Pages, Pucks and Pantry

Hallween - October 15, 2011

Up until recently, zombies were zombies. I enjoyed zombie movies and TV shows but I didn't give them much thought after said show had finished.

The Walking Dead changed all that. The day after watching the first few episodes (they had been DVR'd so I watched several at once) I found myself wondering about my homes safety. Hmm, I'd have to block off that downstairs window otherwise they would be able to break in and get me. Maybe I should add a few more items to my emergency pantry. Do we have walkie talkies somewhere in the garage? Do I shoot them or cut off their heads? And most importantly where does one go to the bathroom when the world goes to zombies and a hand basket?

On the eve of the second season of The Walking Dead starting, I give you The Zombiehead Cookie Jar. About 9 inches tall and 7 inches wide, this ceramic cookie jar might be just the thing to keep little kiddies from sneaking a cookie before dinner. The only thing this Zombiehead Cookie Jar is missing is something shouting out "Braiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiins" when the jar opens! (I'm sure you techy types can figure something out).

The cost is $29.99 and you can find it here.

Chewy Molasses Crinkles

I first saw these cookies on Food Gal's blog. She had these really cute little 'ginger babies' that she put in the middle of each cookie (check them out here). I was excited to find out that the recipe came from the Martha Stewarts Cookie book as it was already in my library. I actually bought some small pieces of candied ginger to put in the middle of my cookies but completely forgot when I started to bake them.

I really liked these cookies. I'm not a huge fan of gingersnaps (at least most of the boxed kind) and I'm not sure I've ever had molasses cookies before, but I really liked the texture and flavor of these. They were definitelyy chewy and the molasses and ginger combined to make a complex flavor that made me keep reaching for more cookies. I don't know about 'crinkles' though. There was no crinkle what so ever on the top.

The dough was a pain to work with as it was really sticky. If I had had the time I would have taken the dough out of the fridge, made six cookies, and put the rest of the dough back in the fridge for another couple hours before making more. No matter what I did, the dough kept sticking to my hands (I even tried gloves at one point), it stuck to my spoon, it stuck to the little ice cream scoop I tried. Sticky Sticky Sticky. But so worth it.

The cookies spread out a LOT. So make them small at first or they will all run together and you'll get one big cookie*. They also were really moist and stuck together even after they had cooled so you definitely should use layers of wax paper if you plan on stacking them.

CHEWY MOLASSES CRINKLES

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/4 cup for rolling
2 large eggs
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Put butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs one at a time, followed by the molasses and oil.

Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and salt. Cover dough with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Put remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a bowl. Using a 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop, form balls of dough. Roll balls in sugar to coat, and space 3 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are flat and centers are set, about 17 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to 5 days. Makes about 2 dozen.

Note: I used Grandma's brand of molasses

Note: I found the 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop (or special cookie scoop) to be too big, the cookies were too big and spread into each other. I ended up using my smaller scoop. And then when the dough just got too sticky to work with, I used a couple of spoons.

Note: I needed much more than 1/4 a cup of sugar to roll the dough in. I'm thinking I used at least a half a cup.

Note: In my oven the cookies were done in about 14 minutes.

Some folks seemed to have a problem and said these cookies weren't 'chewy' and actually came out crisp. Not sure what I did to make them chewy but I really liked that about these cookies. Comfort cookies. If I can figure out a way to scoop them without all the sticky, these would become a regular occurrence.

*Of course if the cookies do spread out and make one big cookie it will make it easier to tell the hubby that you were good and only ate one cookie....

Lime Meltaways

As I mentioned in my Current Cookbook post yesterday of Martha Stewart's Cookies, these are the cookies I made last Christmas and forgot to post. And the forgetting wasn't because they were forgettable, just that I forgot. Because though I had some trouble with them (and as I mentioned, cookies are my downfall) these little cookies were actually quite tasty, even if they did take a bit of work.

My problem with the Lime Meltaways is that they crumbled. Which, since it states that they are "crumbly cookies" in the brief forward to the recipe really wouldn't be a problem. But trying to wrap these cookies up nicely, to travel for Christmas presents? Crumbly wasn't the best for presentation. Of course my taste buds didn't find it much of a problem since all those lovely crumbs needed to be eaten and since I was there...

In addition to the crumbling, they didn't make the five dozen quantity listed. Not even close. But then I have never gotten the quantity listed in any cookie I've made so I doubt it's the recipes fault. And if you look at the finished cookie photo in the book, you'll see that there is much more powdered sugar on their cookies. Not sure what I did wrong but the stuff just wouldn't stick to my cookies.

So the Lime Meltaways were a bit of a pain to deal with and didn't come out exactly as planned, but I'd still make them again. These had a very subtle lime flavor and, as the recipe states, a bit of a sweet-tart taste which I really liked. At some point I'm going to assume my cookie mojo will kick in and recipes like this will just work.

LIME MELTAWAYS

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
Finely grated zest of 2 limes
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

 Put butter and 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add the lime zest and juice and the vanilla, and mix until fluffy.

Whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl. Add to butter mixture, and mix on low speed until just combined.

Divide dough in half. Place each log on a 8 by 12-inch sheet of parchment. Roll in parchment to form a log 1 1/4 inches in diameter, pressing a ruler along edge of parchment at each turn to narrow log. Refrigerate logs until cold and firm, at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove parchment from logs; cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Space rounds 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake cookies until barely golden, about 13 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. While still warm, toss cookies with remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a resealable plastic bag. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 weeks. Makes about 5 dozen.

Note: I used Challenge butter

Note: I had read in some notes of others who made these cookies that crumbling was a problem and that refrigerating them overnight was probably best. I still had crumbling problems.

Note: Using the ruler to help make the log? Totally lost on me.

Note: I cooked these no longer than ten minutes and they were still a bit overdone. My oven runs hot so I turned the temp down about 10 degrees and ten minutes was about right.

Note: Do NOT toss these cookies with the powdered sugar in a plastic bag if you have any crumbling problems at all (maybe test one or two first). Cuz all I came out with was powdered sugar covered crumbs (which were quite tasty I might add).

Note: If almost three dozen cookies is "Makes about 5 dozen" then we're cool.

If I didn't have the crumble problem, these would have been a success (even without the layer of powdered sugar). I guess I just have to keep making them until I get it right :)

Chocolate-Cocoa Nib Shortbread Cookies

Remember all those cookies I made for Christmas presents? Did I mention I forgot to photograph any of them? Well, any of the perfect ones anyway. Bad food blogger. I did keep a few back in order for Mr. L and I to munch on so I'll try to post them. Except for the Pretzel Chocolate Bites. Mr. L finds them a little addicting. There aren't any left. I have to make another batch...to photograph for the blog of course...that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I found these little shortbread cookies on the FoodGal blog. They intrigued me because they contained "cocoa nibs", something I'd never heard of. Cocoa Nibs are "small broken nuggets of roasted, shelled and cracked cocoa beans". Sounded interesting so I set out to find some nibs and make these cookies. Which was easier said than done. No one seemed to have (or would be able to ship in time) roasted cocoa nibs. I was able to find some raw nibs at Whole Foods which I roasted and used in the recipe.

 I liked the chocolate flavor of this and the kinda crunch the nibs gave it. Mr. L, not so much. As he put it "not my favorite". For him to turn down something chocolate? Interesting that we had such a different view of the same cookie. I'd say if you like cocoa nibs, the flavor and crunch, you'll like these.The recipe originally came from The Art and Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet. Do check out the FoodGal blog post about the recipe and some of the comments here.

Chocolate-Cocoa Nib Shortbread Cookies

Note: I used Challenge Butter
Note: I used King Arthur unbleached, all purpose flour
Note: I used E. Guittard Cocoa Rouge Cocoa Powder (dutch processes)

Note: I used Ultimate Organic Real Raw Cocoa Nibs. I read online to roast the raw nibs for 15 minutes. I roasted for 5 minutes at 150ºC, then reduced the temperature to 120ºC and roasted for another ten minutes.

Note: I had some red sugar type stuff in the cupboards...not sure if it was sanding sugar or what but I rolled the dough log in the stuff. It seemed to melt right in but you can see some of the red sugar on the edge of the cookies.

I do not have a smooth place to roll dough. I don't own a nice marble counter top nor a special marble cutting board. Making a "roll log" wasn't the easiest thing to do. My cookies didn't exactly come out perfectly round but close enough for government work. The cardboard paper towel trick really helped (see recipe).

Since I had problems with the other shortbreads I made crumbling, I made the dough and then kept it in the fridge overnight to get very cold until I sliced them.

They said this made 36 cookies. I got about 25 out of the batch.

I'd actually make these again. I'd like to use a different cocoa nib brand that has already been roasted to see if that changes the flavor a bit. And I'd have no problem not sharing them with Mr. L!