Category: Food
World Peace Cookies-Let’s Do the Cookie Wrap Now

World Peace Cookies-Let’s Do the Cookie Wrap Now

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Christmas is over, but that doesn’t mean the cookie baking has stopped.

After all, we still need to ring in the new year and what better way than with delicious sweet or salty nibbles? Need a savory bite to go with cocktails, try Parmesan Shortbread or Bouchon’s Gourgeres.  Didn’t finish that bottle of bubbly Rose’, the perfect answer, Christina Tosi’s Champagne Shortbread.

To usher in 2020, I looked for the perfect bite-sized treat when you have a cocktail or a glass of the bubbly in your grasp.  I kept in mind my slice and bake theme and decided the perfect cookie to have for New Year’s Eve or Day, DRUM ROLL PLEASE…

Dorie Greenspan’s World Peace Cookies

A fitting cookie to celebrate the end of a decade and bring in a new one.

This cookie, a Pierre Herme creation,  was originally called the Korova cookie and was published in Dorie’s Paris Sweets. It was the first book of Dorie’s I purchased. This cookie “made me buy it”.  My reaction the first time I popped one in my mouth was, “WOW, this is REALLY, I mean REALLY, GOOD.”

I’m not a big fan of chocolate cookies so it took me by surprise.  So delicious, Dorie’s friend renamed this chocolate wonder, World Peace Cookie.  If everyone shared these we could achieve global peace.  The cookies are chocolatey and sweet with bits of Fleur de Sel providing a surprising hit of saltiness.   The chunks of bittersweet chocolate temper the sweetness and give the cookies a 1-2 chocolate punch. Yep, like a champ.

Ok.  This cookie does pop up on a zillion feeds.  So why am I re-posting?  Well, you can never post the perfect chocolate cookie too many times and more importantly, on the off chance YOU haven’t made these, how could I not?  I would be remiss if I didn’t, a dereliction of blogger duty.

There is another reason. I came across Dorie’s updated version of the World Peace Cookie in her book,  Dorie’s Cookies (of course I own a copy, silly).  Bakers often commented on the original recipe about the crumbly dough and how difficult it was to form a log.  Her updated version has a little more butter, a little more sugar, and a smidge less flour.  I noticed the updated dough was softer than the original recipe and came together easily.  Perhaps her changes came about from baking them in ring molds for their cookie pop-up or maybe to address the crumble rumble.

I think the original recipe is much more like a sable’, a little drier and shortbread-like while the updated version is softer and a tad moister (wow, this was an auto-correct).  I fully intend to bake the original soon for comparison.  The bottom line is both versions are DELICIOUS.

The dough comes together in a snap.  Butter is beaten with sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.  Then chopped dark chocolate is folded into the dough.  Natural or Dutch-process cocoa can be used.  I used King Arthur’s Triple Cocoa Blend (all-purpose cocoa) but use your favorite.  For the chocolate, I like Trader Joe’s Pound Plus Dark Chocolate that comes in a big honking bar. You can use fancy designer chocolate to up the wow factor or you can use chips when you are in a hurry.  I like the jagged, rough pieces you get chopping the chocolate.  Use bittersweet chocolate, especially with the updated version which is a little sweeter than the original.

Roll the dough into logs, wrap in parchment or wax paper and chill.  Use a serrated or sharp knife to cut 1/2 inch pieces.  The dough will crumble but it is an easy fix, just smoosh it back together.  No sweat.  See?

Bake the cookies for twelve minutes.  Don’t check them and don’t open the oven door.  Just relax until the buzzer goes off.  “Bake and take” them out-Dorie’s rules.  Let them cool to set. They’re delicious slightly warm or at room temperature.  Get out the milk or get out the bubbly and ENJOY.

Happy New Year!  Wishing for World Peace in 2020!

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Dorie Greenspan's World Peace Cookies

These chocolate cookies will satisfy any chocoholic. Similar to a sable' these cookies are from Dorie Greenspan's Cookie book and are absolutely addicting.
Course cookies
Cuisine American, French
Keyword chocolate cookies, Dorie Greenspan, korova cookies, world peace cookies
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 170gm
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder Dutch-processed or natural 30gm
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 8 tablespoons plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, (1 stick + 3 T) at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar 134gm
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50gm
  • 1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small bits 142gm or 5 ounces
  • Fleur de Sel optional, to sprinkle on cookies before baking

Instructions

  • Sift the flour, cocoa, and baking soda together and keep the bowl close. Put the butter in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until the butter is soft and creamy. Add both sugars, the salt, and vanilla extract and beat for another minute or two. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the sifted dry ingredients. Mix only until the dry ingredients are incorporated — the dough will look crumbly, and that’s just right. For the best texture, work the dough as little as possible once the flour is added. Toss in the chocolate pieces and mix only to incorporate.
  • Turn the dough out onto a smooth work surface and squeeze it so that it sticks together in large clumps, don't be afraid to smoosh it together. Gather the dough into a ball, divide it in half, and working with one half at a time, shape the dough into logs that are 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) in diameter. (Cookie-dough logs can end up with hollow centers, so as you’re shaping each log, flatten it once or twice and roll it up from one long side to the other to get the air out)
  • Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill them for at least 1 hour. (Wrapped airtight, the logs can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for 1 month.)
  • Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Working with a sharp thin-bladed knife, slice the logs into rounds that are 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) thick. (Don’t worry if the rounds break; just squeeze the broken-off bit back onto the cookie.) Place the cookies on the parchment-lined sheets, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) spread space between them.
  • If you want to up your salt game, sprinkle a tiny bit of Fleur de Sel on each cookie before baking. It adds a tiny wow factor to the look of the cookie too.
  • Bake one sheet of cookies at a time, and bake each sheet for 12 minutes. The cookies will not look done, nor will they be firm, but that’s just the way they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies stand until they are only just warm or until they reach room temperature.
Cultured Club with Girl Deb (Cultured Butter Cookies)

Cultured Club with Girl Deb (Cultured Butter Cookies)

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Last but not least of the trio of slice and bake cookies, Cultured Butter Cookies from Melissa Clark via The New York Times.  On a trip to my neighborhood Trader Joes, I came across Cultured Butter.  What? “cultured butter”, my curiosity was peaked.   As if the planets had just aligned, what should pop up on my feed? An article by Melissa Clark in the NYT on the virtues of cultured butter.   A recipe for Cultured Butter Cookies was included.  Butter Cookies?  A cousin to my favorite cookie, Shortbread?  I’m on it.

Cultured butter is slightly tangy and salty.  Throw out the notion that you should only use unsalted butter to cook and bake.  Cultured butter, from Brittany, wears salt like a badge of honor.  The process of pasteurization kills the live cultures in the milk. Adding back a bacteria culture to the milk gives the butter a nice tang.  So, a live culture, salt, and higher butterfat content, what do you get? Butter on “roids”.

Trader Joe’s carries a very good Cultured Butter (according to Bon Apetit’).  Imported from Brittany, its a bargain.  Not just perfect for Melissa’s cookies, but delicious on toast, spread on a baguette or drizzled on vegetables.

The remaining logs of dough of my trio of slice and bakes are chilling in the fridge.  All I have to do is slice, bake, and arrange them on a festive plate, and I’m good to go…to any holiday party, even yours (hint, hint).

Bout’ the cookies

Beat softened butter with sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg yolk and combine.  This results in a lighter, crisper cookie.  Blend in the dry ingredients, do not overbeat.  The dough is then molded into a log (helpful hints for creating logs) and chilled.  Roll the logs in sugar, I like white sanding or sparkling sugar which gives the cookies a festive look and provides a bit of crunch.

Slice at least 1/4 inch thick, no less for a nice edge and then bake on parchment-lined sheet until the edges turn a nice deep golden brown.  The cookies taste even better on the second day as the flavors have a chance to develop.

These cookies are lovely.  Light, crisp, buttery perfect with tea, champagne, just about anything.  I’ll be baking a batch for New Year’s Eve too.

The trio of slice and bakes and the stamped Mexican Hot Chocolate Shortbread were the cornerstone of my #f52HolidaySwap box this year.  What’s that you say? Think…

Secret Santa  

Hosted by Food52, this is a wonderful, fun way to share the holiday spirit of giving with a stranger and donate to a worthwhile cause.  For a small donation (this year’s recipient was No Kid Hungry) you are sent a name and address of someone in the world (yep, you read that right-world, although most likely stateside) to send a package of goodies.  My holiday box went to Kim in Ohio, filled with not only cookies but spiced pecans, homemade granola, kitchen towels I trimmed myself (so easy) and a beautiful bowl made by my friend, Snook.  In turn, I received a box from Massachusetts, with cute flour sack towels, homemade cookies, and a festive spatula. 

I am already thinking about next year’s box! 

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Cultured Butter Cookies

Course cookies
Cuisine American
Keyword Cultured Butter Cookies
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups 250 grams all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon 3 grams baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup 2 sticks salted, cultured butter, at room temperature
  • ⅔ cup 130 grams granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ¼ cup coarse sanding sugar for rolling

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
  • In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and granulated sugar until lightened in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Beat in egg yolk until combined. With mixer running on low, add flour mixture until incorporated.
  • Divide dough half. On a clean surface, roll each halfinto a 1 ½ inch log.
  • Sprinkle the coarse sanding sugar over a sheet of parchment. Roll each log in the sugar until the outside of the dough is thoroughly covered.
  • Cover logs tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour, or overnight.
  • When you are ready to bake the cookies, heat oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Use large, sharp knife to cut each log into ¼ inch-thick rounds. Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake until cookie edges and bottoms are deep golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature.

Notes

Trader Joe's has Cultured Butter!
Slice, Slice Baby (Ginger Oat Cookies)

Slice, Slice Baby (Ginger Oat Cookies)

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As soon as slice and bake cookies became my “thang” this year, I thought of The Grand Central Baking Book that has been sitting on my shelf for years. It has an entire section devoted to slice and bake cookies. Time to finally pull it off that shelf and put a dent in my vow to cook or bake at least one recipe from every cookbook I own.  I’m glad I did.  I chose the Ginger Oat Cookie, a buttery oatmeal shortbread with ground ginger in the dough and flecked with bits of candied ginger.  It is absolutely delicious. The oatmeal gives it a rustic texture while the ginger adds sweetness and spice. Paired with a cup of hot tea, they are in a word, addicting.  

For the dough, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy then add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  Fold in the candied ginger.  The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of candied ginger if you like your cookies “gingery” you can add a smidge more.  Gather the dough with a bench knife (pastry scraper), and divide it in half.  Place each portion on a sheet of parchment paper and pat into a long rectangle.

To form a round log, I fold the parchment over the dough, place a ruler or straight edge on top of it at the base of the dough.  Hold the bottom edge of the paper taut, and push the straight edge into the dough.  To prevent your cookies from having a flat bottom, place each log in PVC tubes (I got mine from Tap Plastic) so they are not resting on a flat surface while chilling.  You could use a paper towel tube, but who keeps those around?

Chill the dough until firm.  The recipe calls for rolling the dough in sugar.  I use just egg white to brush the logs as I’m not a fan of the color imparted by a whole egg wash.  Cut the logs with a sharp or serrated knife.  Don’t worry if it crumbles a little, just smoosh the dough back together. NBD

Since I had two logs, one went in the freezer to save for a rainy day.  Love slice and bake cookies.  Easy peasy.

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Grand Central Bakery Ginger Oat Shortbread Cookies

This buttery brown sugar oatmeal shortbread is a double hit of ginger with pieces of candied ginger and ground ginger infused in the dough. A delicious sweet and spicy cookie perfect with a cup of tea.
Course cookies
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 -2/3 cup AP flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 -2/3 cup rolled oats old fashioned
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter room temperature
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 2 tablespoons candied ginger coarsely chopped
  • egg white wash 1 egg white beaten with 1 tsp water
  • turbinado sugar for rolling

Instructions

  • Combine flour, salt and ground ginger into a bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in rolled oats.
  • Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment beat butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  • Add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in candied ginger with a sturdy spatula and divide dough in half. Place each half on a 12 to 14-inch length of parchment paper or waxed paper. Shape the log into a rectangle by flattening the top and sides with your hands. Use the paper to help roll and shape dough into 2 logs, 10 inches in length and roughly 2 inches in diameter.
  • Twist the ends of the paper to seal the log and chill until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
  • (Logs of shortbread dough can be frozen for up to 3 months.)
  • Preheat oven to 325°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly brush each log with egg white wash. Roll log in turbinado or similarly coarse sugar, using some pressure so that sugar adheres to the dough.
  • Slice cookies 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick and place 1 inch apart on prepared pans. Bake 16 to 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. The cookies are done when they begin to brown slightly around the edges and the centers are still light.
Jan Hagels, Anyway You Slice It, That’s the Way I Want It

Jan Hagels, Anyway You Slice It, That’s the Way I Want It

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Bah Humbug, for some reason I have not been able to get into holiday “drive”.  Maybe I’m still jet lagged from our trip to New Orleans or I am still in a Creole butter coma.

The Cookie Cure

Gotta Snap Out Of It. Maybe baking tried and true recipes might work.  I dug out my Christmas cookie journal to peruse and get in the cookie mood.  A binder filled with cookie recipes from magazines, photocopies of recipes from books along with my own notes, and pictures drawn by my kids when they were little.   It’s my cookie bible.

I flipped to “Our Favorite Cookies”, from an old issue of Ladies Home Journal.  Ninety percent of you are thinking, what? It’s a Women’s magazine, think, Better Homes and Garden with dresses and makeup tips. Raise your hand if you remember it (seriously dating yourself now). This is the epicenter of my annual holiday cookie extravaganza.

Jan Hagels are on the “gotta make them every year” part of the list.  Which is always a good way to start to find your cookie groove.  These little Dutch gems are thin and crispy, spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and allspice, and flecked with sliced almonds.  They are my mom’s favorite and the first one she will reach for on the cookie platter.  How can I not start with these?

Options, roll out the Jan Hagel dough and emboss the dough for traditional Jan Hagel OR form the dough into a log, chill, slice, and bake.  Yeah, picking option #2.  Chill the dough well, which makes it much easier to slice into the prerequisite 1/8-inch slices.  Bake on parchment as the cookies will stick to the pan as they cool.  Trust me on this one.

This recipe makes quite a few cookies and the finished cookie keeps very well.  Stash a log in the fridge or freezer for freshly baked cookies at a moment’s notice.

Just Can’t Put My Finger On It

The Walnut Thumbprints from the same article also find their way onto my annual baking list.  They’re buttery, nutty, tender, a little bit crumbly, and absolutely delicious. Last year I switched hazelnuts for the walnuts, a genius move.  Find toasted hazelnuts at TJ’s, which makes life infinitely easier.  As much as I love pecans, they aren’t a good choice, they don’t have that pronounced bite walnuts and hazelnuts have.

Slice, Slice Baby

On a roll with slice and bake cookies.  Next up, Ginger Oaties from Grand Central Bakery cookbook, a book that has languished on my shelf for years.

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Jan Hagels

Lovely slice and bake Dutch cookie made with almonds, butter, and brown sugar. Flavored with allspice, cinnamon, and ginger. Sweet, spicey, crisp, perfect with a cup of tea.
Course cookies
Cuisine Dutch
Keyword Dutch Almond Cookies, holidays, Jan Hagel
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

Da Dry Stuff

  • 1-1/2 cup All purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp allspice

Cream the Following:

  • 1/2 cup butter reg salted (its an old recipe), if using unsalted increase salt to 1/2 tsp, 1 stick or cube
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Da Wet Stuff

  • `1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Adds

  • 3/4 cup sliced almonds

Instructions

  • Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and allspice in medium bowl. Beat butter and sugars in mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture until blended. Stir in almonds.
  • Gather and shape dough into 8x2-1/2 -1-12 inch brick. Wrap in wax paper or parchment and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  • Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut brick crosswise into 1/8-inch thick slices. Line cookie sheet with parchment and bake 8-10 minutes until firm.
  • Cool on wire rack. Makes 3-1/2 dozen
Beta Testers (Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread, Mexican Hot Chocolate Shortbread, Pistachio Shortbread Cookies)

Beta Testers (Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread, Mexican Hot Chocolate Shortbread, Pistachio Shortbread Cookies)

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With the reprint of Claudia Fleming’s “The Last Course”, I reached into the archives for a post on a trio of shortbread I “tested” on friends and family.  A delectable triple play of cookies that would be lovely in a holiday cookie tin or a festive platter for the annual swap.  Fleming’s Lemon Poppy Seed cookies are buttery, tender, lemony with a crunch from the poppy seeds while Back in the Day’s  Mexican Hot Chocolate Shortbread are rich, chocolatey, and spicy.  Bake em’ TODAY.  I love pistachios for their color and flavor, both shine in Macrina Bakery’s Pistachio Shortbread.

Without further ado, a trio of tasty cookie bites from “back in the day” that you should bake today!

Human nature always prevails and I am no exception.  Every New Year’s Day I make a couple of resolutions…lose weight, get more sleep, test more cookie recipes for next year’s holiday box, one out of three ain’t bad!  If I were a major leaguer with a 333 batting average I’d be batting clean up.

DSC01290

So from my collection of cookbooks, I pulled out Back in the Day Bakery Book and made the Mexican Hot Chocolate Shortbread,  Lemon Poppyseed Shortbread from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course (re-issued!) and Pistachio Shortbread from More From Macrina Bakery.  I don’t like to rely on my taste buds only, so my trusty crew friends, nieces, & family were my “beta testers”.  Consensus was there was no consensus!  Although I might have to give the edge to the Mexican Hot Chocolate shortbread, me and Joe Biden..here to cast the final vote.

A successful beta test since these three recipes would all make the cut for the holiday cookie basket.

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Mexican Hot Chocolate Shortbread

These cookies taste like a mug of rich hot chocolate. The deep mocha-flavor is followed by a kick of cayenne pepper. Don't let the heat put you off; it only enhances the flavor.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Author Back In the Day Bakery

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients #1

  • 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup almond flour

Creamed Mixture

  • 1/2 pound 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

Dry Ingredients #2

  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder or finely ground coffee
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

The Finishers

  • 1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar for dusting

Instructions

  • Line two cookie sheets with parchment.
  • Whisk the flours together in a medium bowl and set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer), cream the butter, vanilla, and almond extract until the mixture is pale in color, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the speed down to low, add the brown sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, espresso, salt, and cayenne pepper, and continue to mix until the mixture is smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the flour mixture in thirds until just combined. With the mixer running, sprinkle in the chocolate chips, mixing until just combined.
  • Transfer the dough to another bowl and finish mixing by hand to make sure no bits of flour or butter are hiding on the bottom of the bowl and the dough is thoroughly mixed.
  • Use a small ice cream scoop to form the cookies, about 1 rounded tablespoon each, and place on the prepared cookie sheets, leaving 1 inch between the cookies to allow for spreading.
  • Flatten each cookie with a cookie stamp dusted with granulated sugar, or gently flatten each cookie with the palm of your hand and then dust the tops with sugar. They will have little cracks in the top. Refrigerate the cookies for at least 1 hour, or up to 5 hours. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time for even doneness (see Tip). Cool the cookies completely on wire racks. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.
  • Tip: It is really difficult to tell when dark chocolate cookies are done. Pull them out when they are firm to the touch on the edges and the sweet smell of chocolate has begun to fill your kitchen.
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Lemon-Poppy Seed Shortbread (Claudia Fleming, The Last Course)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour sifted
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth, about two minutes. Add the lemon juice, zest and vanilla and beat well.
  • In a bowl, combine the flour, poppy seeds, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Form the dough into a disk and, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
  • Preheat oven to 300° F. Roll the dough between two sheets of wax paper to a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle. return dough to refrigerator for an additional 30 minutes. Cut the shortbread into shapes with a two-inch cookie cutter, or use a knife, and place 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Do not reroll scraps, if using cookie cutter. Prick shortbread with a fork and bake until pale golden all over, 23 to 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
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PISTACHIO SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour plus more for the work surface
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup shelled raw or roasted pistachios
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 stick 4 ounces unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar sanding sugar, or raw sugar, for garnish

Instructions

  • Pulse the flour, granulated sugar, salt, pistachios, and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor for 1 to 2 minutes, until the pistachios are finely ground. Scatter the butter pieces in the food processor and pulse several times to cut the butter into the flour. Stop pulsing when the ingredients just come together and cling to one another. (Watch carefully, as food processors work very fast and can easily overmix the dough. At first the mixture will have a coarse, crumbly texture, but then if you’re not careful it will quickly turn into a paste.)
  • Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a log about 2 inches in diameter and 10 inches long. (If the dough is too sticky, toss it in the fridge for 10 or so minutes to make it easier to work with. Dampening your hands ever so slightly with cold water also helps.) Place the log on a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Tightly roll the wrap around the log and twist the ends to seal them securely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 5 days. (This dough also freezes well for up to 3 weeks if wrapped tightly in plastic.)
  • Position 2 racks in the center of the oven and preheat to 325ºF (163ºC). Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Cut the chilled cookie dough into 1⁄2-inch-thick coins and place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Lightly brush the top of each shortbread cookie with water and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden brown on both top and bottom. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store the pistachio shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

 
Cranberry Curd Tart (All the Colors of the Pie)

Cranberry Curd Tart (All the Colors of the Pie)

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The Perfect Potluck Event

Before going full force into Christmas mode, a recap of Thanksgiving is due.  Turkey Day was spent at my brother’s house in The City with aunties, uncles, cousins, and friends.  Potluck style, the spread is a mash-up of classic Thanksgiving dishes and Chinese dishes adapted for the holiday.

Our table would not be complete without sweet rice stuffing – Gnaw Mai Fan and Cousin Gary’s Sweet Potatoes (yep the classic copious amounts of butter and brown sugar, topped with mini-marshmallows). Our contribution to the annual feast was PIES and for forty-plus people.  That’s a whole lotta pie. Lucky for me Jamie was home. Yay.  Reinforcements.

It’s Pie Time

Have you ever noticed, Thanksgiving dinner is texturally (besides the turkey) a toothless delight-stuffing, yams, corn casserole, carrot pudding, overcooked green bean casserole…you know what I’m talking about.  The traditional desserts are a plethora of orangey-brown tones-pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie, and pecan pie. The only reprieve is a dollop of whipped cream on every slice.  Kinda monochromatic.

Well, we fixed that this year.  Not the soft foods just the dessert color palette problem.  We still made Pecan Pie and Pumpkin Pie but we then finished with a color flurry-Purple Sweet Potato Pie, Apple Tart (don’t peel your apples), and a Cranberry Curd Tart.  Splash!

For the Cranberry Curd Tart, two recipes stood out (ok, they were the first two after Googling).  David Tanis’s recipe in the New York Times and the Cranberry Curd Tart from the blog Blossom to Stem.  A flip of the coin, Blossom to Stem won.  It is a beautiful blog, craft cocktails, and delicious food, check it out.

Let’s Talk Crust, Crust, Baby

The crust, all butter, flour, powdered sugar, egg yolk, and orange zest.  The powdered sugar makes a tender crust by lowering the protein content of the dough.  Melted butter means no waiting for the butter to soften.  I am a believer in using melted butter for crusts.  I learned this from making Alice Medrich’s BOSS Lemon bar recipe.  Bake it until a nice golden brown. The finished crust is sweet, citrusy, and tender.  Love it.

The curd starts with cooking the cranberries in orange juice until they burst then passing the mixture through a food mill to remove the seeds and skin.  Don’t have a food mill? Make the curd and strain it. A little more elbow grease (ok, more than a little) without a food mill but doable.

Voila, a gorgeous ruby red cranberry curd-sweet, tart, and delicious.

The curd will thicken as it cools so make sure the crust is baked before finishing the curd. Quickly pour the curd into the crust and slide it into the oven for 10 minutes.  Remove and cool the tart at room temp for an hour and then into the fridge it goes to set.

Garnish with pomegranate seeds or candied cranberries and serve with a ubiquitous dollop of whipped cream or if you like, a meringue (nope, not me).

Make this tart and bedazzle your family and friends this holiday season.

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Cranberry Curd Tart

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cranberry curd tart
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Additional time to prep curd and bake 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 8 Servings

Ingredients

For the crust

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • zest of one orange

For the cranberry curd

  • 12 ounces cranberries fresh or frozen
  • juice of one orange Approximately 1/2 cup
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier (optional)

Instructions

Make the crust

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Add the flour, powdered sugar, and salt to a small bowl and whisk together. Melt the butter in a small saucepan (or in the microwave), add the vanilla extract and orange zest to the butter and stir, then pour into the dry ingredients and stir together until thoroughly moistened.
  • Press the dough evenly along the bottom and sides into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Make the cranberry curd

  • Heat the cranberries and orange juice in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until the cranberries split. Strain through a food mill or fine mesh sieve and discard the skins.
  • Return the strained cranberry mixture to the saucepan and add the sugar, eggs, egg yolks, butter, vanilla, and orange liqueur (if using) to the pan and give everything a good stir. Heat gently over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and registers 170°F on an instant read thermometer (about 8-9 minutes). Immediately strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl and pour into the prepared crust. Bake (still at 350°F) until the curd is set (it should jiggle but not slosh), about 10 minutes.
  • Let cool at room temperature for about 1 hour, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill. Serve this chilled or at room temperature.
  • Serve with softly whipped cream
The Rice Stuff-Sticking with Tradition (Gnaw Mai Fan)

The Rice Stuff-Sticking with Tradition (Gnaw Mai Fan)

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My favorite dish at Thanksgiving, excluding dessert, is dressing.  I adore bread stuffing.  My Mom’s version is delicious.  It’s a pretty traditional bread dressing with the one Asian tweak of dried oysters added to it.  I asked my mom to write her recipe down…and she did!  Thank goodness, since she rarely cooked from recipes and relied on the look, taste, adjust method.

As much as I love her bread stuffing, I never get to make it!  I am immediately “voted off the island” if I suggest anything but the Chinese contribution to Turkey Day-Sweet Rice Stuffing or Gnaw Mai Fan.  My fam LOVES Sweet Rice Stuffing and it just wouldn’t feel right if it were missing from the Thanksgiving table.

My oldest lives in the city and has started his own tradition of having Friendsgiving with his co-workers.  I made a batch of Sticky Rice (recipe here!), walked him through roasting the turkey and the rest was up to him.

TWEAKS

I’m not a big fan of super sticky rice so I use a combination of 50% long grain rice and 50% glutinous sweet (sticky) rice.  But if you like sticky rice change the proportions to 3 cups glutinous rice and 1 cup long grain.

If you are feeling ambitious, here is a quick and easy recipe for the char siu (bbq pork)  It adds a touch of sweetness to the rice.

This would be a perfect gluten-free choice for bread stuffing.  The “Rice” Stuff.  There are gluten-free soy sauces and substitutes for oyster sauce, gluten-free mushroom soy or fish sauce would work well.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Kindness of Strangers: Three Amigos Soup (Beef and Vegetable Soup)

Kindness of Strangers: Three Amigos Soup (Beef and Vegetable Soup)

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Last week I headed up to the City to run some errands, check on my mom’s house and visit her at the assisted-living home.  We moved mom to a care facility after a couple of health emergencies and declining cognitive ability, sadly she could no longer live independently.

I arrived at her place around lunchtime and it was such a beautiful day, I decided to take her to Los Trinos, a little hole-in-the-wall down the block that serves delicious El Salvadorean food.  Using the walker to steady herself, we slowly made our way to Los Trinos.  The most difficult part of the walk is the Mission Street crossing.  She made it across like a real trooper.

A Hole in the Wall but Not in My Soul

Los Trinos, a tiny unassuming place with about 10 tables, serves the surrounding neighborhood.  It’s down-home cooking-Pupusas, Tacos, Churrasco, Sopa de Res, all made in a tiny family-run kitchen.  We settled on Carne Asada Tacos, pupusas filled with cheese and chicken, and a bowl of their Sopa de Res (beef and vegetable soup).  The soup is the epitome of comfort food, filled with carrots, chayote, zucchini, corn on the cob, and chunks of beef, it nourishes the body and the soul.  Beef shank is part of the leg, the meat is tough, sinewy, and lean (it does a lot of work after all) but with long slow cooking, morphs into tender and flavorful morsels and develops into a tasty stock.  Oxtails would be a good (but pricey) substitute for both flavor and texture.

On the way back, mom’s legs gave out and she collapsed crossing the street (Mission is a big fast street). I frantically tried to pick her up while grabbing her walker.  Immediately 3 guys came running to help us, literally carrying mom to the corner out of harm’s way. Luckily there is a bus stop there with seats. I told her I would run and grab a wheelchair.  One of the guys immediately said he would stay with her until I got back. I was so grateful to them. With all the craziness going on right now its acts of kindness and decency that restore your faith in people. They probably won’t see this but I wanted to thank the three of them who without hesitation jumped in to help us.

I got mom back and settled her in, told her she almost gave me a heart attack, she laughed.  She Was OK

In appreciation of the three guys who helped us, I have named my version of Caldo or Sopa de Res, Three Amigos Soup. It is soul food.  Comfort food made with love and made to be shared with family and friends.  My mom, notorious for not being a great cook (she left the cooking to my dad), somehow could fill a pot with water and like magic turn it into the most delicious soups.  Her beef and veggie soup, one of my favorites, starts like Three Amigos soup with beef shanks but veers Asian with the addition of ginger and shiitake mushrooms.

Inspired by the three gentlemen who helped me it felt right to make a pot of soup.  I made the soup in a pressure cooker and it takes half the amount of time.  If you have a 6-quart pressure cooker like me, half the recipe.  If you have the big Kahuna of Instant Pots, you can make the full recipe.

Confession time, I cheat by adding a heaping tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon Base, totally optional.  Or start with beef broth or stock instead of water for a richer flavor.

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Three Amigos Soup (Caldo de Res)

Food for the soul, this beef and vegetable soup is nourishing, comforting, and just plain delicious. Filled with a variety of vegetables, including, carrots, potatoes, chayote and onions it makes a wonderful meal in a bowl.
Course Soup
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Beef and Vegetable Soup, Beef shank, Caldo de Res, Carrots, chayote, comfort food, food for the soul, onions, potatoes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Instant Pot 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 10

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

The Stock

  • 10 cups water divided, for a richer stock, use beef stock instead of water or 1:1 water:stock
  • 2 pounds bone-in beef shank Substitute 2-2.5 pounds of oxtails, or a mix of both, chuck roast cut into 2-3 inch chunks would also work
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1.5 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
  • 1-2 Tbsp Better than Bouillon Beef Base optional, not necessary if using beef stock

The Veggies

  • 1 white or yellow onion Diced
  • 2 potatoes cut into eighths (Idaho, Russet or Yukon Gold)
  • 2-3 medium ears of corn shucked and cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 2 zucchini cut into thick chunks
  • 4 carrots sliced into thick coins
  • 1/2 head cabbage cut into eighths, leave the center stalk to keep cabbage together
  • 2 fresh tomatoes, cut in wedges optional but recommended, adds sweetness

Garnishes

  • 1 cup chopped cilantro for serving
  • 4 limes cut into wedges for serving
  • diced jalapenos, optional for serving

Mom's Beef and Vegetable soup

Omit bay leaves, chayote, lime and jalapeños

  • 4-6 dried Shiitake Mushrooms, Cleaned and soaked in warm water for 10-15 minutes. reserve soaking liquid to use as stock for soup
  • 4 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger Smashed Or cut into slices, in place of bay leaves
  • 1/4 Cup Rice wine or Shaoxing Wine Add with beef
  • 1-2 Fuzzy melons or piece of winter melon (1.5 pounds) Daikon or Korean radish would also work In place of zucchini and chayote,
  • 1 Tbsp Light soy sauce Just before serving, stir into soup
  • 1-2 Green onions sliced, to add when serving

Instructions

  • In a large dutch oven or soup pot, add 10 cups of water, beef shanks, garlic, bay leaves, and salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to a low simmer and continue cooking for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meat Is tender.
  • Skim off and discard any white or brown foam floating at the top of the pot as well as the bay leaves and garlic cloves. Transfer the cooked bone-in beef shank to a medium bowl and set aside to cool slightly.
  • Add the onions, potatoes, corn, zucchini, carrots, cabbage and remaining 2 cups of water to the pot.
  • Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer and continue cooking until all the vegetables are tender and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
  • While the vegetables are cooking, remove the bones and any tough sinewy parts from the beef shank and discard. Cut the tender meat into small bite-sized chunks. When the vegetables are fully cooked, add the meat.
  • Stir everything together and taste. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
  • Ladle soup into large bowls, each bowl should have bit of everything. Garnish each bowl with cilantro, freshly squeezed lime juice and diced jalapeño peppers or a few dashes of Tobasco hot sauce (optional).

Instant Pot Version

  • Place beef, shiitake, garlic, salt and 1/2 of diced onions in pot. Fill pot to 10 cup line.
  • Seal pot and set to cook at high pressure for 35-40 minutes. NPR for 10 minutes
  • While soup is cooking, prep vegetables. Remove meat from stock and add vegetables to Instant Pot, you might have to leave some out, it’s a lot of veggies. Seal and set cooktime for 15 minutes.
  • Quick release, season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup and goodies into large bowls. Garnish with cilantro and green onions and serve. Enjoy!
Goblin-g Up Some Delicious Short Ribs

Goblin-g Up Some Delicious Short Ribs

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Greetings from rainy Quebec City!  Hubby and I decided to take a quick trip to Montreal and Quebec City.  Our last trip to the eastern side of Canada was for a hockey tournament for Jeffrey quite a few years ago.  We made it as far as Toronto that time.  This time we were off to Montreal.  W (the hubs) has decided that his criteria for traveling is “what sporting event can I go to”.  The Sharks versus the Montreal Canadians met this criteria.  Hmmm, would I go along?  I am a sports junkie too, but maybe not to the same extent.  BUT, (picture me looking very sheepish as I type this), I am a HUGE Korean drama fan.  It’s my escape. Even though their political dramas do hit a little too close to home, I am hooked.  Every politician in the K-Drama World is corrupt, all the way up to the top banana (or should I say orange?). Imagine that.

So, besides going to a hockey game in Montreal, I bartered for a couple of days in Quebec City.  My favorite K-Drama, Goblin-The Great and Lonely God, features this beautiful city.  So, like a drama groupie, I wanted to visit the different sites featured in Goblin. Think I’m crazy?  At least I’m not alone, check this out Asian Tourism to Quebec City.  Curious about the door?  Wait for my Quebec City post!

Just before heading to Canada, I went to my favorite little cookbook store in the City, Omnivore Books for a book signing event.  Ivan Orkin and Chris Ying stopped by to introduce their new book, The Gaijin Cookbook-Japanese Recipes from a Chef, Eater, Father, and Lifelong Outsider.

While his ramen book can be intimidating, this book is very user friendly and kid friendly, win-win.  Food you feed your family everyday, from classic Japanese recipes to off-beat recipes that are definitely mash-ups from his life in New York and Japan.

I pulled Korean style short ribs out of the fridge and decided to marinade half in my go-to Kalbi recipe and for the other half, I made the Teriyaki Sauce recipe from Ivan Orkin’s book.  Incredibly easy with just 5 ingredients (so user friendly-amirite?).  His tweak is genius, he adds oyster sauce to his recipe, so good.  Yep, short rib, two ways, perfect for the Goblin who only eats meat, and perfect for the rest of us who love Teriyaki.

The Teriyaki Sauce can be made ahead of time and keeps in the fridge.  It is delicious on not just beef, but chicken, salmon or pork.  I mean, really, what isn’t tasty with Teriyaki sauce on it.

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Teriyaki Sauce from Ivan Orkin

A stupid easy, incredibly tasty Teriyaki Sauce that goes well with beef, chicken, fish and pork. From Ivan Orkin‘s new book, The Gaijin Cookbook.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Keyword beef, ivan orkin, japanese food, teriyaki sauce
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 Cup Sake
  • 1/4 Cup Mirin Sweet cooking wine
  • 1/4 Cup Soy sauce Kikkoman is perfect, but any all-purpose soy sauce will work
  • 1/4 Cup Oyster Sauce Repeat after me Lee Kum Kee, woman and little boy in a boat on the label
  • 1 Tbsp sugar Granulated or raw

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk together until sugar dissolves. Store in refrigerator. Keeps for min of a couple of weeks.
  • This sauce is not a marinade. Cook protein by your method of choice. Cook your steak or chicken using your favorite method.
  • Pour teriyaki sauce until a small skillet. Over medium heat cook sauce until it reduces and seems syrupy. Approximately 4-5 minutes.
  • Drizzle sauce over your main and enjoy! Serve sauce on the side for anyone who needs to help.

Thinking about checking out Montreal and Quebec City?  My post on these two fabulous cities is coming soon!