orange-cardamom cookies

I am one of those people who tears recipes out of magazines and let's this enormous pile amass on my desk. Then, a few times a year I go through the pile and I neatly file the recipes into these (totally type-A) binders in my home office...and then I usually forget to go look at the binders, until the next time I am busy filing a stack of recipes. This recipe, however, stuck in my mind and I did go dig it out of the office last night. With cooking I just wing it, and come up with my own recipes. Those of you who bake know you can't wing it. This probably explains why I don't call myself a baker any other time except Christmas...Anyway, I made these last night and they are amazing. Think dense shortbread-like cookie with the flowery, Indian taste of cardamom alongside the zest of orange. Not too sweet. Perfect with a cup of tea. An adult cookie.

Here are the caveats:

• This recipe is a lot more work than I usually like to spend on a recipe (unless it's my go-to gingerbread or a batch of traditional sugar cookie cut-outs around Christmas). If you're looking for a quick cookie, skip this one.
• I love the taste of cardamom, but give the spice a sniff before you make a double batch to make sure you like it too!
• These cookies aren't going to elicit a lot of oohs and ahhs on a cookie exchange table...they're simple: round and white, flecked with a bit of orange zest and a drizzle of royal icing if you add that. That said, they pack a lot of interesting flavor into their demure appearance.

Assuming you are undeterred by my caveats, let's go! I'm reprinting the Gourmet recipe here + giving you a few pictures of the recipe in action, so you have everything in one place:

Orange-Cardamom Cookies

(makes 2 dozen cookies)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

zest of 2 large oranges

1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom (ground)

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar (I used Turbinado)

1 egg yolk

2 Tablespoons heavy cream

parchment paper

Royal Icing (optional):

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tablespoon powdered egg whites

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4-1/2 cup warm water

To make the dough:

Mix flour, orange zest, cardamom and salt. Beat butter, sugar, yolk and cream with a hand-mixer until well blended and fluffy. At low-speed, mix in the flour until dough forms. It will be very granular. Split the dough into four portions and wrap them in parchment or plastic wrap and store in fridge until firm (about 2 hours).

To bake the cookies:

Preheat oven to 350. Roll out 1 piece of dough, in between 2 pieces of parchment paper until it's about 1/8 inch thick. (You must do it this way. I tried to simply roll the dough on a floured surface and it did not work!! The dough broke apart in a crumbly mess.) Cut dough into circles, using a cookie cutter, and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet, 1 inch apart. The original recipe says you can only re-roll the scraps once...but I am not much of a baker (or spatial planner apparently), so I definitely did it several more times until all of the dough was cut... Bake for 9-12 minutes, until edges are golden. Cool on baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

If you choose to drizzle with royal icing:

Combine the powdered sugar, egg white powder, vanilla and warm water until desired consistency (should be like thick glue, malleable to drizzle with a spoon or spatula but not runny). Drizzle across cooled cookies. Let icing harden before storing cookies in an airtight container, or freezing a batch.

I did not read that the dough was supposed to be pressed into a disk shape before chilling it in the fridge. I made these balls of dough and wrapped each one in parchment paper...but rolling it out would have certainly been easier if I'd made them disks instead! (P.S. That's a double batch of dough you're seeing here.)

So, when it came time to roll, I had to press down on each one to get it into that disk shape before grabbing the rolling pin...

Rolling each ball of dough out first time was tough...

but eventually each ball of dough became a nice, even disk ready to be cut.

While the cookies tasted amazing: not too sweet, full of flavor...they looked a little too plain for a Christmas cookie...

so I did drizzle each one with a bit of royal icing. And that little additional bit of sweetness made them perfect.

kerry's super simple coconut macaroons

My friend, Kerry, told me about these Real Simple coconut macaroons, which she and her children have been whipping up as holiday gifts. I'd never made macaroons, though I do love a good, chewy macaroon. So, last night, we gave these a test whirl. Not only are they delicious, but they are so simple to make...perfect for little hands that want to help!

Real Simple's Coconut Macaroons

(makes 50 teaspoon-sized macaroons)

14 oz bag of sweetened shredded coconut

4 egg whites

2/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon of salt

parchment paper

round measuring spoon: teaspoon

Preheat oven to 325. Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl, using a hand-mixer. The original recipe says to "drop packed tablespoonful onto a parchment lined baking sheet". At Kerry advice, we did teaspoonful and they were plenty big, especially since they're so sweet! Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Will store for 7 days in an airtight container, if they last that long.

For extra decadence, you can make them chocolate dipped, though I thought that seemed unnecessary, since they were so delicious as is...

Holiday Baking: Biscotti with Dried Cranberries and Pistachios

Last night, after tucking the boys in, I baked the edible portion of this year's preschool teacher gifts. While I am a fan of assemble and then let do its' cooking/simmering thing, a few of my go-to recipes are worth having to be a little attentive during the preparation. One would be my Farro-Butternut Squash Risotto. The other would be these homemade Biscotti with Dried Cranberries and Pistachios. This is a recipe passed on by my mom, who according to the faxed xerox copy which looks like it has made the rounds, originally came from someone named Carolyn Thacker. Not one to necessarily go right for the biscotti on a cookie tray, this recipe made me a biscotti convert, and fan. The cranberries make them a tad bit chewy and the orange and pitachio flavors compliment the cranberries perfectly. Enjoy!

Biscotti with Dried Cranberries and Pistachios

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup dried cranberries

4 Tablespoons (1/2 a stick) of butter, chilled and chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon orange extract (optional)

1 1/2 cups shelled pistachios

2 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Pulse.
3. Add the dried cranberries. Pulse a few times until they are chopped.
4. Add the butter and vanilla. Process until the whole mixture looks like a coarse meal.
5. Add the pistachios and egg. Pulse 10 times to blend. Scrape down sides. Pulse another five to ten times to blend.
6. On a lightly floured counter, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into an 8" log.
7. Transfer the logs to a baking sheet and flatten to 2" wide with your hand. Bake 25 minutes.
8. After the first baking, transfer the logs to a cutting board and using a sharp knife and quick single motion, cut on the diagonal into 1/2" slices. Return the biscotti to the baking sheet and bake 4 minutes on one side, then flip them and bake them 4-5 minutes on the second side. Remove from oven when they turn golden brown.
9. Transfer to cooling racks and cool completely.

Biscotti may be stored in an airtight container for 4-5 days, or frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Here is the recipe in photos, in case this is your first time baking biscotti:

In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Pulse.

Add the dried cranberries. Pulse a few times until they are chopped.

Add the butter and vanilla.

Process until the whole mixture looks like a coarse meal.

Add the pistachios and egg.

Pulse 10 times to blend. Scrape down sides. Pulse another five to ten times to blend.

On a lightly floured counter, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces.

Roll each piece into an 8" log. Transfer the logs to a baking sheet and flatten to 2" wide with your hand. Bake 25 minutes.

After the first baking, transfer the logs to a cutting board and using a sharp knife and quick single motion, cut on the diagonal into 1/2" slices.

Return the biscotti to the baking sheet and bake 4 minutes on one side, then flip them and bake them 4-5 minutes on the second side. Remove from oven when they turn golden brown.

Transfer to cooling racks and cool completely. Biscotti may be stored in an airtight container for 4-5 days, or frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Old-Fashioned Molasses Crinkles (a.k.a Baking in the Dark)

A couple years back, a friend brought these cookies over as a hostess gift. Relatively demure in appearance, I had no idea just how delicious these cookies tasted. They are now on my “must make” list of holiday baking.

If these photos look dark it’s because it was dark when we baked them this morning. My 1st grader decided (at bedtime last night) that what he would really like to “share” at school today is a guessing game. “I want to write down all of the ingredients in something and then let my friends guess what it will make! Then I want to give them all one of the cookies!” How can a mom argue with that sort of glee and excitement?

And that is why we were baking at 6 a.m. I can only assume that my pre-7:30 a.m. actions of having the Make Ahead Oatmeal down their hatches, and a huge batch of cookies baked, will nominate me for a mom-of-the-week award. Then again, the smell of our kitchen when I came back in from waiting for the school bus was reward enough for today.

Old-Fashioned Molasses Crinkles

About 6 dozen cookies

2 cups of sugar
1 ½ cups of shortening
½ cup molasses, “original” (though you can use dark for a stronger taste)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ginger
3 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
4 cups of all-purpose flour
Sugar (to roll the dough in)

Mix all of the ingredients above, except the flour. Let batter stand for 20 minutes, and then mix in the flour. Roll into balls the size of hickory nuts (which I estimate to be 1” balls).

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Let cool slightly on baking sheet then transfer to cooling rack.

Holiday Baking - Sugar Cookies and Royal Icing

This is about that time of year when I start letting my kids have Christmas cookies for dinner, and bundle them in winter coats over the PJs so we can turn on Christmas music and drive around town at bedtime to look at all of the pretty lights. No matter how many times a season we do this little evening jaunt it never loses its’ excitement.

I have some of the extra gingerbread cookies (I made last month for a 1st grade project) in the freezer, waiting to be decorated after school this week (preferably the day before the cleaning ladies come versus after). And, I’ve got a couple more holiday favorites I am making time to whip up. In case you’re looking for great cut-out cookie recipes, be sure to check out the gingerbread recipe I posted a couple weeks back. If your family prefers sugar cookies, the recipe below is a great one to keep on hand. And just remember, if you run out of steam, you do not need to kill yourself rolling and cutting them into all sorts of festive shapes. You’ll notice, in the photo above, that I did burn out last year, so I just baked the sugar cookies as balls (that turn into circles while baking), and still they looked festive once the kids piled on the sprinkles! And if you can’t muster up the time to measure ingredients with all of the holiday concerts, parties then just rely on your friend Betty.

Traditional Sugar Cookies

2 sticks of butter, softened
1 cup of white sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons vanilla
Zest of 1 lemon or orange
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
parchment paper and rimmed baking sheets

In a mixing bowl, combine softened butter, sugar and egg. Using a hand mixer, beat at medium speed, until creamy. Add the vanilla and lemon or orange zest; mix well. Reduce speed to low; add flour and baking powder. Beat until well mixed.Divide dough into thirds. Wrap each in wax paper and refrigerate until firm (2 to 3 hours).

When you are reading to do the baking, preheat oven to 400°F.* Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, one-third at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness and then cut with your favorite cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 6 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. For best results, let the cookies cool before decorating.

*If you are not up for rolling and cutting out shapes, simply roll small balls with your hands (flattening them slightly so they don’t roll all over when you’re walking to the oven) and place them 1” apart on the baking sheet. Then bake 8-10 minutes, until edges are lightly browned.

Royal Icing (great for decorating cookies)
Keep in mind that this frosting needs to be used immediately or stored in an airtight container as it hardens quickly when exposed to air! I make each child a zip-loc baggie of frosting, squeeze all of the air out, and then cut a tiny hole in one corner, so it’s their own “pastry bag”. This frosting can also be colored with food coloring, or the food coloring gels available at most markets.

4 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons meringue (egg white) powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla or lemon extract
1/2 - 3/4 cup warm water (add the water until desired consistency)

I mix by hand, adding liquid until I reach the desired consistency—not rock hard, but not too runny either. Keep in mind that if you’re adding food coloring, that is a liquid too so you’ll want to add it before pouring in all of the allotted water to avoid the frosting getting too runny. Runny is still tasty but it’s messy, and takes a loooong time to harden!

Planning ahead for Christmas – Gingerbread Cookies

The weather is getting a little chilly, the skies are getting a little gray, the Christmas decorations are popping up in local merchants windows… it’s hard not to start thinking about Christmas even if it is only mid-November! I know, I know, there’s still the wonderful Thanksgiving holiday in between but I am the kind of person who likes to get a jump start on the holiday prep so I can actually enjoy the festivities when they arrive. So, a couple weeks back, when I was baking Halloween treats for the 1st graders, I made some extra dough and rolled, cut and baked a batch of gingerbread cookies that I could freeze until Christmas time. No matter what else I decide to bake, I always make these Gingerbread Cookies. I hope you like this recipe as much as I do!

Gingerbread Cookies
Slightly adapted from a recipe by Rick Rodgers, Christmas 101
Makes 6 dozen cookies
(I often double this recipe so I have tons to share with friends!)

6 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
2 sticks of butter, room temp
½ cup of shortening, room temp
1 cup of dark brown sugar
1 1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
2 eggs

The dough must be made at least 3 hours ahead of time, and can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. So, keep this in mind when planning your baking project.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl (flour through pepper). Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and shortening, then add the brown sugar, molasses and eggs. Once combined, mix in the flour mixture until everything is combined in a stiff dough. Divide the dough into 4 disks, wrap each in wax paper and refrigerate until chilled (at least 3 hours and up to 2 days).

When you’re ready to do the cutting and baking, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. To roll out the cookies, use one disk at a time leaving the others in the fridge. Roll the dough out on a floured surface, cut with a cookie cutter of your choice and I bake them on a parchment lined baking sheet (lessens clean up, and they’ll never stick). Bake 10-12 minutes, let the cookies cool on the sheet 2 minutes, and then transfer them to wire cooling racks.

These cookies will keep up to 1 week in an air-tight container on the counter, and up to 3 months in an air-tight container in the freezer.

Classy Kid and Cookies

I had pipedreams of going to a Parent’s Association meeting at my son’s school all by myself today…enjoying a (hot) cup of coffee with fellow moms….actually hearing what the speaker had to say…and capping my morning off with an organic latte and a treat at Le Pain Quotodien. Instead, I had our little one in tow. The novelty of my purse full of pens, play-doh and little cars and trucks quickly wore off, as did drinking half & half through a skinny straw. At the ripe age of two, my son decided it was time to go…and right then. So he did his attention grabbing “Dammit!” yell a couple times over and we quickly exited the meeting.

Score? Toddler: 1, Mommy: 0.

With our playgroup cancelled and the weather totally foul, I was in no mood to play trains or Candyland…again. So, I suggested we make some cookies. After all, what is a pity party without cake or cookies? If you’re looking for a rainy weekend activity, I can confirm (10 cookies later) that these are worth whipping up.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (from the inside of the Quaker Oats lid)

(makes about 4 dozen cookies)

1 1/2 sticks organic butter, softened (or done so in the microwave for 20 seconds)
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup Turbinado sugar
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons vanilla
1 ½ cups King Arthur White Whole Wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
hearty dash of cinnamon (2 Tablespoons or so)
sprinkling of ginger (1/2 or 1 teaspoon, optional)
3 cups Quaker oats
copious amounts of semi-sweet chocolate chips (at least a bag, come on these are cookies…)
1 cup dried cranberries or raisins (optional, but the chocolate is not in my book)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper (for easier clean-up).
Using a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugars together until creamy.
Add eggs and vanilla; mix.
Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and ginger; mix.
Add oats, chocolate chips and cranberries (or any other ingredients you’re adding); mix.
Form drop cookies and bake 10-12 minutes, or until a nice golden brown.