TASTE
'Tis the season for cookies
By Rick Nelson
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
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MINNEAPOLIS — Holiday traditions. For some it's trimming the tree. For others, it's singing carols and stuffing stockings. And for bakers, nothing says December like cookies.
Here's a selection of new ideas from bakers who entered a Minneapolis Star-Tribune cookie-baking competition.
When contest winner Mary Eckmeier gets the urge to bake her winning entry, she jots down a typical holiday baking shopping list: Cocoa, chocolate chips, butter, flour, vanilla, brown sugar and sea salt.
Back up a second: Sea salt? The surprise ingredient puts an unexpectedly glamorous gloss on humble slice-and-bake refrigerated cookies. "It's a grown-up cookie," said Eckmeier. "That little bit of crunchy French sea salt makes the cookie feel not quite so sweet."
Always on the lookout for anything chocolate, Eckmeier plucked the recipe from "Paris Sweets," a cookbook by Dorie Greenspan, and then, as is her custom, stamped it with her own imprint. "The author said to cut up chocolate, but chips are so much easier," said Eckmeier. While the original recipe calls for coarse sea salt, Eckmeier gets a little more specific and uses sel de Guérande. "It's not a white salt, it's a gray salt," she said. "I think it has a more interesting mineral flavor."
Eckmeier knows baking. Four years ago, she and spouse Brett Laidlaw turned their passion for baking into Real Bread, a part-time farmers' market gig; for the past two seasons they've been a draw at the Midtown Public Market in Minneapolis. Laidlaw is the breadmaker and Eckmeier handles the sweets: scones, tea cakes and the occasional cookie, including an exceptional shortbread using a Minnesota-made buckwheat flour, all baked in the couple's St. Paul kitchen. This past summer, to the delight of her customers, she introduced Karova cookies to the ever-changing Real Bread inventory.
"I was resistant to making Karova cookies for the market, because they have been a special thing just for us to have at home, and I wanted to save that," Eckmeier said. "But they're so easy to make, so much more forgiving than bread, and people like being able to buy sweet things, too."
And chocolate things. "The holidays can be so stressful, so you need chocolate to help overcome all that stress," said Eckmeier. "That's what these are: the anti-stress Christmas cookie."
For these cookies, she uses Penzeys Natural Cocoa Powder (penzeys.com),Guittard chocolate chips and the best quality of fresh butter she can find. "These cookies are mostly butter, so you have to use the right butter to get the right cookie," said Eckmeier. Sel de Guérande is a sea salt that is harvested from the marshes of Brittany, but any sea salt may be used. Note: This recipe must be made in advance.
KAROVA COOKIES
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, sel de Guérande (or other coarse sea salt) and baking soda and reserve.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar, sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Add flour mixture and mix until crumbly, just enough so flour is not blowing all over bowl. Using a spatula, fold in chocolate chips.
Dump mixture onto a clean work surface and knead a few times to finish mixing (the warmth of your hands will help the mixture come together).
Divide dough in half and shape into logs about 18 inches long and about 1 inch in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or for up to 3 days.
When ready to bake, heat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap logs and using a very sharp knife with a thin blade, slice logs into 1/2-inch cookies (if cookies come apart after slicing, just push dough back together using your fingers).
Place about 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets and bake 12 minutes; do not overbake. Remove from oven, cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes about 3 dozen.
When Robert Bantle of St. Paul bakes this adult version of the chocolate crinkle, he uses the Sambuca Black version of Sambuca, an anise-flavored liqueur. This recipe must be made in advance.
SAMBUCA CHOCOLATE CRINKLES
In a double boiler over simmering water, melt chocolate and butter and cool slightly. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, Sambuca and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Add chocolate mixture and whisk until combined.
Using a spatula, fold in almonds, flour and baking soda until combined; dough will be soft and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar and powdered sugar.
With slightly wet fingers, roll teaspoon-size balls of dough, and roll dough in sugar mixture. Place cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheets and bake 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies are puffed, cracked and just set. Remove from oven and cool completely on baking sheets.
Makes about 4 dozen.
This one is from the mother-daughter team of Hannah and Anne Park of St. Paul, Minn.; it makes use of dried, sweet cranberries.
CRANBERRY CAT KISSES
For cookies:
For chocolate coating:
To make cookies: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and powdered sugar until creamy. Mix in almond extract.
Add flour, almonds and craisins and mix until thoroughly combined. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and bake 7 to 8 minutes, until cookies are set but not browned. Remove from oven, cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes and remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make chocolate coating: In a double boiler over simmering water, melt chocolate chips and shortening, and whisk until combined. Dip cookies in chocolate, decorate each with an almond slice and transfer to a wire rack until chocolate sets.
Makes about 4 dozen.
Amy Karlen of Minnetonka, Minn., suggests making icing while cookies are baking.
PUMPKIN COOKIES
For cookies:
For icing:
To make cookies: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger and ground cloves, and reserve.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat shortening and granulated sugar until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin puree and mix until well combined.
Slowly add flour mixture, mixing until combined. Drop rounded teaspoons of dough 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets and bake for 10 minutes; do not overbake. Remove from oven, cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make icing: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, butter and milk and bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat, set aside and cool completely, about an hour. Stir in powdered sugar until icing is desired consistency, adding more if necessary. Ice cookies to taste.
Makes about 3 dozen.
From Bette Revoir of St. Paul.
ORANGE KISSES
For cookies:
For icing:
To make cookies: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder and reserve. In a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and granulated sugar until creamy. Add egg and beat until thoroughly combined.
Add orange zest and mix until combined. Add orange juice and beat for 30 seconds. Slowly add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets and bake 8 to 10 minutes, until edges of cookies are lightly browned. Remove from oven, cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make icing: In a medium bowl, stir together powdered sugar, butter, orange juice and orange zest until combined, adding more orange juice if necessary to make right consistency. Ice cookies to taste.
Makes about 4 dozen.
