5. Fold in the following:
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup roasted, chopped pecans

6. Shape the dough into balls about 2-1/2" and flatten to about 1/4" thickness on the baking sheet. Be sure to leave about 3" in between each cookie. Bake for 14 minutes, and cool on rack.

Button up.

I just finished baking some disastrous muffins. I guess that's a little extreme, how about very unsatisfying? I attempted to create something of my own instead of following someone else's recipe. I had extra buttermilk and chocolate chips, and I was kind of in the mood for something heartier and healthier like oatmeal, so I thought I'd mix the flavors and make "chocolate oatmeal buttermilk muffins". Now that I write it out, it doesn't sound as appealing as I thought it would. While they smelled wonderful out of the oven, they were almost too tangy and sank a little in the middle. At least they weren't dense and are still edible, but I didn't feel like they were worth sharing about (or taking pictures of). I'll stick with other people's recipes for now. So instead of writing to you about the muffins tonight, I'm going to resurrect a thumb-print cookie I mentioned before and made back in December, which I thought came out delectable!

I decided on this recipe for this post also partially because the cookies look a little like buttons to me and on Saturday night, some friends and I celebrated a birthday by finally watching "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". (Okay, maybe a little bit of a stretch with the whole button connection thing.) It was a great movie that prompted me to think about life and relationships (though it wasn't quite as amazing as I expected or hoped for based on what other people said, but I'd still recommend it, if you haven't seen it). The movie did have a fascinating concept (I discovered at the end of the movie that it was based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald) and was beautifully made; and one of the lines that stuck out in my mind was Mrs. Maple's response when Benjamin, in his early years still looking like an elderly, asked the question of why people die (or maybe it was why we lose people we love, I can't remember exactly). She explained that we're meant to lose the people we love, otherwise we wouldn't know how much they mean to us. How sad to think how true that can be, and it made me hope that I would appreciate how much people mean to me before I lose them.

But anyway, I don't mean to bring you down with that! The original recipe for these cookies is from the December issue of Martha Stewart's Living, and instead of making a key lime filling, as the magazine suggests, I used apricot jam, which did the job perfectly--and quickly. The buttery cookie itself melts in your mouth, while the jam lends a counterbalancing sweet chewiness. My version did come out quite smaller (and much less perfect) than those in the magazine. Nonetheless, they were still cute as...(wait for it) a button (sorry).

Thumbprint (button) Cookies
Adapted from Martha Stewart's Living
Makes about 80 one inch cookies

Cookie dough ingredients:
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 t. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) of butter, softened
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
2 large yolks
1 t. vanilla extract

Cookie filling:
1/2 cup of your favorite jam

Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Cream the butter with sugar using a mixer on low to medium speed until the butter is fluffy and light. Continue beating, adding the vanilla and egg yolks. Once combined, mix in the flour and salt on low. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for about an hour (the dough can be refrigerated overnight).

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325F degrees and line baking pans with parchment paper. Roll the dough into 3/4" balls (about a heaping teaspoon). Using the handle of a wooden spoon or something similar, make indentations in the center of the balls. Spoon jam into the centers. Using the center to upper third racks of the oven and rotating baking sheets midway through, bake for about 12 minutes or until the cookies brown very slightly on the edges. Transfer cookies to cool on a wire rack, and dust powdered sugar over them (I liked the cookies without the powdered sugar as well).

Nice and easy.

This one's going to be kind of a quickie. With Christmas having come and gone, I feel a little spent. It seems to happen every year--all the anticipation and preparation for the holidays, and the next thing I know, it's over, and everything goes back to normal, and I'm wondering what just happened, like I didn't savor the moment enough. It doesn't help that I have to go back to work tomorrow--although it does help that this week will be a short work week with New Year's just a couple of days away! But what a reminder of how quickly time goes by.

Right before I left work for the Christmas holiday, my department had a cookie exchange. Each person was to bring 2 or 3 different batches of cookies to swap and bring home. I had never done this before, and apparently, there is a website devoted specifically to the cookie exchange, with rules and everything! I don't know if we necessarily followed any rules, but it was still fun, and next year I might try it with some friends. One of the cookies I decided to make were coconut macaroons. I love their almost crunchy outside and chewy inside--and how incredibly easy they are to make! I found the recipe in The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift, which is based on NPR's food show (a fun cookbook to read!). This was my first time making coconut macaroons, and I wondered why I had never made them before. I'm considering making them again for an upcoming New Year's Eve party (and maybe dip them in chocolate!) so I can have time to savor the last moments of 2008 instead of spending them in the kitchen (although, I might be tempted to try a cheesecake brownie recipe I came across recently--which didn't look difficult either--instead...hm...).


Coconut Macaroons
(adapted from the recipe for Sally's Coconut Macaroons from The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper)
makes about 40 small cookies

2 large eggs
3/4 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla extract
3 cups shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and grease the baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. Beat the eggs in a large bowl with a wire whisk, then add the sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Whisk all the ingredients together until combined well. Mix in the coconut. Using a regular teaspoon (not the measuring kind), spoon mounds of coconut mixture onto baking sheet (or you can be a little fancy and pipe them on to the baking sheet with a pastry bag and star-shaped tip--but I didn't bother). Bake the cookies on the second to the top rack of the oven for about 20 minutes or until they turn a toasty brown (mine could have been just a little browner), then cool on a cooling rack. (So easy!)

At last!

Standing in line, eagerly waiting to get in, I could peer through the window and watch as a worker lets what looks like deep, rich chocolate ganache cascade over equally decadent layers of chocolate cake. Witnessing such finesse, I knew I was in for a treat. A couple of weeks ago, some friends and I made a trip into San Francisco to visit the De Young Museum, and made a side trip to a bakery (the bakery was more of a highlight than the museum!). From the outside, you would not even know what it was--there are no signs, and it looks like an average quaint cafe characteristic of San Francisco, but once inside, it was unmistakable where we were. The glass case full of enticing pastries, cakes, cookies and breads, announced loud and clear that were at Tartine(!). As in, the Tartine, one of those elite bakeries that has a best-selling, award-winning cookbook bearing its name. The worst part of the experience was having to choose what to order--I wanted to try everything! In the end, I opted for a chocolate hazelnut tart, glazed gingerbread, and olive bread. I was not disappointed. And after one bite out of the gingerbread, I knew I had to find the recipe.

I am always on the hunt for the consummate gingerbread cookie recipe--one that would produce the perfect balance of taste and texture. I like my gingerbread cookies to be soft and chewy (though still holding its shape), and sweet and spicey (but one flavor cannot overtake the other). Tartine's gingerbread was everything I could have dreamed of in a gingerbread cookie. Did I just say dream?! You could say I'm a little enthusiastic about this gingerbread cookie. Searching for the recipe turned out to be easy--it was in the Tartine cookbook! But I had doubts about it--I could not believe they would they reveal their trade secrets.

The original Soft Glazed Gingerbread recipe from Tartine calls for some surprising ingredients. Freshly ground black pepper?! Cloves and cinammon are more typical spices for gingerbread, but black pepper? This made me hesitate, and I scaled back a little on how much to use. This was also the first gingerbread cookie recipe I've seen that calls for cocoa powder. Though it is not uncommon for recipes to use corn syrup (as the original Tartine recipe here does), I have an aversion to using it in my baking because of all the bad press regarding health effects it has received. In general, I prefer to use organic and more "wholesome" ingredients when possible, and I had to find a substitute that could work. I considered using honey instead, but when it came time to mixing the dough, I realized I was out! After looking through my pantry and refrigerator again, I only had maple syrup, so maple syrup it was. Instead of blackstrap molasses, I used a light molasses from Brer Rabbit, and instead of regular salt, I used sea salt. One bite of my own gingerbread cookie, and I knew this was it--this was the end of my search!

For my last post before Christmas, this is my gift to you, the perfect gingerbread cookie recipe. May you have a wonderful and joyous Christmas!


Gingerbread Cookies
(Adapted from the recipe for Tartine's Soft Glazed Gingerbread)
Tartine uses a patterned rolling pin to roll out the gingerbread, which gives the cookie an antique feel, and cuts them into sizable rectangles. I don't have a patterned rolling pin, so I cut the gingerbread out in the shape of teddy bears. This recipe makes about 32 teddy bear shaped cookies, each about 4".

1 cup (or 2 sticks) of unsalted butter, room temperature
4/5 cup of granulated sugar

3-3/4 unbleached all-purpose flour
1 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
4 t. ground ginger
1-1/2 t. ground cloves
2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. sea salt
1 t. freshly ground black pepper

1 large egg
1/2 cup light molasses
2 T. maple syrup

Mix together the dry ingredients (except the granulated sugar) using a wire whisk to remove any lumps. In another bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter on medium to low until the butter is fluffy. Cream in the sugar. Scrape down the side of the bowl, then mix in the egg. Continue mixing on medium to low, adding the molasses and maple syrup. Slowly add in the flour mixture, until the ingredients are combined and the dough begins to form and stick together. Divide the dough in half and flatten each into a disk about 1 to 2 inches thick. Wrap the pieces of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

When you're ready to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes. During this time, preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line the baking sheets with parchment paper. Between two pieces of wax paper or parchment paper, roll out each disk to about 1/4" thickness, and cut out the dough into your desired shapes with cookie cutters. Transfer each cookie shape with a spatula onto the cookie sheet, leaving about 1" between each cookie. Bake on the top third rack of the oven for about 10 minutes, but this may vary depending on the size of each cookie. Cookies are done when the surface is smooth and slightly firm. Cool the cookies on a wire rack.

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
4 t. water

Using a wire whisk, combine the powdered sugar with the water. If the mixture is too thick, add a little bit of water, 1/2 t. at a time. The glaze should be on the thick side, but thin enough to be brushed over the cookies.

After the cookies have cooled completely, brush the glaze over the cookies and allow the glaze to dry. Store the cookies in an airtight container.

'Tis the season.

I've had a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit so far this year. Maybe it's the influx of news about the state of the economy or just being caught up in the everyday distractions that life brings (like having car troubles, which happened to me on Tuesday). Our household also doesn't have a Christmas tree or anything--not that having a tree is what Christmas is all about, but it's always a nice touch. On Wednesday, though, my coworker gave me a snowman cookie jar. Well, actually, she made an "unfortunate" pick in a white elephant gift exchange and she didn't like it, so she gave it away to anyone who would take it--and I was that person. It's not the cutest cookie jar (I saw one today at Target that was much cuter), but for some reason, it kind of makes me happy thinking we now have a little snowman in our living room.

Of course, a cookie jar requires cookies. How perfect it is that this is the season for cookies! If you go to Foodnetwork.com, they have a special "Twelve Days of Cookies" (of which yesterday was the last day!), and the cover of the December issue of Martha Stewart Living is an assortment of holiday cookies. (Yes, I admit that I have a subscription to her magazine! You can't argue that she does some pretty amazing stuff, though.) I noticed that the chocolate chip cookie doesn't seem to rank among the holiday cookies. I'm not sure why that is--maybe they're not special or pretty enough?

Instead of making one of the fancy holiday cookies, I decided to pull out a chocolate chip cookie recipe, adapted from Jacques Torres, the chocolate-master himself, that was published in the New York Times over the summer. I'd like to think it's a pretty special chocolate chip cookie recipe. Two components that make it stand out include the requirement to chill the dough at least 24 hours, which gives it a deeper flavor and a more "handsome" color (that's what the New York Times said). The second thing that makes this recipe unique is the emphasis on salt. Instead of being incorporated into the batter, sea salt is sprinkled on top as a finishing touch, which accents the other flavors.

The recipe calls for cake flour and bread flour. I didn't have either, so I used unbleached all-purpose flour. Jacques Torres also recommends using Valrhona feves (chocolate disks), which can be found at Whole Foods. Valrhona is very good quality chocolate, and some famous bakeries (like Tartine--I went there last week! More about that another time, though...) use their chocolate. I'm a believer in using good quality chocolate when I can, but I kind of didn't feel like going to Whole Foods to get them, so I used my trustworthy standby: semi-sweet chocolate chips from Trader Joe's. The cookies still turned out pretty special to me. And if you look close enough, they kind of sparkle, too.

(Oh, before I get into the recipe, I wanted to tell you that I set up my own Amazon store this week! You'll find the link to it on the left hand column. I thought it'd be fun to hand pick some things that I like (mostly related to baking and cooking, but also other items) and share them with you. I hope you'll check it out; I'll be updating it from time to time.)

Chocolate Chip Cookies
(adapted from the New York Times' adaptation of the recipe from Jacques Torres)
Makes about 18 cookies, each about five inches

3-1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1-1/4 t. baking soda
1-1/2 t. baking powder

1-1/4 cup (or 2-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1-1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 t. vanilla

1-1/4 lbs. chocolate chips (or Valrhona feves, as suggested)
sea salt

Sift the dry ingredients, except for the sugar, together in a bowl, and set aside. (Actually, when I did this the other day, I mixed the dry ingredients together with a wire whisk. Still turned out great.).

In another bowl, using a mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together. Once creamed, add one egg at a time, beating on medium-low speed, until incorporated well. Then add the vanilla. Slowly mix in the dry ingredient mixture on low until the dough comes together and pulls away from the side of the bowl. Add in the chocolate chips and mix until the chocolate chips are evenly distributed. (If using the chocolate disks, be careful not to break the disks. I usually do this step by hand, even when using regular chocolate chips--gives my arms a good work out, too.) Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours (up to 72 hours).

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Take the cookie dough out of the refrigerator and let it stand for about 15 minutes. During that time, grease the baking sheets or line them parchment paper (or Silpat, if you prefer to use that). Shape clumps of dough into balls about two inches in diameter. Space each cookie dough ball about three to four inches apart, and sprinkle each with sea salt.

If using two baking sheets, bake on the top two racks in the oven for about 18-20 minutes, switching baking sheets on the racks about 10 minutes into baking. Keep a close eye on the cookies toward the end of the baking time, since it's very easy to overbake them! They should be done when the dough has spread and they are slightly browning. The cookies seem to brown a little more while cooling. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a cookie rack to cool completely.