Cookie Carnival : April
If you asked me, then I'd say that I'm not really a cookie person, because I love cake, but what I love even more is cake and ice cream. In my mind, cookies are just "nice" and while I'd never say no to the offer of a cookie, I don't regularly make them at home. Not like, say, cake and ice cream?
Tuesdays with Dorie is keeping me pretty busy and I recently signed up with another high-profile group of blogging bakers, so lord knows that I should probably be giving my oven and my waistline a rest; but it's difficult to reign myself in when I enjoy baking so much. That's why I couldn't resist joining up when I came across a post about Cookie Carnival, a new blogging event celebrating the cookie. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity for me to change my mind about cookies, and hopefully find some steller cookie recipes in the process.
The End Result...
Originally I had all kinds of ideas in mind for these cookies, like dipping them in chocolate, drizzling them in dulce de leche, using them for ice cream sandwiches, but to be honest these cookies don't need embellishments. Kate of the clean plate club, and hostess and founder of Cookie Carnival certainly picked a winner this month! I think it's the perfect little butter cookie. Super light as a result of using confectioners sugar instead of granulated sugar, they practically melt in your mouth; of course, how could I not love any recipe that uses a whole vanilla bean? The part I loved most about this cookie, which could have everything to do with my sea salt and less to do with the recipe, was the fine grains of salt throughout the cookie. I'll be curious to see if any of the other participants experienced something similar.
Plus Points for...
This is a one-bowl cookie recipe, you dump it all in the bowl of your food processor and whizz away, it's fabulous! I also like the fact that you can whizz up the dough and leave it in the fridge for up to 2 days. I whipped up the dough on Thursday night after work and E rolled and cut them out on Friday night, with the new set of cookie cutters that he picked up for me during the week especially for this recipe! Not only did this recipe turn out some delicious cookies, but I got to watch my boyfriend roll out and cut cookie dough with a look of serious concentration on his face! SO HOT!
Vanilla Bean Thins
--- source: Gourmet Magazine
1 fresh (moist) vanilla bean, split lengthwise
¾ cup confectioners sugar
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
1 stick (½ cup) + 5 tbsp unsalted butter (184g), softened
1 large egg yolk
1 fresh (moist) vanilla bean, split lengthwise
¾ cup confectioners sugar
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
1 stick (½ cup) + 5 tbsp unsalted butter (184g), softened
1 large egg yolk
Special equipment:
a 2-inch cookie cutter (we used a fluted diamond-shaped one)
Make vanilla sugar:
Scrape vanilla seeds from pod with tip of a knife into confectioners sugar. Halve pods crosswise and bury in sugar. Cover tightly and let stand at least 24 hours and up to 1 month.
Make cookies:
Discard pods and transfer vanilla sugar to a food processor. Add flour, salt, and baking powder and pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse just until mixture is in pea-size lumps. Add yolk and pulse just until a dough forms. Gather dough into 2 balls, then flatten into 2 (5-inch) disks and chill, each disk wrapped well in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Roll out 1 disk (keep the other chilled) to less than 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Cut out shapes with floured cookie cutter and chill scraps. Arrange cookies ½ inch apart on a buttered large baking sheet. Make more cookies with remaining dough, rerolling scraps (but only once).
Bake cookies in batches in middle of oven until edges are pale golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Chef's notes:
• Dough can be chilled up to 2 days.
• Cookies keep, layered between sheets of wax paper, in an airtight container at room temperature 1 week.
This is my submission for the April installment of Cookie Carnival hosted by Kate over at The Clean Plate Club.
Posted on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 20:30
by
mari
in recipes, cookies, Cookie Carnival
|
10 Comments
mari
in recipes, cookies, Cookie Carnival
|
10 Comments
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Reader Comments (10)
great job on the redesign!
i'm reading alla the latest posts!
overwhelmingly good. truly great stuff...
you're dangerous!
Ooooo, they're rather lovely.
I would say that I AM a cookie person. Always have been, always will be.
I'm a cookie (and tart and pie) person, and not much of a cake person. Will check out Cookie Carnaval...maybe I'll be tempted to join in in the fun ;)
So is the other group you joined maybe the Daring Bakers? If so, welcome to our 'little' group, I'm sure you'll have fun with the challenges.
These vanilla thins looks perfect by the way, love the fact that your boy friend rolled and cut them. I don't think mine ever will ;)
Oh, forgot to add: love the new design :)
Oh, those look so good! I haven't had a chance to make mine yet. Now I really can't wait! There is just so much time in the day, I hope I can get to them in time (I'll definately make them either way!)
Just like Linda and Lucy I am a cookie fan. These thins sure look like they'd instantly melt in the mouth, but for now I'm the one melting in front of them.
I love anything with vanilla beans in it. So this one is right up my alley. Oh, and your boy friend who helps to roll out the dough? He's a keeper. ;)
They sound absolutely delicious. And I'm a cake person too ;)
Definitely a cookie person here myself, but also a cake person! Guess I'm just a hopeless sweets lover. Anyway, these cookies sound very good, thanks! They look so pretty, too.
i'm so glad you played along this month and you cookies look FABULOUS!