meyer lemon madeleines

Madeleines are the perfect little tea cookies.  You can argue that they aren't even cookies they are more like cakes.  Whatever they are they're pretty damn good and even better with fresh Meyer lemons.  Meyer lemons taste like an orange and a lemon had a love child.  A little tart and a little sweet, it makes for the perfect citrus fruit to add to your pastry.

Occasionally I get a box of organic fruits and vegetables delivered to my house from local farms.  It helps me try new ingredients and understand which types of produce are seasonal.  Meyer lemons have such a short window when they are ripe enough to eat and they spoil even quicker.  As soon as the delivery box came, I knew I didn't have much time but I knew exactly what I wanted to make.  Delicate little cookie cakes with an extra sugar coating.  This cookie will please the pickiest of eaters.

Meyer Lemon Madeleine Recipe
From Tutti Dolci

Ingredients

Madeleines
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
Zest of 1 Meyer lemon
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp honey (I used orange blossom honey)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Glaze
2/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp Meyer lemon zest
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Whisk together flour, sugars, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Whisk together eggs, honey, and vanilla in a small bowl. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir just until combined. Add melted butter and mix slowly but thoroughly until smooth. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or up to a day.

Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a standard-size madeleine pan with nonstick spray; use a pastry brush to brush the inside of each mold. Spoon batter into molds, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, until cakes are pale gold and spring back to the touch. Immediately shake madeleines out over a clean dish towel; let cool.

To prepare glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon zest, and juice in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to glaze scalloped side of each baked madeleine. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.

Chocolate chip cookies

I love using local products and supporting regional businesses.  I went to this new chocolate shop in Irvine, Orange County called Choxco.  

They offer a concept called "bean to bar" for all of their chocolate and I must say it really makes all the difference.  

Having the beans roasted onsite seems to really pull out an extraordinary flavor and makes even a regular chocolate chip cookie seem special.

I went with my kids to their grand opening celebration with free samples of hot chocolate, tasting chocolate and bar chocolate.  It also included a guided tour of the facility.  To my understanding large groups can call in and schedule a tour of the facility as well.

They have all sorts of specialty chocolates and most of them were organic.

The hot chocolate is divine.

The flavor of the chocolate is so delicious.  I can't wait to try this chocolate in a brownie.  This is the recipe I use to freeze cookie dough balls which I later pull out whenever I want a fresh cookie and indulge.

The Local Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

INGREDIENTS
2 ⅛ cups white all-purpose flour
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp.baking soda
12 tbsp. unsalted, European-style butter (for best results)
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
½ cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups local semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°, with racks set in the middle of the oven.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking soda. In a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, and mix to incorporate. Add dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips.

3. Divide dough into 1/4 cup portions; roll into balls (you can freeze the balls and store in a freezer bag at this point), transfer to parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake for about 15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. When fully cooked, the outer edges of the cookies should be golden and slightly crisp, while the middle should still be slightly soft.

Chocolate Almond Biscotti

Is it bad that I'm still in vacation mode?  I've been so lazy and sleepy.  It's time to snap back into it! Over the holidays we spend a lot of time with family and make use of the vacation time.  Every year our family has a tradition of going to the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade while sipping hot chocolate and eating homemade cookies.

We bundle up, grab our lawn chairs and try to get a good spot along the parade route.  There are boats of all sizes...small motor boats to huge yachts each lit and decorated to celebrate.  Some have guests on board enjoying loud music and festive snacks.  It's a happy and cozy time of year and we look forward to going with the kids.

Last year I made shortbread dipped in chocolate, which is simply divine also.  A variation to this recipe was my flaky Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread which you can find here.


Chocolate Almond Biscotti Recipe
Barely Adapted From David Lebovitz

Remember: for best results you should weigh your ingredients.

Ingredients
For the biscotti:
2 cups (280g) flour
3/4 cups (75g) cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (200g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup (125g) slivered almonds, toasted, chopped
3/4 cups (120g) mini chocolate chips

For the glaze:
1 large egg
2 tablespoons coarse sugar

Preheat the oven to 350F  degrees.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a large bowl, beat together the 3 eggs, sugar, and vanilla & almond extracts. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, then mix in the nuts and the chocolate chips until the dough holds together.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into two logs the length of the baking sheet. Transfer the logs onto the baking sheet, evenly spaced apart. Gently flatten the tops of the logs. Beat the remaining egg and brush the tops of the logs liberally with the egg. Sprinkle the tops with the coarse or crystal sugar and bake for 25 minutes, until the dough feels firm to the touch.

Remove the cookie dough from the oven and cool 15 minutes. On a cutting board, use a serrated bread knife to diagonally cut the cookies into 1/2-inches slices. Lay the cookies cut side down on baking sheets and return to the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, turning the baking sheet midway during baking, until the cookies feel mostly firm.

Once baked, cool the cookies completely then store in an airtight container for up to two weeks. If you wish, the cookies can be half-dipped in melted chocolate, then cooled until the chocolate hardens.

Biscoff Swirl Pound Cake

Biscoff Swirl Pound Cake

This amazing recipe gives you a moist pound cake with the crunchy cookie topping.  So delicious!  

If you can't find the Biscoff brand spread you can buy the crunchy speculoos kind instead.  The trick here is using the best quality ingredients.  Fresh organic eggs and European butter are the key to making this pound cake perfect.

Biscoff Swirl Pound Cake Recipe
Adapted from Food and Wine Magazine

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
One 13-ounce jar Biscoff Spread

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325°. Lightly grease and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, tapping out any excess flour. In a glass measuring cup, lightly beat the eggs with the vanilla. In a medium bowl, whisk the 1 1/2 cups of flour with the baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer or stand mixer, beat the butter with the sugar at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

 With the mixer at medium-low speed, gradually beat in the egg mixture until fully incorporated. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, beating at low speed between additions until just incorporated. Continue to beat for 30 seconds longer.

Spread half of the batter in the prepared pan, mix the Biscoff spread into the remaining half. Top with the remaining batter. Lightly swirl the spread into the batter with a butter knife. Do not overmix.

Bake the cake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. 

Invert the cake onto a wire rack, turn it right side up and let cool completely, about 2 hours. 

Cut the cake into slices and serve.

Cornflakes, Marshmallows and Chocolate? Oh my!

Momofuku's Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookies

If you visit New York you must go to Momofuku Milk Bar in any of their convenient five locations. The desserts are so inventive and unique...not to mention addicting.  I mean who puts cornflakes in cookies?  Well, Christina Tosi, the pastry chef at Momofuku does.  Her brilliant combinations and outrageous ingredient choices are what keeps people coming back for more.  This cookie had me second guessing whether it would actually taste good.  Believe it or not, everyone who I have served it to has said this was the best cookie they had ever eaten.  The caramel notes from the melted marshmallows combined with the addictive crunch of cornflakes makes this cookie a joke to just eat one. I know it sounds wacky but give this recipe a try and you will not be sorry.  Well, maybe your waistline will.  My adaptations are adding coconut milk powder instead of regular milk powder adding another depth of flavor.

Therapeutic topic for the week:  Superfood for the brain?
There are some foods that may help give you that little boost in the day or help prevent age related cognitive decline.  These include but are not limited to walnuts, olive oil, berries, sardines, coffee, spinach, dark chocolate, avocado, water, wheat germ, beets and garlic.  I remember my parents telling me to have almonds every morning to improve cognitive functioning as well.  Have any of these or other foods helped give you a boost?  Comment below!  

Momofuku's Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookie Recipe
Adapted from Christina Tosi

Ingredients

For the Cornflake Crunch:
5 cups cornflakes
1/2 cup coconut milk powder
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Cookies:
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 1/2 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups Cornflake Crunch
2/3 cup chocolate chips
1 1/4 cup mini marshmallows

Directions

To make the Cornflake Crunch: Preheat oven to 275°F. In a medium bowl, add the cornflakes (use your hands to crush them to about a quarter of their size), milk powder, sugar, and salt. Toss together. Pour the butter over the mixture and gently mix it together. Spread the mixture onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes. They will be toasted and smell wonderful when done. Remove from oven and let cool. Store extras in an airtight container.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside. In a small bowl, gently mix the egg and vanilla together. Set aside.

In a bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer) fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes. Add the egg mixture, and continue to beat for about 6-7 minutes. Scraping down the bowl, as necessary.

Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined, being careful not to over-mix. Fold in the marshmallows, chocolate chips, and cornflake crunch using a rubber spatula.

Form into cookies using a 1/3 measuring cup. Flatten the tops a bit, with your fingers. Place on a large parchment lined cookie sheet and refrigerate or freeze for at least one hour before baking. Place extras in a large plastic bag and leave in the freezer until ready to use. Do not thaw before baking.

When ready to bake the cookies, preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place the chilled or frozen cookies at least 4 inches apart from each other (they spread quite a bit). Bake for about 18 minutes or until they are puffed and the edges are a deep golden brown. More or less time depending upon if using chilled or frozen dough. Be attentive! Remove from oven and let cool for a couple of minutes on the cookie sheet before placing on a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container for a few days.

Chocolate Shortbread

Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Bars

Perfectly flaky shortbread combined with the not too sweet and slightly salty chocolate: leaves you wanting more. This fabulous cookie is easy to make and can be made in big batches ahead of time for large gatherings or to gift friends and family.

The link between psychology and food: taste fades with age.

As we age, our sense of taste gets weaker. One study found that the ability to detect salt was most affected, as was the ability to detect ‘umami’, now considered one of the basic tastes, along with sweet, sour, salty and bitter (Mojet et al., 2001).

Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Bars Recipe
Adapted from Food and Wine Magazine

Ingredients

SHORTBREAD
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

TOPPING
3 sticks unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons heavy cream
4 large eggs, beaten
3 cups hazelnuts, chopped (10 ounces)
Flaky sea salt

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350° and line a 12-by-17-inch baking pan with foil, allowing it to extend 1/2 inch over the edge on all sides. Spray the foil with vegetable oil spray.

In a standing electric mixer or food processor, beat the butter with the confectioners' sugar, flour and salt until a soft dough forms. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and, using a flat-bottomed glass, press the dough into an even layer. Freeze the dough for about 10 minutes, until firm.

Bake the shortbread in the center of the oven for 20 minutes, until lightly golden.

In a saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, chocolate and cream and cook over low heat just until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Whisk in the eggs, then fold in the hazelnuts.

Spread the topping over the shortbread crust and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Bake the shortbread bar for about 25 minutes, until the topping is set. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until firm. Using the foil, carefully lift the bar out of the pan; discard the foil. Cut the shortbread into 32 triangles and serve.

French Macarons

Hazelnut Macarons with Praline Buttercream

I took a class at Sur la table to master the art of french macarons and learned so much. My favorite recipe was this delicious and crunchy hazelnut cookie and smooth creamy filling made with nutella. Incredibly irresistible Let's be honest, macarons are moody. The humidity has to be perfect, the egg whites need to be at room temperature and you cannot overmix the batter. Once you get the method down, the end result is so satisfying. It's light with the perfect sweetness and perfect if you are hosting an oscar party this weekend. Elegant, dainty little cookies that are worth the effort.

Tip: this is one of those times where investing in a kitchen scale is worth the money.

Hazelnut Macarons with Praline Buttercream Recipe
Recipe from Sur la table

Hazelnut Macarons:
7 oz powdered sugar, divided
2.5 oz almond flour or meal
1.5 oz hazelnut flour or meal
4 large (4 oz) egg whites, room temperature
Pinch of cream of tartar
3.5 oz granulated sugar
Brown food coloring (optional)

* Use a digital scale to measure everything.

Praline Buttercream:

4 oz egg yolks, room temperature

1 1/2 oz plus 8 oz granulated sugar, divided

pinch of salt

2 oz water

2 1/4 tsp corn syrup

20 oz unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/4 cup nutella spread

Prepare parchment paper macaron templates. Line baking sheets with silpat silicone mats and top with parchment paper templates.  These templates can be printed and found here.

Pulse 1/3 of the powdered sugar with all the almond flour and hazelnut flour in a food processor to form a fine powder. Sift sugar mixture 2 times. Sift remaining powdered sugar 2 times. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Set aside.

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a wire whip attachment, whisk whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar. Once all sugar is incorporated, scrape down sides of bowl and increase speed to high, whisking until stiff, firm, glossy peaks form.

To complete the macaronnage step (macaronnage: the technique of mizing flour and meringue to make macarons), sift the almond flour mixture 1/3 at a time over the egg white mixture and fold using a large silicone spatula until mixture is smooth and shiny. Once all the almond flour mixture is incorporated, check to see that the batter is nicely firm and drips slowly from the spatula.

Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2″ plain round tip (#12) and pipe 1 1/3 inch rounds on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Rap bottom of each sheet on work surface to release any trapped air. Let macarons stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375 degrees while waiting for the macarons to dry. Place the rack in the lower thirds. Macarons are ready to bake when they no longer stick to a finger when lightly touched. 

Stack the baking sheet with the macarons on top of an empty baking sheet. Bake one sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until macarons are crips and firm, about 10-15 minutes. If the macarons are still soft inside, lower oven to 300 degrees, over with aluminum foil and bake for a few more minutes.
Let the macarons cool on baking sheets for 2-3 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.

For the buttercream: place the yolks, 1 1/2 oz sugar, salt in the bowl of sa stand mixer fitted with a wire whip and beat on high speed until it reaches the ribbon stages or is light in color, thick and foamy.

Meanwhile, combine water, 8 oz sugar, corn syrup in a small saucepan.  Stir once to combine, then wash down the sides of the saucepan with a silicone pastry brush dipped in water.  Bring to a full boil and cook until the mixture reaches the thread state or 235 degrees on an instant read thermometer.  Remove from heat.

With the mixture running on medium high, pour the cooked sugar in a slow, steady stream into the yolks.  Don't let the sugar hit the whisk or the side of the bowl which will result in lost cooked sugar.

Once all the cooked sugar is incorporated  reduce speed to medium and beat until mixture has cooled to about 100 degrees or warm to the touch.  Reduce speed to low and add butter, 1 piece at a time, whisking after each addition.  Once all the butter is incorporated, return to medium high an whisk for a few minutes until fluffy.  Add vanilla extract and nutella, whisking to combine.

Use the buttercream immediately or cover an refrigerate.  To fill macarons, transfer buttercream to a 12 inch pastry bag with a medium round pastry tip and pipe between two macarons.

Homemade Oreos

Thomas Keller's Oreos

White and dark chocolate filled cocoa cookies: the sophisticated Oreo.  The first bite of these cookies sends you traveling back to a stress-free time with flavors of the salty cookie and sweet chocolate filling. It is the ultimate balance.  It's like the cookie goes inside your brain and pushes the nostalgia button.  Yeah, it's that good.

Thomas Keller's Oreos
from The Essence of Chocolate, by Robert Steinberg and John Scharffenberger

3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus 3 tablespoons
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa plus 1 tablespoon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
15 tablespoons (7 1/2 oz) unsalted butter, cut into 3/4-inch cubes, at room temperature

Filling
1/2 cup heavy cream
6 oz white chocolate, finely chopped
2 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped

To make the filling: In a small saucepan, bring the 1/3 cup of cream to a boil over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and add the white chocolate, making sure it is all immersed in the cream. Let stand for 1 minute then whisk to completely melt the chocolate and incorporate it.

Transfer the filling to a small bowl and let it stand for 6 hours, or until it thickens enough to spread. If the filling hardens too much, it can be rewarmed in the microwave.  Repeat the same steps for the dark chocolate filling with the remaining cream.

To make the cookies: Preheat oven to 350 F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt on low speed until combined. With the mixer still on low speed, add the butter a few pieces at a time until it is all in the bowl. The dough will be sandy at first, but it will eventually begin to come together. When it does, stop the mixer.

Transfer the dough to a work surface and form it into a block about 5 by 7 inches. Cut the block into 2 pieces. Working with one half at a time, roll the dough on a lightly floured work surface until it is 1/8-inch thick. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut rounds from the dough and place them 1/2 to 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. You can reroll the scraps of dough once to cut more cookies.

Bake for 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool on them for 5 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let the cookies cool completely.

To assemble the cookies: Turn half of the cookies over so the side that was down on the baking sheet faces up. Whisk the filling briefly to fluff it up. Transfer the filling to a pastry bag and cut a small hole in the tip of the bag. Pipe about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the white chocolate filling in the center of each cookie you flipped over. Top with another cookie, which is filled with the dark chocolate filling and gently press the cookies together until the filling spreads evenly to the edge. The cookies keep in an airtight container for 3 days.

Makes about 24 sandwich cookies

Ramadan Recipes

Pistachio Choco-date Cookies

Celebrate Ramadan with this delicious recipe that is SO addictive!  The blending of flavors like pistachio, date and chocolate are so unique and satisfying.  This cookie is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside giving you balanced textures with these amazing flavors.  Enjoy with a big glass of milk after iftar, a strong cup of coffee at suhoor or a midnight snack.  The perfect recipe to include in your family's Ramadan tradition.

Stress relief tip of the week:

Write it down. A stress management journal is an important tool for combating stress. Journaling can help to uncover past hurts and patterns which are causing stress today. By journaling you can also uncover the ways of resolving these problems yourself.  Journaling can also help uncover emotional problems which are causing stress. It also promotes self-reliance – realizing you can not only cope with stress but you also have the answers yourself. Above all, it helps you to gain clarity in difficult and stressful situations

Pistachio Choco-date Cookie Recipe

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup pistachio instant pudding powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon salt

16 tablespoons butter, melted (2 sticks)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup medjool dates, chopped
1/2 cup semisweet Valhrona chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cup unsalted pistachios, shelled, toasted, chopped

Directions
In a medium bowl, combine flour, pudding powder, baking powder, baking soda, oatmeal, and salt. Whisk together to combine and aerate, then set aside.

Melt 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) of butter and allow to cool slightly. Add butter, vegetable oil, and both sugars to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low to medium speed until well combined.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix again.

Incorporate the flour mixture a little at a time on low speed until well mixed in.

Add in dates, chocolate, and pistachios. Mix by hand or on low with the mixer until the add-ins are well combined and mixed through the dough.

Chill the dough for one hour.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F.

Place golf ball sized dough on a parchment lined cookie sheet, spacing them out to about 6 to a sheet since the cookies will spread. Bake for approximately 10-13 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a moment on the sheet before removing to a cooling rack. Allow to cool for another 5-7 minutes.

*Don't want to make a whole batch of cookies?  Freeze golf sized balls on a tray until frozen then transfer the a freezer safe bag.  Anytime you want a cookie, place balls on a cookie sheet and follow cook time instructions.

Whoop whoop whoopie pie

Carrot Cake Whoopie Pie

Soft and fluffy carrot cake sandwiched in between a lightly sweetened honey cream cheese filling.  This creative twist on a whoopie pie is worth the effort.

Stress relief tip of the day:
Turn up the jams.  The 2011 American Psychological Association's "Stress in America" report was released on January 11, 2012.  It is obvious that adults manage their stress in a variety of ways.  Some of the most common techniques in this report include listening to music (48 percent), exercising or walking (47 percent), reading (42 percent), spending time with friends or family (39 percent) and napping (34 percent).  Remember, the key is finding a stress management technique that suits you.  How much do you know about stress? Take this simple quiz to test your "stress smarts."


Carrot Cake Whoopie Pie Recipe
INGREDIENTS

Cookie Batter
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ tablespoon crystallized ginger, finely chopped
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1½ cups of peeled and grated organic carrots

Cream Cheese Icing
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1¼ cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons honey
12 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces, softened

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the cookies: In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat together the butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until lightened, about 3 minutes. Slowly add the eggs one at a time, beating the yolk of the first egg until it's incorporated before adding the second egg. Stir in the vanilla.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet, then gently stir in the oats and carrots. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least six hours or up to overnight.

3. Preheat the oven to 325°. Scoop rounded tablespoons of the dough for larger cookies (or teaspoon size for miniature ones) onto a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned and set.  Keep cookies spaced far apart because the batter tends to spread.  Remove from the oven and set the cookies aside to cool, then transfer to a cooling rack.

4. Make the icing: In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Slowly beat in the honey and cream cheese until incorporated. Spoon the frosting into a piping bag and pipe the frosting onto half of the cookies; place the other cookies on top to create sandwiches. Serve immediately or store the cookies and frosting separately for up to 3 days.

Adapted from Tasting Table

Tea Time

Swiss Berry Cookies

Crisp, delicate cookies with a touch of strawberry and raspberry. Perfect for your afternoon tea.

Stress relief tip of the day:

Try an herbal tea.  Studies suggest that teas such as mint, chamomile, lavender and ginseng can help alleviate stress.  Also a simple black tea has shown a reduction in levels of cortisol, a stress related hormone.

Swiss Berry Cookies (Spitzbuebe)
Recipe from Saveur

MAKES ABOUT 3 DOZEN

INGREDIENTS

3/4 lb. (3 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 egg yolks
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup Mary-Yum's Jam

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Beat butter and 1 1/2 cups of the sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed. Increase speed to medium; beat until light and fluffy. Add yolks one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add flour 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition to combine. Scrape sides of bowl with a spatula; give the dough one last stir. Transfer dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap and press it into a 9" × 11" rectangle. Cover with more plastic wrap, place on a large plate, and let chill for 1 hour.

2. Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 325°. Divide chilled dough into 6 pieces. Rewrap 5 pieces individually in plastic wrap and chill. On a lightly floured surface, work the dough piece gently with a rolling pin to warm it slightly. Keeping surface and dough floured, roll dough into a 9" square. (If dough sticks, gently run a spatula underneath it, to release it.) Using a 3" round cookie cutter, cut out 9 circles of dough and transfer them to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet about 1" apart; reserve scraps. Repeat process with remaining chilled dough pieces. Combine leftover scraps into a ball. Reroll dough and continue cutting circles. Using a 1 1/4" round cookie cutter, cut a hole in the center of half of the circles—these are the tops. Bake all cookies in batches, rotating pans halfway through, until just pale golden, about 15 minutes. Let cookies cool completely.

3. Put preserves into a small pot and bring to a boil, stirring, over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring, until thickened and reduced by about one-quarter, about 5 minutes. Transfer preserves to a bowl; let cool. Put remaining 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar into a sieve; dust cookie tops. Turn whole cookies upside down—these are the bottoms; spoon about 1/2 tsp. of preserves onto each. Using a small spatula, spread preserves to within 1/8" of the edges. Cover each with a cookie top. Transfer remaining preserves into a plastic bag and snip the end. Using it like a piping bag, pipe a small amount of preserves into each hole. Serve cookies immediately or store between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container at room temperature.

Tips:

-Cut shapes with a cookie cutter and freeze on a tray for 24 hours.  Remove from freezer and transfer to a freezer bag.  Enjoy a couple of cookies fresh at any time of the day or save large batches for those unexpected guests.

-Swap out the strawberry-raspberry jam for your favorite preserve.  

From Mary-Yum's Sugar Therapy

The Wonderful Pistachio

Pistachio-Orange Cookies Dipped in Chocolate

Recent research suggests that pistachios have antioxidants, unsaturated fats, many vitamins and minerals that help in maintaining a balanced diet.  The pistachios in the recipe have been toasted to bring out their nutty flavor and have been combined with orange to create a balance.  If that weren't enough the entire cookie is dipped in dark chocolate.  A late night snack you can't feel too bad about.

Pistachio-Orange Cookies Recipe

Makes ~24 cookies

Chocolate delight

Chocolate Souffle Cookies

These cookies satisfy your sweet tooth with less guilt and are a sure crowd pleaser.  They are light and fluffy from the meringue and have a light crunch from the hazelnuts.  Grab one quick before they're gone!

Chocolate Soufflé Cookies Recipe

adapted from pastrystudio

Makes about 20 1 1/2" cookies

6 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
2 large egg whites @ room temperature
1/8 t cream of tartar
1/2 t vanilla
1/4 C sugar
3/4 C finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silpats.

Chop the chocolate into very small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Melt the chocolate over a bain marie, making sure the bowl is not touching the water. Take off the heat and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool.

Whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar until they are opaque and soft peaks form. Continue whipping and gradually add the vanilla and sugar until the egg whites hold stiff peaks but are not dry.

Gently sprinkle the nuts and pour the cooled chocolate over the whipped whites. Fold the mixture together until the color is just about uniform, doing your best not to deflate the egg whites.

Immediately drop level teaspoons of batter onto the baking sheets, leaving at least 1” spacing between the cookies. Bake until cookies are shiny and cracked, about 10 to 12 minutes. They should be firm on the outside but still gooey inside when you nudge them.

Transfer the cookies to wire racks and cool completely.

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Cigarette Russes