For Anna_X: Carole Walter's Rustic Maple Pecan Cookies

[marilynfl]

Rustic Maple Pecan Cookies

4 dozen 2.5” cookies

3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned in and leveled

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 large egg

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 teaspoon imitation maple extract

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2/3 cup superfine sugar

1/2 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar

1.5 cups coarsely chopped toasted pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter cookie sheets

Melt butter and set aside to cool to tepid

Sift flour/salt/baking soda

Add maple syrup to butter. Add eggs, OJ, and extracts.

Whisk in sugars until free of lumps

Stir in dry ingredients in 3 additions.

Add nuts.

Drop dough size of walnuts onto cookie sheet, 2” apart.

Bake 12-14 minutes. Let set for 3 minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Store air-tight container between pieces of wax paper. May be frozen.

Recipe ingredients and image from "Great Cookies" by Carole Walter.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g166/Finer_Kitchens/2013%20GBH/Maple.jpg~original

 

[marilynfl]

Carole Walter's Crystallized Ginger and Macadamia Wafers

Crystallized Ginger and Macadamia Wafers
4 dozen 3” cookies

1.5 cups all-purpose flour, spooned in and leveled
1.5 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1.5sticks) unsalted butter, slightly firm
1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 egg whites, at room temperature
1.5 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 scant cup macadamia nuts, cut into quarters with a paring knife
1 (2.5-ounce) jar Australian crystallized ginger bits or 1/2 cup crystallized ginger chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter cookie sheets
Sift flour/salt/ginger
Beat butter in mixer 1 minute. Add brown sugar, then white sugar.
Add egg whites one at a time.
Add vanilla (okay if dough looks like it's separated)
Stir in dry ingredients in 3 additions.
Add nuts and ginger pieces by hand.
Drop 1.25” dough mounds onto cookie sheet, 3” apart. Dip fingers in ice water and lightly flatter
Bake 11-12 minutes. Let set for 3 minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.
Store air-tight container between pieces of wax paper. May be frozen.

Recipe ingredients and image from "Great Cookies" by Carole Walter.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g166/Finer_Kitchens/2013%20GBH/Ginger.jpg~original

 

[marilynfl]

Carole Walter's Chocolate and Vanilla Moonstones

Chocolate and Vanilla Moonstones
4 dozen 3” cookies

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2.25 cups all-purpose flour, spooned in and leveled
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly firm
1 cup superfine sugar
1 large egg
1.5 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 teaspoons hot water, divided
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, for flattening cookies

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter cookie sheets
Melt chocolate over hot water. Keep warm
Sift flour/salt/cream of tartar/soda
Beat butter in mixer 1 minute. Add white sugar, beat 1 minute.
Add egg and vanilla
With mixer on LOW, add half dry ingredients with 2 tsp water
Then add remaining dry ingredients just until combined.
Take 1/3 of batter (~1 C) add remaining 1 tsp water and melted chocolate. Let set for 10 minutes
(Marilyn's note: This confused me until I realized the addition of the chocolate made this equal the remaining 2/3 of vanilla dough.)
Scooping 1/2 tsp of each, form a small mound of both flavors. Roll lightly into a ball.
Place 2 TBL remaining sugar on flat dish and pres heel of hand into it, then flatten each cookie.
Bake 9-11 minutes. Let set for 3 minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.
Store air-tight container between pieces of wax paper. May be frozen.


Recipe ingredients and image from "Great Cookies" by Carole Walter.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g166/Finer_Kitchens/2013%20GBH/Moonstone.jpg~original

 

[anna_x]

Made double-batch yesterday, Delicious, but thinner than expected

Meant this to apply to the Rustic Maple-Pecan coolies but the placement is off.
Next time I will add a bit more flour to thicken them. I also found that I needed to shorten the baking time, probably because of the thinness. Still, a real keeper!