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Bleu Cheese Savory Cookies
3 1/2 ounces good-quality, mild blue cheese
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped
·
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
Combine the blue cheese and butter in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until thoroughly blended.
Add the flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper; pulse until the dough resembles coarse meal. Add the walnuts and process until a moist dough is formed.
Gather the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight, until thoroughly chilled and firm.
Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Use 2-inch cookie cutters to cut out shapes. The dough can be rerolled. Transfer to the baking sheets, spacing the cookies 1 inch apart. Bake 1 sheet at a time for 12 to 14 minutes until lightly golden on the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
Makes 36
Travels well, does not freeze, excellent with a red or sparkling wine or wine coolers. Also good with some beers.
German Chocolate Cookies
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, such as Droste
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes or shredded coconut
1 cup pecans, lightly toasted, then coarsely chopped (see NOTE)
4 ounces Baker's German's chocolate, coarsely chopped
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Beat on low speed to start, then on medium speed until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the egg and then the vanilla extract, beating well between additions. Scrape down the sides of the bowl; then, on low speed, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; beat until everything is well incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the coconut, pecans and chocolate, mixing until well combined.
Drop the dough by heaping teaspoons onto the baking sheets, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart. (Alternatively, the dough can be rolled into a log, then cut into thin slices.) Bake one sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes, until the undersides of the cookies begin to firm up. The tops may still look shiny. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
NOTE: To toast the pecans, spread them on a baking sheet and place in a 325-degree oven, shaking the sheet occasionally, for 15 minutes. Watch carefully; nuts burn quickly.
Makes 48
They travel well and can be frozen.
Rosemary Bars
1/4 cup pine nuts
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
Leaves from 1 to 2 sprigs rosemary, minced (1 tablespoon; may substitute 2 teaspoons dried rosemary)
1 cup flour
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the pine nuts on a baking sheet and bake/toast for about 5 minutes, stirring them once or twice, until they become fragrant and golden. Watch carefully; they burn easily. Have an 8-inch square baking pan at hand; for easy extraction, the pan may be lined with parchment paper so that the paper hangs over 2 of the sides.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the confectioners' sugar, rosemary and pine nuts, stirring to incorporate. Add the flour and mix in to form a stiff dough.
Pat the dough evenly into the (ungreased) baking pan. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden and firm at the edges. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for about 2 minutes, then use a sharp knife to carefully score/cut the shortbread into 16 squares. Let cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing from the pan and making further cuts to serve or store.
Makes 16
Travels well and freezes.
Butterscotch Shortbreads
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 325 degrees. Have an ungreased 9-by-13-inch baking pan at hand
Combine the butter and both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer; beat on medium speed for about 1 minute, just until blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the vanilla extract and salt. Add the flour in 2 additions, beating just until incorporated.
Use your fingers or a sturdy rubber spatula to press the dough evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until the shortbread is golden brown. The edges will be slightly darker; do not underbake. Transfer the pan to a wire rack; let cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes.
Use a sharp, thin-bladed knife to cut the shortbread, still in the pan, into 36 rectangles. Let cool completely in the pan before serving or storing.
Makes 36
Travels well, doesn't freeze
Make-Your-Own Graham Crackers
· 9 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
· 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
· 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour, plus more for rolling
· 1 1/3 cups whole-wheat flour
· 4 teaspoons baking powder
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 6 tablespoons whole or low-fat buttermilk
For the topping (optional)
· 1 cup sugar
· 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
For the graham crackers: Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until light.
Combine the flours, baking powder and salt on a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper.
Reduce the speed to low; add the flour mixture, then the buttermilk, in several increments, ending with the flour, beating to form a soft dough. Divide in half, then wrap each portion in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until well chilled.
For the topping (if using): Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 325 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Lightly flour a work surface. Working with 1/2 portion at a time (keeping the others chilled), lightly flour the top of the dough. Roll out to a rectangle with a thickness of slightly less than 1/4 inch. Use cookie cutters to cut into shapes, or use a sharp knife and a ruler to cut the dough into 2-by-3-inch rectangles. Place the unbaked crackers on the baking sheets, spaced 1/4 inch apart. Sprinkle evenly with the topping, if using. Reroll the dough only once, saving/baking the scraps for another use.
Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, then rotate the baking sheets top to bottom and front to back. Bake for 6 to 9 minutes, until golden brown and baked through. Let cool on the baking sheets before serving or storing.
Makes 24
The dough can be frozen before baking but not after. It travels well.
Lemon Bon Bons
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup shelled roasted and unsalted pistachios, finely chopped (may substitute pecans)
For the cookies: Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the cornstarch, lemon zest and flour; beat to form a smooth dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 8 hours and preferably overnight, until thoroughly chilled.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
Place the finely chopped pistachios in a bowl. Roll the chilled cookie dough into 1-inch balls, then roll them in the pistachios; place the balls on the baking sheet, spaced 1 inch apart. Use the bottom of a glass to flatten them slightly. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the nuts are browned and the cookies are golden yellow. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat to use all of the dough.
Makes 36.
Travels well, can be frozen. You may want to ice these, but really, they taste much better without icing. If you do ice them, do so sparingly and don't freeze iced bon bons.
And a bonus non-cookie recipe:
Sous Vide Apples
1 lemon, yellow zest grated
6 small or 4 large apples, peeled and cored
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or any combination of cinnamon, ground ginger and ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 heaping teaspoon dark brown sugar
1 heaping tablespoon dark or golden raisins, or a combination
Dollops of crème fraîche, whipped cream or ice cream for serving.
Fill rice cooker or crock pot with hot water and heat to 170 degrees. Place lemon zest in a bowl. In another bowl, place apples. If using large apples, cut in half. Cut lemon and squeeze juice over apples, turning to coat.
To bowl with lemon zest, add butter, salt, spices, sugar and raisins; mix together. Divide mixture among apples, packing it into hollowed core. If using apple halves, rub mixture all over them.
Place two apples in a sealable plastic bag, and seal it after removing as much air as possible; try squeezing most of it out and then carefully sucking out the rest with a straw as you seal the bag. Or, seal apples in plastic with a Tilia FoodSaver or similar vacuum device. Repeat with remaining apples. For sous-vide cooking at home, a complete vacuum seal is not necessary if food will be served immediately after cooking. I prefer to use my vacuum sealer.
Place plastic bags in the hot water, making sure they are fully submerged. Weight them down if you need to. Cook at least 2 hours. Food may remain in cooker; it will not cook any further. However, if you leave the apples in longer than 4 or 5 hours, it will get turn into applesauce, which is fine if you want applesauce. They won't burn or go bad. When opening bags, be careful as juices will be hot. Serve apples in bowls, topped with crème fraîche, whipped cream or ice cream.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings.
3 1/2 ounces good-quality, mild blue cheese
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped
·
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
Combine the blue cheese and butter in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until thoroughly blended.
Add the flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper; pulse until the dough resembles coarse meal. Add the walnuts and process until a moist dough is formed.
Gather the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight, until thoroughly chilled and firm.
Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Use 2-inch cookie cutters to cut out shapes. The dough can be rerolled. Transfer to the baking sheets, spacing the cookies 1 inch apart. Bake 1 sheet at a time for 12 to 14 minutes until lightly golden on the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
Makes 36
Travels well, does not freeze, excellent with a red or sparkling wine or wine coolers. Also good with some beers.
German Chocolate Cookies
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, such as Droste
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes or shredded coconut
1 cup pecans, lightly toasted, then coarsely chopped (see NOTE)
4 ounces Baker's German's chocolate, coarsely chopped
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Beat on low speed to start, then on medium speed until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the egg and then the vanilla extract, beating well between additions. Scrape down the sides of the bowl; then, on low speed, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; beat until everything is well incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the coconut, pecans and chocolate, mixing until well combined.
Drop the dough by heaping teaspoons onto the baking sheets, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart. (Alternatively, the dough can be rolled into a log, then cut into thin slices.) Bake one sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes, until the undersides of the cookies begin to firm up. The tops may still look shiny. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
NOTE: To toast the pecans, spread them on a baking sheet and place in a 325-degree oven, shaking the sheet occasionally, for 15 minutes. Watch carefully; nuts burn quickly.
Makes 48
They travel well and can be frozen.
Rosemary Bars
1/4 cup pine nuts
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
Leaves from 1 to 2 sprigs rosemary, minced (1 tablespoon; may substitute 2 teaspoons dried rosemary)
1 cup flour
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the pine nuts on a baking sheet and bake/toast for about 5 minutes, stirring them once or twice, until they become fragrant and golden. Watch carefully; they burn easily. Have an 8-inch square baking pan at hand; for easy extraction, the pan may be lined with parchment paper so that the paper hangs over 2 of the sides.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the confectioners' sugar, rosemary and pine nuts, stirring to incorporate. Add the flour and mix in to form a stiff dough.
Pat the dough evenly into the (ungreased) baking pan. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden and firm at the edges. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for about 2 minutes, then use a sharp knife to carefully score/cut the shortbread into 16 squares. Let cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing from the pan and making further cuts to serve or store.
Makes 16
Travels well and freezes.
Butterscotch Shortbreads
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 325 degrees. Have an ungreased 9-by-13-inch baking pan at hand
Combine the butter and both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer; beat on medium speed for about 1 minute, just until blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the vanilla extract and salt. Add the flour in 2 additions, beating just until incorporated.
Use your fingers or a sturdy rubber spatula to press the dough evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until the shortbread is golden brown. The edges will be slightly darker; do not underbake. Transfer the pan to a wire rack; let cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes.
Use a sharp, thin-bladed knife to cut the shortbread, still in the pan, into 36 rectangles. Let cool completely in the pan before serving or storing.
Makes 36
Travels well, doesn't freeze
Make-Your-Own Graham Crackers
· 9 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
· 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
· 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour, plus more for rolling
· 1 1/3 cups whole-wheat flour
· 4 teaspoons baking powder
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 6 tablespoons whole or low-fat buttermilk
For the topping (optional)
· 1 cup sugar
· 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
For the graham crackers: Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until light.
Combine the flours, baking powder and salt on a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper.
Reduce the speed to low; add the flour mixture, then the buttermilk, in several increments, ending with the flour, beating to form a soft dough. Divide in half, then wrap each portion in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until well chilled.
For the topping (if using): Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 325 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Lightly flour a work surface. Working with 1/2 portion at a time (keeping the others chilled), lightly flour the top of the dough. Roll out to a rectangle with a thickness of slightly less than 1/4 inch. Use cookie cutters to cut into shapes, or use a sharp knife and a ruler to cut the dough into 2-by-3-inch rectangles. Place the unbaked crackers on the baking sheets, spaced 1/4 inch apart. Sprinkle evenly with the topping, if using. Reroll the dough only once, saving/baking the scraps for another use.
Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, then rotate the baking sheets top to bottom and front to back. Bake for 6 to 9 minutes, until golden brown and baked through. Let cool on the baking sheets before serving or storing.
Makes 24
The dough can be frozen before baking but not after. It travels well.
Lemon Bon Bons
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup shelled roasted and unsalted pistachios, finely chopped (may substitute pecans)
For the cookies: Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the cornstarch, lemon zest and flour; beat to form a smooth dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 8 hours and preferably overnight, until thoroughly chilled.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
Place the finely chopped pistachios in a bowl. Roll the chilled cookie dough into 1-inch balls, then roll them in the pistachios; place the balls on the baking sheet, spaced 1 inch apart. Use the bottom of a glass to flatten them slightly. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the nuts are browned and the cookies are golden yellow. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat to use all of the dough.
Makes 36.
Travels well, can be frozen. You may want to ice these, but really, they taste much better without icing. If you do ice them, do so sparingly and don't freeze iced bon bons.
And a bonus non-cookie recipe:
Sous Vide Apples
1 lemon, yellow zest grated
6 small or 4 large apples, peeled and cored
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or any combination of cinnamon, ground ginger and ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 heaping teaspoon dark brown sugar
1 heaping tablespoon dark or golden raisins, or a combination
Dollops of crème fraîche, whipped cream or ice cream for serving.
Fill rice cooker or crock pot with hot water and heat to 170 degrees. Place lemon zest in a bowl. In another bowl, place apples. If using large apples, cut in half. Cut lemon and squeeze juice over apples, turning to coat.
To bowl with lemon zest, add butter, salt, spices, sugar and raisins; mix together. Divide mixture among apples, packing it into hollowed core. If using apple halves, rub mixture all over them.
Place two apples in a sealable plastic bag, and seal it after removing as much air as possible; try squeezing most of it out and then carefully sucking out the rest with a straw as you seal the bag. Or, seal apples in plastic with a Tilia FoodSaver or similar vacuum device. Repeat with remaining apples. For sous-vide cooking at home, a complete vacuum seal is not necessary if food will be served immediately after cooking. I prefer to use my vacuum sealer.
Place plastic bags in the hot water, making sure they are fully submerged. Weight them down if you need to. Cook at least 2 hours. Food may remain in cooker; it will not cook any further. However, if you leave the apples in longer than 4 or 5 hours, it will get turn into applesauce, which is fine if you want applesauce. They won't burn or go bad. When opening bags, be careful as juices will be hot. Serve apples in bowls, topped with crème fraîche, whipped cream or ice cream.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings.