Gingery Lavender Shortbread

A couple of weeks ago when we went door to door, up and down our street to collect food for the food bank, we met our across the street neighbor for the first time.
She happens to be an older woman who lives all alone. Her husband passed away quite a few years ago and she has no children. We stayed and talked to her for a while.
The next day my 5 year old was begging to go across the street to talk to her again.
The next day- same story. and the next day and the next day.

So, we decided to make her a treat and go drop in to say hi and see how she was getting along.

I am growing lavender and had successfully dried some, so I was anxious to use it in a recipe.
I found this shortbread recipe in a book I have on the shelf and made a few tweaks to it. I added lemon zest and a little bit of salt and topped the shortbread off with some purple sugar.

We had to taste test it before we took it over (of course), and then we tied some ribbon around it and headed off across the street.

The kids were happy because we made someone else smile and because we were able to have a sweet treat. We had some shortbread leftover so I shared with some other friends. I thought the lavender flavor was faint, but one taster said it was definitely noticeable.

Gingery Lavender Shortbread- adapted from BH&G the ultimate cookie book

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon dried lavender blossoms
• 1 cup butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• zest of 1 lemon
  

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
3. In bowl, combine flour, sugar, crystallized ginger, lavender, and ground ginger.
4. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling.
5. Form mixture into a ball; knead until smooth (dough may be crumbly at first but will come together as you work it with your hands).
6. Roll or pat dough onto prepared cookie sheet in 11” x 6” rectangle.
7. With large knife, carefully halve rectangle lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 16 slices.
8. Do not separate slices.
9. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until edges are light brown and center is set.
10. Re-cut the rectangle and separate the slices while warm.
11. If desired, sprinkle with additional sugar.
12. Cool on cookie sheet 5 minutes.
13. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
14. To Store: Place cookies in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container.
15. Store at room temperature for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Gingersnap Shortbread

Here is a cookie I made a couple of weeks ago and sent in the mail to a couple of people. I found it in a Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Baking Magazine. The recipe was very easy. This cookie has ground ginger and molasses in it, to give it the gingerbread flavor.
I thought this cookie needed more spice. Next time I am going to add more ginger, just to make sure it is a spicy cookie.
This is a super easy cookie to throw together and perfect for sharing. It mails well, so go ahead and make some- it will be easy to share!


Recipe for Gingersnap Shortbread

Chewy Gingerbread Cookies and Toasted Coconut Shortbread turned into Ice Cream Sandwiches

The other day on Twitter, I caught wind of someone's plan to make Lemon Curd Ice Cream. I think the idea started with Nancy-who had found the recipe (check out her blog for some great ice cream recipes this week), and other bloggers were planning on joining in- Kayte, and possibly some others. I am not quite sure who all ended up making the ice cream.
I had a little bit of lime curd left from the Tiramisu Cake, so I checked out the recipe and saw that I had a little bit more than enough to make the Lemon Curd Ice Cream, but in my case Lime Curd Ice Cream- I will post more about that tomorrow.
As soon as I made the ice cream, which I must add is super delicious, smooth and has just about the perfect consistency, I decided that it was begging to be smooshed between some sort of cookie.
The first idea I had was a chewy, gingery cookie- so I thought either these Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies or these Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies. (Both are in Martha Stewart's Cookie Book and the recipe on her site is slightly different-I baked them for less than the suggested time after reading some of the comments and I am glad I did- they were chewy)
I sent out a tweet asking people what cookie would be best. Lori aka Recipe Girl suggested some sort of shortbread and also put up a link for these Coconut Sugar Cookies.
Tracey found this link for Toasted Coconut Shortbread and Jessica ended up making those too, for her beautiful TWD creation this week.

At first I thought I would be really ambitious and make 4 cookies-but the next day I realized that was too much and I decided on 1 shortbread and 1 chewy.

I really thought the gingerbread cookie would taste great with the lime because of my tasty experience with this lime cream pie with a gingersnap crust. I left the chocolate out of those cookies and they were perfectly chewy and spicy. I accidentally left the cinnamon out of the dough, so they were very gingery. We loved them. My kids really loved them.
The coconut shortbread was very delicious too. Just as a shortbread should be. Buttery, coconutty, and at the end, just a bit of a salty taste. Very delicious.

Both tasted good with the ice cream. My husband thought the gingerbread cookie overshadowed the ice cream, but I disagreed.
I rolled some of the coconut shortbread ice cream sandwiches in toasted coconut, just to use up what I had left.
Perfect summer dessert!
Yum. Come back tomorrow for the Lime Curd Ice Cream!


Recipe for Toasted Coconut Shortbread on smitten kitchen

Recipe for Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies (I left out the chocolate)

One Year Ago-Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti

Vanilla Bean Shortbread

I threw these shortbread cookies together one day right after dinner because everyone was begging for some dessert and I knew they would be ready fast. After I started mixing the ingredients together, I realized that I was out of canola oil and all I had was olive oil. I figured it wouldn't matter and went ahead and finished the cookies.
I have decided that I really like baking shortbread cookies in a 9x13-inch pan and then cutting them after they are done baking. They look better and it makes the process really easy.
I wasn't expecting anything great from these because they seemed so simple, but they were really good! My kids loved them. I think I will probably make them again when I need a quick and simple treat.

Hopefully I will be near a computer soon and I can tell you if we made it to our new living destination!

Vanilla Bean Shortbread from Cooking Light

"This half-oil, half-butter version yields a crisper, more delicate cookie," says Cooking Light Advisory Panelist Greg Drescher of the Culinary Institute of America.

Make up to five days in advance, and store in an airtight container.

Cooking spray

9 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup canola oil (I used olive oil)

1/2 cup sugar

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Line bottom and sides of a 13 x 9–inch baking pan with foil; coat foil with cooking spray, and set aside.
3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl; stir with a whisk.
4. Place butter in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add oil; beat with a mixer at medium speed 3 minutes or until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean, and add seeds to butter mixture; discard bean. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Spoon dough into prepared pan. Place a sheet of heavy-duty plastic wrap over dough; press to an even thickness. Discard plastic wrap. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack; cut into 32 pieces. Carefully lift foil from pan; cool squares completely on a wire rack.

Coming Tomorrow- Brownies with Mint Buttercream and Chocolate Glaze

Lime Shortbread Cookies with White Chocolate and Almonds, Giant Chocolate Sugar Cookies and Chewy Ginger Cookies

My younger brother asked me if I would make him some cookies to take to school for a class activity. I said sure and then tried to narrow it down to 3 cookie recipes that I wanted to make.
I spotted the shortbread recipe in Bon Appetit and wanted to try it, partly because of the flavors, but also because it is baked in a 9x13-inch pan, so it would be hard to mess up and easy to get the triangles all the same size. It was a great success! The cookies were the perfect size and my brother said that they tasted great.
I wanted to make the ginger cookies when I saw them in Health magazine and I had just enough crystallized ginger to do the recipe. These were nice and spicy and really chewy. My brothers favorite.
The chocolate cookies were made because I needed another fast cookie and I thought something chocolately would be perfect.
I didn't make them as big as the recipe said, because I wanted enough for the entire class to share.
They were all a success. No leftovers came back with my brother!

Lime Shortbread Cookies with White Chocolate and Almonds Bon Appétit April 2009
by The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen
A buttery shortbread with bright lime flavor and a crunchy topping.

Yield: Makes 24

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes (includes cooling time)
2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

3 tablespoons finely grated lime peel, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3.5-ounce bar high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds

Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter, 2 tablespoons lime peel, and vanilla; process just until blended and dough forms clumps. Press evenly into prepared baking pan. Pierce dough all over with fork. Using sharp knife, cut dough into 12 squares, cutting through dough completely, then cut each square in half on diagonal, forming 24 triangles total.
Bake shortbread until golden brown, crisp around edges, and firm to touch, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven. Using sharp knife, immediately recut shortbread, gently separating triangles. Cool shortbread in pan on rack.
Place white chocolate in small metal bowl. Set bowl over small saucepan of gently simmering water and stir just until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Using fork, drizzle melted chocolate in zigzag pattern over shortbread. Sprinkle evenly with almonds and remaining 1 tablespoon lime peel. Let stand until chocolate sets, about 1 hour.


Chewy Ginger Cookies from Health Magazine

Prep: 15 minutes

Chill: 2 hours

Bake: 15 minutes

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg3 tablespoons molasses

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1. Combine first 5 ingredients (through crystallized ginger) in a bowl.

2. Beat next 4 ingredients (through brown sugar) with an electric mixer at medium speed. Add dry ingredients; mix until just blended. Wrap in plastic; chill 2 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 350°. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.

4. Fill 2 bowls: 1 with cold water, 1 with granulated sugar. Dampen hands in water; form a 1-inch ball of dough. Roll in sugar; place on baking sheet. Make cookies; place 3 inches apart and lightly flatten tops. Bake 13–15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Remove from oven; cool 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.


Giant Chocolate Sugar Cookies from Martha Stewarts Cookies
Ingredients
Makes 8.
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup good-quality unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, substitute 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in shortening (or additional butter). Add egg and vanilla; mix until creamy. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add flour mixture, and mix until just combined.
Using a 2 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing about 4 inches apart. Bake until edges are firm, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to 2 days.

Coming Next- Lemon Angel Food cupcakes

Not Just-For-Thanksgiving Cranberry Shortbread Cake

I stocked up on cranberries when they were cheap at the grocery store and wanted to give this cake a try. I am always curious about the recipes in Dorie's Baking book that don't have pictures and it makes me want to try them. I happened to have an extra egg yolk hanging out in the fridge, so I mixed up the filling and the dough and let them sit in the fridge overnight. Very easy dough to put together.
I baked this cake the next day and instead of using plain old sugar on top- I used some of my red and white decorating sugar.
It was really good. Tart and shortbread- A great combination.

Not-Just-For-Thanksgiving Cranberry Shortbread Cake (Adapted from Baking From My Home To Yours)

For the filling:

1 large navel orange

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries

3/4 to 1 cup granulated sugar

For the cake:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoons salt

13 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, divided

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla

To make the filling:

Grate the entire zest from the orange and remove the white pith left behind with a sharp knife. Slice between the membranes of the orange to remove the segments. Cut each segment into 1/4" pieces and place them, along with the zest, in a medium saucepan. Squeeze any of the juice left in the membranes of the orange into a measuring cup - you need about 1/4 cup total juice, if you don't get that much just add extra orange juice (or water if need be) to reach that amount.

Stir the cranberries and 3/4 cup granulated sugar into the pan.

Place over medium heat and bring to a boil - cook, stirring constantly, until the cranberries pop and the mixture thickens enough that your spoon will leave a track when you move it through. This should take around 5 minutes once it comes to the boil.

Scoop the jam into the bowl and let it cool slightly - if it is still too tart, add enough of the remaining 1/4 cup sugar to even out the flavor.

Allow to cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate it until needed.

To make the cake:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy - about 1 minute. Add 1 cup granulated sugar and mix until completely combined. Add the egg and yolk - beat the mixture until combined.

Mix in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and stir by hand just until the flour has been absorbed. Divide the mixture in half and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap.

Flatten each portion into a disk and cover with another piece of plastic wrap - place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350

Working with one portion of the dough at a time, roll one piece out between two pieces of plastic wrap until it is large enough to cover the bottom of a 9" springform pan coated with nonstick spray. Carefully lift up the dough and lightly press it around to fit it into the pan. Scoop the cranberry filling on top of the dough and use an off-set spatula to spread it to an even layer. Remove the second piece of dough from the refrigerator and roll it out again to the same size as the first. Carefully flip the dough on top of the filling and use your fingers to lightly even it out so the dough completely covers the filling. Lightly brush the top of the dough with water and sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons granulated sugar on top. Bake until the top of the cake is a light golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out mostly clean - about 35 to 45 minutes.

Remove and place the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes - gently run a thin knife around the edge to loosen the cake, then remove the sides of the pan and let cool completely

Coming Tomorrow- Gonzo Garbanzos

Tuesdays with Dorie Rewind-Brown Sugar-Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Mari, who runs the beautifully delicious Mevrouw Cupcake chose Creme Brulee for this week's Tuesday's with Dorie recipe. I really wanted to make this and do a pumpkin version, but I don't have a torch and didn't know if I wanted to try out the broiler, plus I have been making treats like crazy and so when we were given the choice to do a rewind, I decided that is what I would do.
I decided to try the Brown Sugar-Pecan Shortbread Cookies, which was the first recipe chosen when TWD started. These little cookies were tricky! I made sure not to handle the dough too much and also chilled it for a day, but some of them still spread and got really crunchy. I had about 2/3 that turned out right, so I guess that is something to be happy about. They were really delicious and lucky I was able to take them to a gathering so that we didn't end up eating them all. Go check out all the other Creme Brulee and Rewinds, by visiting the Tuesday's with Dorie Blogroll!

Brown Sugar-Pecan Shortbread Cookies
(Source: Dorie Greenspan “Baking: From My Home to Yours” p.127)
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of ground cloves
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 cup finely ground pecans
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)


Directions:
1. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt and cloves.
2. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the dough. Don’t work the dough much once the flour is incorporated. Add the pecans and give the mixer a couple of turns, just to get the nuts into the dough.
3. Using a rubber spatula, transfer the soft, sticky dough to a gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9×10-1/2-inch rectangle that’s 1/4-inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn’t cause creases. When you get the right size and thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours, or for up to 2 days.
4. Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets wiht parchment or silicone mats.
5. Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the firm dough out onto the board (discard the bag) and, using a ruler as a guide and a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1-1/2 inch squares. Transfer the squares to the baking sheets and carefully prick each one twice with a fork, gently pushing the tines through the cookies until they hit the sheet.
6. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The shortbreads will be very pale - they shouldn’t take on much color. Transfer the cookies to a rack.
7. If you’d like, dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar while they are still hot. Cool the cookies to room temperature before serving