Buttermilk Waffles

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(Adapted from Mark Bittman)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
2 eggs, separated
4 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then stir in the buttermilk, egg yolks, butter and vanilla.

2. Preheat the waffle iron. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks, then gently fold into the batter.

3. Spread a half cup to cup or so of batter onto the waffle iron and bake until the waffle is done (amount of batter and bake time will vary, depending on your waffle iron). Serve immediately.

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  Blessed New Year!

Three-Layer Peppermint Bark

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Adapted from Bon Appétit, December 1998

When you’re shopping for white chocolate, make sure that the words “cocoa butter” appear in the list of ingredients. Also, to crush the peppermints coarsely, Bon Appétit advises tapping the wrapped candies firmly with the bottom edge of an unopened 15- to 16-ounce can.

17 oz. white chocolate, such as Callebaut, finely chopped
30 red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies, coarsely crushed
7 oz. bittersweet chocolate, such as Schaffren Berger, finely chopped
6 Tbsp. heavy cream
¾ tsp. peppermint extract

Turn a large baking sheet upside down, and cover it securely with aluminum foil. Measure out and mark a 9- by 12-inch rectangle on the foil.

Put the white chocolate in a metal (or other heatproof) bowl, and set it over a saucepan of barely simmering water. (Do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water.) Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted and smooth; if you take its temperature with a candy thermometer, it should register 110°F. Remove the chocolate from the heat. Pour 2/3 cup of it onto the rectangle on the foil. Using an icing spatula, spread the chocolate to fill the rectangle. Sprinkle with ¼ cup of the crushed peppermints. Chill until set, about 15 minutes. I stuck mine out on the deck in the snow!

Meanwhile, combine the bittersweet chocolate, cream, and peppermint extract in a heavy medium saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is just melted and smooth. Cool to barely lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Then remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator, and pour the bittersweet chocolate mixture over the white chocolate rectangle. Using an icing spatula – make sure you cleaned it after using it for the white chocolate, above! – spread the bittersweet chocolate in an even layer. Chill until very cold and firm, about 25 minutes.

Rewarm the remaining white chocolate over barely simmering water to 110°F. Working quickly, pour the white chocolate over the firm bittersweet layer, using your (again, clean) icing spatula to spread it to cover. Sprinkle with remaining crushed peppermints. Chill just until firm, about 20 minutes.

Carefully lift the foil from the baking sheet onto a large cutting board. Cut the bark crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips. Using metal spatula, slip the bark off of the foil and onto the cutting board. Cut each strip crosswise into 3 sections, and then cut each section diagonally into 2 triangles. Or, alternatively, just cut each strip into smaller pieces of whatever size you like.

Pack into an airtight container, with sheets of wax paper between layers of bark to prevent them from sticking to one another. Store in the refrigerator. Serve cold or, to emphasize the slight softness of the bittersweet layer, let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Note: This bark will keep for up to 2 weeks, if not more. If you plan to pack it in a tin or baggie with other holiday sweets, be sure to wrap it separately in plastic wrap. Or maybe wax paper and then plastic wrap, so that it doesn’t sweat. If you left it naked, so to speak, to mix and mingle with other cookies or candies, everything might wind up tasting and smelling like peppermint, not that it's a bad thing.

Yield: about 36 pieces, or more, if you cut them smaller!

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Happy Christmas!

Gingerbread Snowflakes

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from Gourmet December 2002

2/3 cup molasses (not robust)
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 3/4 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Decorating icing:
1 (1-lb) box confectioners sugar
4 teaspoons powdered egg whites (not reconstituted)
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla


Special equipment: assorted 2- to 3-inch cookie cutters (preferably snowflake-shaped); a metal offset spatula; a pastry bag fitted with 1/8- to 1/4-inch plain tip (optional)

Bring molasses, brown sugar, and spices to a boil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, and remove from heat. Stir in baking soda (mixture will foam up), then stir in butter 3 pieces at a time, letting each addition melt before adding next, until all butter is melted. Add egg and stir until combined, then stir in 3 3/4 cups flour and salt.

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead, dusting with as much of remaining 1/4 cup flour as needed to prevent sticking, until soft and easy to handle, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Halve dough, then wrap 1 half in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature.

Roll out remaining dough into a 14-inch round (1/8 inch thick) on a lightly floured surface. Cut out as many cookies as possible with cutters and carefully transfer with offset spatula to 2 buttered large baking sheets, arranging them about 1 inch apart.

Bake cookies in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are slightly darker, 10 to 12 minutes total (watch carefully toward end of baking; cookies can burn easily). Transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. Make more cookies with remaining dough and scraps (re-roll once).

 

Icing: Beat together all ingredients except food coloring in a large bowl with an electric mixer at moderate speed until just combined, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and beat icing, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, until it holds stiff peaks, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or 4 to 5 minutes with a handheld. Beat in food coloring (if using). If you plan to spread (rather than pipe) icing on cookies, stir in more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to thin to desired consistency.

Put icing in pastry bag (if using) and pipe or spread decoratively onto cookies.

Cooks' notes: • Cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature 3 weeks.

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enjoy!

Cream Biscuits

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adapted from Baking Illustrated

The kneading step is a little unusual, typically avoided in butter-based biscuits as it makes them tough.  The cream, however, interacts differently with the gluten, and actually delivers better texture and rise with the aid of a little hand-work.

2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Place oven rack in the upper middle position, and preheat oven to 425°.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
In a medium, wide bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Add 1 1/4 cups of the cream and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula, until dough pulls together into craggy, mostly-together bumps, about 30 seconds.  If there is still a good hit of loose, dry flour, dribble in a bit more cream, 1 Tablespoon at a time.

Dust a clean surface with flour, and dump mixture out.  Lightly flour hands, and knead until dough is just smooth and fairly cohesive, about 30 seconds.  Gently, firmly, nudge dough into a round. Cut out biscuits.
At this point, biscuits can be cut into triangles, which are more efficient (no scraps), or circles, my standby.  If cutting circles, cut as close together as possible, and gather scraps for re-cutting.  After two cutting sessions, simply pat the remaining scraps into a final biscuit or two.
Bake until golden brown, 15-18 minutes.  Serve immediately.

enjoy!

those little white cookies

Russian Tea Cakes a.k.a. Mexican Wedding Cakes or Polvorones [cookie #1]

Adapted from Epicurious

1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) butter, room temperature

1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour (I used King Arthur AP unbleached)

1 cup toasted and finely ground walnuts

1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar for rolling

Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until well blended. Beat in flour, then nuts. Divide dough in half; form each half into ball. Wrap separately in plastic; chill until cold, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar in pie dish to blend. 

Working with half of chilled dough, roll dough by 2 teaspoonfuls between palms into balls. Arrange balls on heavy large baking sheet, spacing 1/2 inch apart. Bake cookies until golden brown on bottom and just pale golden on top, about 18 minutes. Cool cookies 5 minutes on baking sheet. Gently toss warm cookies in powdered sugar to coat completely. Transfer coated cookies to rack and cool completely. Repeat procedure with remaining half of dough. Makes 45 cookies.

Thelma Lou's Version [cookie #2]

1 cup shortening (crisco), at room temperature

½ cup powdered sugar

2 cups all purpose flour (King Arthur's AP unbleached)

2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup toasted and finely ground walnuts

confectioner's sugar for rolling cookies in

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Cream together sugar and shortening. Add remaining ingredients and mix until a very firm dough forms.

Roll dough into balls the size of a small walnut. Bake 12 to 15 minutes at 375°.

Remove from oven and roll in powdered sugar while still HOT. (Caution, remember, this is culinary napalm, make sure you’re wearing gloves, or that you’ve coated your fingers in powdered sugar before grabbing hold of the first cookie!)

Allow to cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 45 cookies.

Mom's Version Vanilleplatchen [cookie #3]

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup Crisco, at room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup toasted and finely ground walnuts
confectioner's sugar for rolling (the cookies, not you)!

Cream the butter and  Crisco until fully combined. Gradually add the sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Add the water and vanilla. Gradually add the flour, beating just until incorporated. Add the ground nuts until mixed in.
Form into 1 inch balls or crescents. Bake at 350* for about 12 to 15 minutes until bottoms are lightly browned.
Let cool slightly on baking sheets and roll in confectioner's sugar while still warm. Cool completely on wire rack. I usually sift more confectioner's sugar over them once they have cooled!

 Emma's Version Mexican Wedding Cookies [cookie #4]

1 cup butter, at room temperature

½ cup powdered sugar

2 cups all purpose flour (king Arthur AP unbleached)

2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup toasted and finely ground pecans

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Cream Together sugar and shortening. Add remaining ingredients and mix until a very firm dough forms.

Roll dough into balls the size of a small walnut. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool. Roll in powdered sugar.

Makes 45 cookies.

hummm....you decide.

marzipan

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8 oz. almond paste
2 c. powdered sugar (+ more for rolling out)
1/4 c. corn syrup
food coloring (any color)

Over a medium bowl, break almond paste into small pieces. Add 1 c. of the sugar and work it in with your hands until mixture is crumbly. Add another 3/4 c. sugar and work in very well. Add corn syrup and work until completely incorporated (very sticky here; deep breathes). Sprinkle remaining sugar on a work surface and knead the dough until uniform, up to 5 minutes. If dough seems overly sticky, knead in more sugar. Form dough into disc, cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for an hour.

Sprinkle a work surface with powdered sugar. To color the dough, break off a palm-size piece of dough, add 2-3 drops and knead in the color until consistent; add more color if needed. Then, blend the colored dough into the larger portion you'd like to use for that color and knead until consistent. Continue to add sugar as needed to keep dough from sticking to surface.

Dust surface with sugar and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Cut into desired shapes (free form cutting or using small cookie cutters) and place on wax paper. You can also hand-shape into "Marzipan Fruits" (apples, bananas, oranges, peaches, etc.) or wreaths or candy canes or snowmen [cooking stores often sell Marzipan molds as well]. Allow to sit out for 24 hours, to dry. If the candies have extra powdered sugar on their surface after working with them, use a scantly moistened paintbrush or tiny cloth to remove sugar.

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enjoy!