Does this mark the start of the holidays? Going to a cookie exchange. Fav recipes?

REC: Jam Thumbprints (Barefoot Contessa)

JAM THUMBPRINTS

*Note: When I first made these, the cookies stuck to the pans like glue. Now I use parchment paper.
Also, the coconut burns quickly on top, so the last time I made these, I baked them at 325 F.

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar (I used 2/3 cup)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (I used regular salt)
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
Raspberry and/or apricot jam (I used all fruit-sweetened jam)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (My note: line cookie sheets with parchment paper).
In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until just combined, and then add the vanilla. Separately, sift together the flour and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Dump on a floured board and roll together into a flat disk. (I divided the dough in half and placed each half onto a piece of plastic wrap, flattened into disks, and covered with extra plastic wrap). Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. (If you have a scale, they should each weigh 1-ounce.) Dip each ball into the egg wash and then roll it in coconut. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet (about 1 1/2 - 2 " apart), and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger. Drop 1/4 teaspoon of jam into each indentation. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the coconut is a golden brown. Cool and serve.

Yield: 32 cookies

Barefoot Contessa

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_25278,00.html

 
! OMG, I'm a food snob....

Ok, I went to a new bookclub tonight and one of the women made brownies--they were the worst I'd ever eaten. I mean I actually sat there and wondered how they got so dry and awful. I'd had mixes that were MUCH better. And there was no doubt this was a mix...but what kind of mix? I have a sugar free browie mix that is better...I found my mind wandering with the wonder of all it's awfulness. Then I realized what a snob I was. However, I still wondered how it happened. And if someone makes Toll House cookies for this exchange I will bow my head and whisper blessings to them they didn't try to make brownies.

I'm so going to h*ll.

 
We exchanged at work, and we had to share the recipe. That insured they had to homemade! NT

 
REC: Sara Moulton's Spice Balls

These are flat, chewy and delicious.

Ruth Moulton’s Spice Balls
Recipe courtesy Sara Moulton Cooks at Home

Note that these "balls" will be flat after baking.


12 tablespoons ( 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon table salt

Combine the butter and 1 cup of the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the egg and molasses.
Sift the flour, soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt together onto a piece of parchment. Add to the butter mixture in 2 batches, beating just until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 to 3 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a pie plate. Shape the dough into walnut-size balls and roll in the sugar to coat. Arrange 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets and bake until cracked and dry but still soft, about 10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to cool on wire racks.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sara-moulton/ruth-moultons-spice-balls-recipe/index.html

 
No, Maria, h*ll is for people who make terrible brownies. How hard can a mix be?

Maybe she'd had a bad day, but more likely she just didn't care.

As long as you didn't spit it out in front of her or play table hockey with it, you're not a snob.

 
Hi, My Name is DesertJean and I am Brownie Impaired.

Cannot bake a chocolate brownie to save my life, not even from a mix. Hubby even threatened to take one batch on the ship with him in case they were attacked and needed weapons.

I finally mastered fried chicken, I guess brownies should be next. After my kitchen is reassembled, that is.

 
I always think, "How hard can they be?"...

but I haven't come across a recipe yet that makes me stop looking for a better one.

I resorted to my first brownie in a box - Ghiradelli's double chocolate - last time I made them and was depressed that they were so much better than anything I've made from scratch.

Anyone out there with a fab brownie recipe they want to share?

 
It's just that thinking that gets me into trouble.

How hard can it be? It's just a brownie for goodness sake.

Actually, Ghiradelli's mix is the closest I have come to making an edible one, but only if I stop baking while it can still be eaten with a spoon. With no one nearby that sells it, even that is out of my reach.

 
Tell DH that was NOT very nice smileys/smile.gif Brownies are one of those things you don't overmix or overbake.

 
REC: Suzanne's Peanut Butter Brownies.... love, love, love these!

Simple brownie - no nuts - and pure peanut butter on top... *sigh*

Suzanne’s Peanut Butter Brownies

Makes 2 dozen bars

1 cup sifted flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 can (16 oz) Hershey’s chocolate syrup
3/4 cups smooth peanut butter
1 tbl butter, melted
2 squares (2 oz.) semisweet chocolate (or equivalent in chocolate chips)
1-1/2 tbl. butter

Preheat oven to 350 deg. Grease a 13x9x2” baking pan. Sift flour and salt onto wax paper. Beat the stick of butter, sugar, and eggs in large bowl until light and fluffy (about 5 min.) then stir in vanilla. Stir in flour and salt just until well blended. Stir in chocolate syrup until no streaks of white remain. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 25 min. or until center springs back when lightly touched - don’t overbake! Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Mix peanut butter with the 1 tbl. melted butter. spread evenly over top of brownies. Melt chocolate with remaining 1-1/2 tbl. butter in a small bowl, in microwave (about 1 min.). Drizzle this across the peanut butter layer in thin lines about 1” apart. Draw a wood toothpick or thin spatula across the lines, alternating directions for decoration. Let chocolate set before cutting into 24 bars.

 
and.... REC: Almond Macaroon Brownies

Almond Macaroon Brownies
Source: www.donogh.com/cooking

Brownies:
3/4 cup butter
4 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped almonds

Topping:
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped almonds
2 squares semi-sweet chocolate

Directions for Brownies: Melt butter and chocolate together. Stir in sugar, eggs and vanilla, mix well.
Add flour and almonds and stir to combine. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan.
Directions for Topping: Combine cream cheese, sugar, eggs and flour together in a large bowl. Beat until smooth. Stir in coconut and almonds. Spread topping mixture over the brownie layer. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool. Melt chocolate and drizzle over top of the cake. Cut into squares.

 
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