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lately i've been eating

less white flour, less refined sugar, less butter...

but when i recently discovered the recipe behind this famous little cookie

(usually found sitting humbly in Blue Bottle's pastry case
alongside those perfect Sesame Absinthe Cigars, Rosemary Shortbread, etc.),

i immediately put on my apron and mixed up a double batch.

Saffron-Vanilla Snickerdoodles

Read this on Heidi Swanson's 101 Cookbooks. Apparently there is a Blue Bottle recipe book lingering in our near futures. Exciting. These cookies are gems. They aren't the type that appeal to everyone, given their unique saffron flavor, but I love their subtlety. Heidi recommends making a double batch and freezing half of the pre-scooped dough for later baking. I think this is a great idea.

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my latest favorite morsels

Buckwheat Moons

with Coconut and Pistachios 

This recipe began as Heidi Swanson's "Animal Cracker" recipe. However, due to my obsession with buckwheat and lack of almonds in the pantry, I made a few adjustments. I loved how these turned out, with the richness of the coconut oil, the slight nuttiness of the buckwheat, and the delicious flavor of pistachios. As Heidi notes in her recipe, "you can make your own walnut (or almond meal) by pulsing almonds in a food processor until it is the texture of sand--don't go too far or you'll end up with almond butter" I used mostly pistachios with a few walnuts to make my nut meal. 

3/4 c whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 c buckwheat flour

1/4 c walnut/almond/pistachio meal

1/2 c unsweetened finely shredded coconut, very finely minced
1/4 c extra-virgin coconut oil, softened
1/3 c fine-grain natural cane sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten 
a few tablespoons big-grain turbinado sugar

  

Whisk the flour, nut meal and shredded coconut together in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a separate medium bowl, beat the coconut oil with the sugar and salt until it's smooth and looks a bit like a brown sugar frosting. Beat in the egg until everything is uniform in appearance. Add the flour mixture and stir just until incorporated. Turn the dough out onto the counter-top, knead it once or twice and gather it into a ball. Cut the dough in half, flatten each piece, wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Place the racks in the middle and line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper. On a floured work surface roll the dough out 1/8-inch thick. If the dough cracks, let it sit and warm up for a couple more minutes. Stamp out shapes with floured cookie cutters and place the cookies an inch apart on the baking sheets, sprinkle with a bit of the turbinado sugar. Bake until the cookies are just beginning to color at the edges, 7-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool the cookies on racks. Yields at least 2 dozen, depending on size of cookie cutters.

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made a batch of cornmeal-currant biscotti

last night, on a whim

turned out great, but i somehow

missed the line where i was supposed to add the currants

so i added them while i was kneading the dough instead.

i used some raisins too since i only had about 1/2 cup of currants.

but, they are still delicious!

they have a slight crunch from the cornmeal

and they're not too sweet;

the lemon zest and vanilla really come through.

Cornmeal-Currant Biscotti

from Baking with Julia, written by Dorie Greenspan

1 c yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground

1 c all-purpose flour

1/3 c sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 stick (4 oz) cold unsalted butter, cut into 6-8 pieces

1 c plump currants (or raisins)

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp grated lemon zest

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside. Put the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and stir with a rubber spatula to blend. Add the butter to the bowl and, working with your fingertips or a pastry blender, rub the pieces into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Don't worry if there are a few lumps; you'll work them out as you knead the dough later. Stir in the currants. Whisk the egg, egg yolk, lemon zest, and vanilla together in a small bowl, then, with your fingers or a rubber spatula, stir them into the flour mixture. At this point, the dough won't come together in the bowl and it may seem a little dry, but if you pinch a bit between your fingers, it will hold together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly, folding the dough over onto itself a few times, until smooth. Cut the dough into 4 pieces and shape each piece into a 12-inch-long log. Press down gently on the logs with your palms to flatten them slightly and then cut the logs on the diagonal every 1 1/2 inches to make 7 or 8 diamonds from each log. Transfer the diamonds to the prepared pan. Since the ends of the logs will not form perfectly shaped diamonds, set the scraps aside, and then, after all the logs have been cut, gather them together and shape them into a mini-log. Flatten the log, angle each end by pressing it with the back of your knife, and cut into diamonds. Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes, or until they are a light golden color, firm to the touch, and just slightly puffed. Check after 5 minutes to see if the bottoms of the biscotti are browning too quickly; if so, slip a second baking sheet under the first one. Slide the cookies, parchment paper and all, off the baking sheet and onto a rack to cool. Makes 2 1/2 to 3 dozen biscotti.

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when i make a batch of Tartine's sweet tart dough

the recipe makes enough dough for 3 extra tarts

sometimes i use the dough to make

little shortbread cookies instead,

adding other ingredients to liven them up a bit

here i ground up a mixture of

fresh thyme, lavender, cardamom, and fennel seeds

using a mortar and pestle

(about 2-3 tablespoons total)

i used the rolling pin to press

the herbs & spices into the rolled-out dough

after the cookies came out of the oven

i topped them with an easy lemon glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

zest of 1 lemon, finely chopped

(combine ingredients in bowl and stir until smooth)

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awoke this morning

as if i was exiting a cave

where i had been

hibernating

for three days

(( the catalyst  )) 

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when one ends up with extra sweet tart dough,

one must make shortbread cookies.

(add fresh thyme to dough and make a lemon zest icing)

Sweet Tart Dough:

1 cup + 2 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
(a few tsp fresh thyme)

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar and salt

and mix on medium speed until smooth. Mix in 1 egg. Add the remaining egg and mix until smooth.

Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Add the flour all at once and mix on low speed just until incorporated.

On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into 4 equal balls and shape each ball into a disk 1/2 inch thick. Wrap well in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight or freeze 3 for future use

(this dough will keep for up to 3 weeks).  Roll dough out to about 1/4 inch thick (sprinkle fresh thyme if you want) and using cookie cutters, cut out cookies from dough. Place on baking sheets about one inch apart.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place in the oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes. The cookies should be lightly colored and look dry and opaque.

Let cool completely on wire racks.

To make icing, combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp water, & 2 tsp lemon zest & brush on cookies.

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a quiet sunday

morning bath

porch reading

billie holiday vinyl

drizzly bikeride

multiple rainbows

acceptance of repose 

and time spent mostly in the kitchen:

twelve-grain hot cereal with dates, apples, slivered almonds,

cardamom, nutmeg & cream

delicata squash soup with cumin & leeks,

topped with crispy bacon, kale chips & parmigiano

&

orange-cardamom madeleines

i made a few alterations to this recipe.  instead of using lemon zest, i used orange zest.  i also added 1-2 teaspoons ground cardamom (can't get enough of it).  and instead of dusting madeleines with powdered sugar, i finished them with a quick glaze.  for glaze, mix 1/2 c powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons orange juice (used the same orange that i zested).

(complete recipe on next page)

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food for the soul.

chocolate chip cookies

oh my god these are ridiculous. make them now.

(from David Lebovitz's The Great Book of Chocolate)

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (120 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) (115 grams) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch (1cm) pieces
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (200 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup(130 grams) walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped

adjust the oven rack to the top 1/3 of the oven and preheat to 300F (150C).  line three baking sheets with parchment paper.  beat the sugars and butters together until smooth.  mix in the egg, vanilla, and baking soda.  stir together the flour and salt, then mix them into the batter.  mix in the chocolate chips and nuts.  scoop the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon (5cm) balls and place 8 balls, spaced 4 inches (10cm) apart, on each of the baking sheets.  bake for 18 minutes, or until pale golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.  store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.  makes about 20 cookies.

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Part Two:

R O S E S

i bought a bottle of rose extract at least a year ago.

have been dreaming of making rose shortbread cookies. 

simple/delicious. roses/butter.

i mean, really.

i finally did. okay, well i can't get enough.