5 posts tagged “cookies”

The most historic election of our time has now come and gone. We’ve cast our votes like good Americans and got into plenty heated debates with our family members and have popped an extra Aspirin here and there to cure us all of our economic headaches. But now is the time to sit back and see what the new president-elect has in store for us. Surely the next president of the United States of America will provide us plenty of food for thought, but did you know that the First Lady has already provided us some food for munching?

It’s true! Since 1992, Family Circle magazine has conducted a cookie recipe contest for the potential First Ladies whose husbands are campaigning for the presidential seat. This year, the race included a recipe submitted by former president Bill Clinton as Hillary was still running for the democratic ticket at the time the issue went to press. It was a first for our country and the magazine to have a potential First Gentleman of the White House in the contest.

The contest winner (which is selected by voters of the magazine who picks their favorite cookie recipe) has always won the election by coincidence. The contest is now known as the great predictor of the presidential race. And you thought politics had no place in baking.

I think a lot can be said about a person by the recipes they choose and what they make. Clinton unfortunately only received 2% of the vote in Family Circle (sorry, Bill…people don’t like healthy cookies. If we’re gonna do something wrong, we want to do it right!). If you would like to see if Family Circle has stood up to it’s 16 year tradition, you’ll have to find out on mangia.vox.com.

Michelle Obama submitted a great recipe for shortbread cookies that was a recipe provided by Mama Kaye who is the godmother of both Obama daughters. The cookie is delightfully sweet and flavorful with a delicious citrus flavor provided by the zest of orange and lemon and has the surprising addition of dried fruit. I thought it was unique and exotic while still very satiating. It was as though the campaign slogan was still carried through in the recipe that it was indeed time for a change and when chocolate chips and peanut butter have lost their flare, this shortbread cookie with flavors of sweet fruit, tangy citrus and sweet amaretto are the perfect antidote to the ordinary.

Cindy McCain, stuck to the classics with her submission of Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies. You know, when I bit into these cookies I was quite a mixture of feelings. My exact thoughts were “Oh no. These are awesome”. But then I found out that she submitted the recipe that was a direct copy of Hershey’s recipe for Oatmeal Butterscotch cookies. And yeah, FC readers were livid. They felt swindled and betrayed. Why would anyone lie just to get votes? In a cookie contest?!

Now, do I personally think it to be a scandalous offense? No. A bad omen? Maybe. But in reality, I’m pretty sure that Cindy McCain thought perhaps that “hey, I like these cookies and I will submit this recipe because it’s my personal chef’s favorite”.  Or maybe it like what happened to Phoebe on Friends when Phoebe gave Monica the source for her grandmother’s legendary chocolate chip cookies: a Madame Neslie Tolhaus (a.k.a. Nestle Tollhouse). Mistakes happen. I’m certain that when Cindy McCain submitted the recipe as a “family recipe” that was “passed down from a close friend” it very well could have been a Mrs. Babs Hershey.

Scandal or no, both of these cookies rocked my kitchen and will definitely be playing a huge part in this year’s Christmas cookie exchange. Enjoy everyone and thanks for voting!

Michelle Obama’s Shortbread Cookies

Makes 6 dozen 2x3 inch cookies

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1-1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 egg yolks

2 tablespoons Amaretto (almond liqueur)

1 teaspoon each orange and lemon zest

3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 beaten egg white

  Chopped nuts or dried fruit (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Line a 17 x 12 x 1-inch baking pan with nonstick foil. In large bowl, cream together butter and 1-1/2 cups of the sugar.

2. Slowly add egg yolks, and beat well until smooth. Beat in Amaretto and zest.

3. Stir in flour and salt until combined.

4. Spread dough evenly into prepared pan, flattening as smoothly as possible.

5. Brush top of dough with egg white; sprinkle with nuts or fruit (if using) and with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.

6. Bake at 325°F for 25 minutes or until brown, turn off oven and allow cookies to sit in oven (with door ajar) for 15 minutes. Cut while slightly warm.

Butterscotch cookies

Cindy McCain’s (?) Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies

Makes 5 ½ dozen cookies

Ingredients

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter or margarine, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups rolled oats

1-2/3 cups butterscotch chips

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375F.

2. In a large bowl beat the butter or margarine, granulated sugar and brown sugar together. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating well.

3. In a medium-size bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture; stir until blended. Stir in oats and butterscotch chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

4. Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Call them what you like:

Russian Tea Cakes, Mexican Wedding Cakes, Snowballs, Southern Pecan Butter Balls, Snowdrops, Vienese Sugar Balls...whatever.

I shall dub them Ruxicanese Snugary Teaballs so that nobody feels left out.  :)

Russian tea cakes

A Cookie By Any Other Name Would Taste Just As Sweet:

Recipe by joyofbaking.com

Ingredients

2/3 cup (65 grams) toasted nuts (pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts)

1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup (30 grams) confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar

1 teaspoon (2 grams) pure vanilla extract

2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:

1 cup (110 grams) powdered (icing or confectioners) sugar, sifted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Toast Nuts: Place nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes, or until lightly brown and fragrant. Cool. Once the nuts have cooled completely place them, along with 2 tablespoons (25 grams) of the flour from the recipe, into your food processor, fitted with a metal blade, and process until they are finely ground (but not a paste). Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the remaining flour and salt and beat until combined. Stir in the nuts. Cover and refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour or until firm. 

Form the dough into 1 inch (2.54 cm) balls and place them 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for about 12 - 15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies start to brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, line another baking pan or tray with parchment or wax paper. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the confectioners' sugar on the bottom of the pan and then place the slightly cooled cookies on top of the sugar. Place the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar in a fine strainer or sieve and then sprinkle the tops of the cookies (or you can just roll the cookies in the sugar).

I love Snickerdoodles! Partly because they taste so lovely and English and breakfasty; but mostly because of their name! Enjoy!

Snickerdoodles

Recipe by way of joyofbaking.com

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups (385 grams) all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. 

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until smooth (about 2 to 3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat until you have a smooth dough. If the dough is soft, cover and refrigerate until firm enough to roll into balls (one to two hours).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (190 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Shape the dough into 1 inch (2.54 cm) round balls.

Coating: In a large shallow bowl mix together the sugar and cinnamon.

Roll the balls of dough in the cinnamon sugar and place on the prepared pan, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Then, using the bottom of a glass, gently flatten each cookie to about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) thick.

Bake the cookies for about 8 - 10 minutes, or until they are light golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Can store in an airtight container, at room temperature, for about 10 - 14 days.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

Snickerdoodles

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Ingredients:

Directions:

Peanut_Blossoms

These are the aforementioned truffles.  They are good. They are very, very good. *Truffle pictures courtesy of nestie friend, Katie*

Nestie Oreo Truffles by way of Katie by way of Carrie

Ingredients:

1 package of Oreo cookies

8 oz. package of cream cheese

8oz of Bittersweet chocolate (you can use semi-sweet if you prefer)

Instructions:

Pulverize the oreos in the food processor into fine crumbs. 

Next, mix in the cream cheese.  You can use a stand mixer for this or your own hands.  I found my hands to be the best tools!

Once thoroughly mixed, chill in the fridge for about 10 minutes or until your patience wheres thin. 

Scoop out teaspoons of the mixture and roll into balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. When finished chill in the fridge.

Meanwhile, chop the chocolate bars up (to make the melting process easier) and melt the chocolate over a double-boiler.  Grab the truffle balls fromthe fridge and dip into the chocolate one by one. 

Save in the fridge until ready to be devoured. 

*You can put the balls in to the freezer to chill quicker, but only leave htem in there for five minutes at a time

**You can use melted white chocolate to decorate your truffles if you so feel inclined. Just melt 4 oz of white chocolate over the double-boiler and pour into a make-shift pastry bag and squirt away!

Oreo truffle