There is nothing quite like an array of spices coated in butter and sugar and baked. That is the more or less of the spice cookies I made last week for my father's co-workers. Early in the week, he informed me that I was going to bake for the people who share his office (no, he did not ask, he informed). Fortunately, I am the best daughter in the world with an abundance of biscuit recipes to go around.
Earlier this year I made Spicy Pepper Cookies from the oh so amazing Cookie and Biscuit Bible for some family friends of friends of mine. The cookies were the life of the party. Needless to say, I knew exactly what to make for these other people I barely know.
Spice-cookies-for-people-I-barely-know
(adapted from the Cookie and Biscuit Bible by Catherine Atkinson)
* 1 3/4 cups plain flour
* 1/2 cup cornstarch
* 2 tsp baking powder
* 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
* 1/2 tsp cinnamon
* 1/2-1 tsp nutmeg
* 1/2 tsp ginger
* pinch salt
* 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
* 1 cup butter, softened
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1/2-1 tsp vanilla
* 1 tsp finely grated lemon zessst
* 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream or milk if that is all you have (and really, who has heavy whipping cream just sitting in their fridge. Don't you know there is an obesity epidemic going around?)
* 3/4 cup ground almonds
First, prepare everything. This step will vary for every person. The first time I made these, preparations involved: chopping the almonds; peeling lemon rind with a peeler and then chopping the peel (we have a zester. I do not recall why I had to do it this way. But just know it can be done for those without parents with fancy kitchen utensils); our pepper grinder does not really work at all, so I used our bite-size mortar and pestle to grind the peppercorns, along with the cardamom pods. I realize that this might not sound like a great deal of work, but for someone who typically practices the "just throw it in the bowl" baking method, it was a new level of labor intensive.
Anyway, this round was slightly different. I had pre-ground almonds (easy to find at the store, keep in the fridge), and I managed to locate the lemon zester, saving myself some serious near-losses of fingers. I still had to attack the pepper and cardamom with the teensy-weensy pestle, but who doesn't like to pretend we live in a pre-pre-prepared world?
Once everything is prepped, begin the real baking.
Preheat oven to 350˚ F.
Cream butter and sugar. In round 1, I used beaters, but a wooden spoon suffices sufficiently. Add the vanilla and lemon rind. Use a two cup liquid measuring cup to combine the dry ingredients (or a separate bowl if you swing that way). Alternate adding this mixture with the milk/cream. A wise person (I think it was Paula Deen) once told me to always end with the dry component when adding alternately with liquid, but eh, these are cookies, not soufflé.
Once all the above is added and mixed, throw in the almonds and beat it up.
Form tiny balls and place on a cookie sheet. The Bible recommends baking for 15-20 minutes, but I would err on the side of 10-15 minutes, unless you like your cookies Mojave desert style (I exaggerate, but trust me, slightly under baked=win).
Cool on a rack if your mom is watching, or transfer right to a plate. They are still good the next day. And the next. And they will make you really popular with people you barely know.
(adapted from the Cookie and Biscuit Bible by Catherine Atkinson)
* 1 3/4 cups plain flour
* 1/2 cup cornstarch
* 2 tsp baking powder
* 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
* 1/2 tsp cinnamon
* 1/2-1 tsp nutmeg
* 1/2 tsp ginger
* pinch salt
* 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
* 1 cup butter, softened
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1/2-1 tsp vanilla
* 1 tsp finely grated lemon zessst
* 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream or milk if that is all you have (and really, who has heavy whipping cream just sitting in their fridge. Don't you know there is an obesity epidemic going around?)
* 3/4 cup ground almonds
First, prepare everything. This step will vary for every person. The first time I made these, preparations involved: chopping the almonds; peeling lemon rind with a peeler and then chopping the peel (we have a zester. I do not recall why I had to do it this way. But just know it can be done for those without parents with fancy kitchen utensils); our pepper grinder does not really work at all, so I used our bite-size mortar and pestle to grind the peppercorns, along with the cardamom pods. I realize that this might not sound like a great deal of work, but for someone who typically practices the "just throw it in the bowl" baking method, it was a new level of labor intensive.
Anyway, this round was slightly different. I had pre-ground almonds (easy to find at the store, keep in the fridge), and I managed to locate the lemon zester, saving myself some serious near-losses of fingers. I still had to attack the pepper and cardamom with the teensy-weensy pestle, but who doesn't like to pretend we live in a pre-pre-prepared world?
Once everything is prepped, begin the real baking.
Preheat oven to 350˚ F.
Cream butter and sugar. In round 1, I used beaters, but a wooden spoon suffices sufficiently. Add the vanilla and lemon rind. Use a two cup liquid measuring cup to combine the dry ingredients (or a separate bowl if you swing that way). Alternate adding this mixture with the milk/cream. A wise person (I think it was Paula Deen) once told me to always end with the dry component when adding alternately with liquid, but eh, these are cookies, not soufflé.
Once all the above is added and mixed, throw in the almonds and beat it up.
Form tiny balls and place on a cookie sheet. The Bible recommends baking for 15-20 minutes, but I would err on the side of 10-15 minutes, unless you like your cookies Mojave desert style (I exaggerate, but trust me, slightly under baked=win).
Cool on a rack if your mom is watching, or transfer right to a plate. They are still good the next day. And the next. And they will make you really popular with people you barely know.
No comments:
Post a Comment