Category Archives: cookies

Cooking Class at ICE: Cookies Unlimited

Posted on June 7, 2012 | Leave a comment

Lots of Cookies!

This past Sunday I took another wonderful class at ICE (Institute of Culinary Education) in NYC. It really is such a wonderful experience–you meet new people, learn new things and just have a wonderful day. This time it was a cookie class, a lot of cookies class! I personally baked 3 recipes: a brownie, a lemon cookie, and a pecan cookie. I will post all those recipes. There were 12 cookies in all–10 sweet recipes and 2 savory. It was a most enjoyable experience and I can’t recommend it

enough. Go with a friend or go alone. I always go alone and I am perfectly fine with it. Obviously in NYC there are tons of classes in so many different venues, so go for it and check them out. The recipes that I  post from this class will be noted as such: espresso brownies, Palm Beach lemon cookies, and brown-edged pecan wafers (which were cookies, but called wafers). The brownies were awesome–very rich and moist. Look for recipes coming soon.

Leave a comment

Posted in cookies

Image

Cooking Class at ICE ( cookies unlimited)

20120603-164126.jpg

Leave a comment

Posted on June 3, 2012 in cookies, Cooking

Tagged ,

Meringue Cookies – Perfect for Easter and Passover

Posted on March 24, 2012 | 1 comment

This recipe is from my friend Ellen, it is wonderful. A little odd that you would put cookies in the oven and leave overnight with door closed and don’t  open door. This is a perfect recipe for Passover and Easter . Works for Passover, so if you’re not into the macaroon thing here you go. Perfect for Easter as well, just delicious and sweet little morsels. You can satisfy everyone with this recipe. I have been in possession of this recipe for many years as Ellen knows. I am going to make them again this year. They are good to have around for Passover as they are sweet and contain no flour, obviously if you want to keep it kosher you can use kosher chocolate chips. Enjoy and thanks Ellen.

Ingredients:

4 egg whites(leave eggs out at room temperature first)

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 cup walnuts , you can use pieces here

1 cup chocolate chips ( you can use more) I use the semi-sweet ones

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two cookie sheets with tin foil or parchment paper, I used silpat sheets. Beat egg whites and add sugar. Then fold in nuts and chocolate chips. Gently.

Turn oven off – spoon egg white mixture onto cookie sheets ( app. 1 tablespoon) Make sure oven is off. Place cookie sheets into oven. Leave in overnight and Don’t open the oven door! so totally unorthodox you gotta love it!

* as suggested by Ellen, I used Silpat for the cookies, and if you’re in the market would suggest buying them, much easier than using parchment paper and makes for very easy cleanup!

*just a little note. A few people made this recipe and said that it didn’t come out right, they had doubled the recipe. I wouldn’t do that. Also make sure that your egg whites are really whipped up. The doubling must weigh down the egg whites too much. I have never doubled and have never had any problems with it. Joel loves these cookies.

1 Comment

Posted in cookies, Passover Recipes

Tagged , ,

My Favorite Macaroons–Traditional Style for Passover

Posted on March 15, 2012 | 1 comment

I am not sure why I only make these macaroons during Passover. They are definitely my favorites; they are very easy to make, look totally professional, and are the Passover cookie in my book. These can be made ahead of time and stored. I usually make a few days before the Seder because I dip them in melted chocolate (just the tops). You don’t have to dip, you can leave plain. I dip up to 1/2 the macaroon in the chocolate. They are sweet and crunchy on the outside, and moist and chewy on the inside. After Passover, if there are any left over, I freeze them. Cannot have them lying around. Of course you may make these any time of year…they are always welcome on the menu.

*When dipping, just turn macaroon upside down (with peaked part into the chocolate). I usually go just a bit more than the top (probably 1/2 the macaroon into the chocolate). Use as much or as little as you like.

*just a little note, silpat is awesome to use for this recipe instead of parchment paper. You must cool completely before trying to lift off the paper. Also before you dip into chocolate I like to cool down completely.

Ingredients:

3  large egg whites (When I bake, I always leave eggs out so that they are at room temp.)

1/2  cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 package (14 oz.) sweetened, flaked coconut ( I like this Angel Flake Baker’s Brand, but they’re all fine)

*1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips (You can really use any semi-sweet chocolate to melt. It’s just easy with the chips.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (you can use non stick cooking spray, like Pam, but I just line with parchment, which works really well).

In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar and salt until frothy. With a fork, stir in coconut until moistened.

Using a level tablespoon (measuring ones are perfect), pack the mixture into the spoon, so all macaroons are equal size. Drop mixture onto prepared sheet (cookies will not spread). Bake until golden brown, about 25 – 30 minutes. Towards the end, check on them to be sure they don’t burn. I make a little peak with my fingers on the cookies before I bake them (this makes for easier dipping).

*To melt chocolate on stove top: I bring a small saucepan of water to a rolling boil, and on top of it put a small stainless (oven proof) bowl filled with the chocolate.( works like a double boiler if you don’t have one) When it completely melts, take off heat. Once macaroons are completely cool, you can dip the tops. Just make sure chocolate and macaroons are cooled off first. Just dip top of cookie in chocolate and place on a plate to cool. When I am all done, I refrigerate the macaroons to set the chocolate. You can leave in fridge until you are ready to serve and take out with enough time to bring to room temp. Before serving, I usually use a cool cookie sheet with parchment paper to cool off cookies once they’ve been dipped.

*should yield about 20 – 25 cookies. You can double if you’d like.

1 Comment

Posted in cookies, dessert, Passover Recipes

Tagged , , , ,

Cookies and Milk with Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies (Very Crispy, Very Crunchy)

Posted on February 28, 2012 | 1 comment

Bakers Sugar/ ultra fine sugar for a crispier cookieCookies and MilkCookies and MilkCaught Joel eating the batterCaught Joel eating the batterCrispy Chocolate Chip CookiesCookies and MilkCookies and MilkCaught Joel eating the batter

Caught Joel eating the batter

I just love a crispy chocolate chip cookie. Plain and simple. I don’t love the chewy ones nearly as much.  While perusing through all of my magazines and books, trying out new recipes, etc., I found this one. It’s similar to many I have but the few key ingredients like superfine sugar and vegetable oil make all the difference. The recipe was in The Food Network Magazine. This recipe produces a crispy cookie pretty simply. Nothing beats a comforting cold glass of milk with a dunked chocolate chip cookie. I’ll take it any day of the week. These cookies are great with tea and coffee, as well. You can freeze them and take them out as you want them. I cannot keep these cookies around because I will eat them all. I keep only a few out and freeze the rest in a big Ziploc freezer bag, they defrost very quickly. The use of vegetable oil in this recipe helps the batter spread, so the cookies come out extra thin and crispy. Superfine sugar makes for a fine, crumbly, crispy texture as well.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 stick unsalted butter, softened (leave it out at room temp. or microwave for a few seconds to soften, not melt)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup superfine sugar

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl.

Beat the butter, vegetable oil, superfine sugar, and brown sugar in a bowl with a mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 5 minutes (use the paddle attachment). The mixture will look a bit separated at this point. Beat in 1 teaspoon water and the vanilla until smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. (Do not overbeat.) Beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand at the end.

Drop small tablespoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 3 inches apart.  Rotate the baking sheets halfway through the baking process, I rotated the cookie sheet after 10 minutes, they baked between 12 and 15 minutes in my oven .  You want them to be crispy and brown, not just around the edges. You can see in photos they were flat and crispy with chips coming out of cookie, original recipe called for 20 minutes that would have been way too long in my oven. They came out perfectly but I did keep an eye on them. After you rotate them, just keep an eye on them.  If cookies spread into one another in the oven take a sharp knife and cut them apart while they are still warm  then when I lifted off cookie sheet they came apart.  When finished, remove the cookies from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheets.

Pour a large cold glass of milk and knock yourself out! As you can see from the pictures, I caught Joel eating the batter, which tasted pretty amazing.

1 Comment

Posted in cookies, dessert

Tagged , , , , ,