The plan was to make ice cream with many of the 100+ peaches I picked in Iowa. But after bookmarking several recipes found online, I realized I had no heavy cream in my refrigerator -- a rare occurrence at my house and an essential ingredient in ice cream. I opted instead for a healthier version of what I had envisioned -- Peach Sherbet made with milk. I also wanted a simple, little cookie to serve alongside the Peach Sherbet. There's nothing easier than making Lionel Poilåne's 4 ingredient Punitions, and with Dorie Greenspan's book, Paris Sweets, we are able to make this cookie at home. They can be purchased when in Paris at Poilåne's, 8 Rue du Cherche-Midi in the 6th Arrondissement. A basketful of sample Punitions is great strategy on Poilåne's part. After eating one of the French butter cookies, you most likely will purchase one bag for yourself and additional bags as gifts for friends back home (or maybe just more bags for yourself ;-) • The sherbet is still delicious after several days in the freezer, but scoops up easiest the day it is made. • I used salted butter in the Punition cookies. You really won't notice much of a difference whether salted or unsalted is used. I do, however, recommend using European butter. The fat content is higher and any cookie benefits from that! Peaches at the Velleron evening market | Provence + PEACH SHERBET adapted recipe from Four-Star Desserts by Emily Luchetti • 4 pounds very ripe peaches • 2 cups granulated sugar • 2 cups water • 1 1/2 cups milk (I used whole) • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract • Pinch of salt 1. Halve the peaches. Leave skins on but remove the pits. 2. Place the peaches in a large pot with the sugar and water. Cook the peaches over medium heat until they are soft when pierced. Purée the peaches in a blender or food processor, along with the liquid. This will need to be done in several batches. When finished, cool to room temperature. Stir in the milk, vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Place the mixture in the refrigerator until cold. 3. Freeze sherbet mixture in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer's instructions. • This recipe makes 2 quarts. It was necessary for me to freeze 2 separate quarts since I have a small machine. The mixture will keep for several days in the refrigerator. + PUNITIONS recipe from Paris Sweets by Dorie Greenspan • 1 1/4 sticks (5 ounces; 140 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature • Slightly rounded 1/2 cup (125 grams) sugar • 1 large egg, at room temperature • 2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour 1. Put the butter in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until the butter is smooth. Add the sugar and process and scrape until thoroughly blended into the butter. Add the egg and continue to process, scraping the bowl as needed, until the mixture is smooth and satiny. Add the flour all at once, then pulse 10 to 15 times, until the dough forms clumps and curds and looks like streusel. 2. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and gather it into a ball. Divide the ball in half, shape each half into a disk, and wrap the disks in plastic. If you have the time, chill the disks until they are firm, about 4 hours. If you’re in a hurry, you can roll the dough out immediately; it will be a little stickier, but fine. (The dough can be wrapped airtight and refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 1 month.) 3. Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 4. Working with one disk at a time, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it is between 1/8 and 1/4 inch (4 and 7 mm) thick. Using a 1 1/2-inch (4-cm) round cookie cutter, cut out as many cookies as you can and place them on the lined sheets, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) space between them. (You can gather the scraps into a disk and chill them, then roll, cut, and bake them later.) 5. Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are set but pale. (If some of the cookies are thinner than the others, the thin ones may brown around the edges. M. Poilâne would approve. He’d tell you the spots of color here and there show they are made by hand.) Transfer the cookies to cooling racks to cool to room temperature. TAKE a LOOK:
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My S'mores Sandwich Cookies are the result of avoidance. I have been meaning to start a painting project; a project that I find over-whelming. Twenty years ago we converted a 3-season sunroom into a year-round space. The tongue-in-groove wood ceiling, walls, and trim, are painted purple, orange, and green -- a phase I was going through. My husband and I laid Mexican terra cotta tiles over newly-installed infloor heat. The brightly colored room has been the perfect backdrop for white canvas slipcovered furniture, old wicker, and plants; with large casement windows surrounding the entire space, it feels more like a screened porch during the summer months. After 20 years, the paint is showing its age -- plus, I am just tired of it! My entire house has become quieter over the years, transitioning over to creamier historical colors. But as much as I'd like to see this room become what I've envisioned, I'm having trouble getting started on the work. I picked the paint color, but instead of running to the paint store to buy my supplies, I ran to my kitchen and started working on S'mores Sandwich Cookies. To make S'mores Sandwich Cookies: I started by making Marshmallow Crème. After I had the crème refrigerated, I made the Old-Fashioned Graham Crackers with Turbinado Sugar. Once the crackers have cooled, give the marshmallow crème a stir, and spoon into a pastry bag. Pipe the crème onto a cracker (I used a 2-inch round cutter for my crackers. The marshmallow crème recipe was enough to fill 20 graham cracker cookies). After all of the marshmallow crème has been piped, use either a kitchen butane torch or the oven broiler to brown the crème. Mix semi-sweet chocolate chips with salted butter in a double boiler. As far as amounts go, I probably used 1 to 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips and just kept adding butter until good dipping consistency. Dip filled S'mores into the melted chocolate. Place dipped cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. It is best to let the chocolate set up and harden a bit before eating, but you may find it difficult to wait that long ;P Another option: sprinkle marshmallow crème with chocolate chips before torching, and melt your chocolate that way (sans butter). If I disappear for several weeks you can assume that I have begun work on repainting my sunroom; that is unless I can bribe the painter, who I use for jobs I just don't want to tackle, to trade for a year of desserts? TAKE a LOOK: My mother had a very large vegetable garden behind our family home in Amana, Iowa. Tending to this garden demanded much of my mother's time during the growing season. But, oddly enough, I have vague memories of my mother in her garden. Instead, my memories are of baskets (beautiful handmade Amana "bushel" baskets) full of produce set by the kitchen door... and the production that was always underway in my mother's kitchen. The reason I remember the fruits and vegetables more than my mother actually working the garden is because she was usually finished with her weeding, watering, and harvesting before I even woke up... and I woke up early! My mother did her chores before the sun was high and summer's heat made tending a garden unbearable. And after a good amount of work had been completed by my mother, there was always a mid-morning coffee break. Everything stopped, coffee was made, and some sort of sweet treat was served. Now when I bake brioche, cookies, tarts, etc., I wish my mother were here to enjoy it all with a cup of coffee, and me. I've been stacking several of these Almond & Blood Orange Cookies on my husband's coffee cup saucer in the mornings. This is one of the best cookies I've made (and eaten) in a long time. And there's another bonus in addition to the wonderful taste -- the citrusy, almond-laced aroma in the kitchen after you bake these cookies. My mother told me that when she was a little girl, she would receive a fresh orange in her Christmas stocking. We now take fruits like oranges for granted, having access to them year-round in our grocery stores. But in the early 1900's, that wasn't the norm by any means. It was very special, indeed, to be able to eat an orange in the winter. And I wonder what my mother would think of the crimson-fleshed Blood Oranges. Their color and taste can't be beat. But be warned -- the Blood Orange growing season is short. Buy them now! Coffee break with an Espresso Con Panna (a double shot of hot espresso with cold, softly-whipped, heavy cream on top). recipe from Carrie Vasios | Serious Eats: sweets + Italian Almond & Blood Orange Cookies are served with Espresso Con Panna NOTE: To toast the almonds, preheat oven to 325˚F. Spread the almonds onto a baking sheet and bake for about 7 minutes, or until golden. • 1/2 cup sliced, blanched almonds, toasted and cooled (see note above) • 2 cups all-purpose flour • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature • 1 cup sugar • 1 egg yolk (white reserved) • 1 teaspoon vanilla • 1 packed teaspoon blood orange zest (from 1 blood orange) COATING: • 1 egg white (reserved from egg above) • 1 1/2 cups sliced, blanched almonds • Confectioners' sugar (for dusting) 1. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the toasted almonds until the consistency of cornmeal. Transfer almonds to a mixing bowl; add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside. 2. In a large bowl and using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk, vanilla, and blood orange zest; beat mixture to combine. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the moist and beat until a dough forms. Divide dough in half and on a sheets of plastic wrap, roll each half into a log, 1 1/4-inch in diameter. Wrap each log in the plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour. 3. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Position oven racks in the upper and lower third of the oven. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Place the reserved egg white in a medium-size shallow bowl (I added about 1/2 teaspoon water to the white; stir to combine). Fill another medium-size shallow bowl with the blanched almonds. Remove the cookie dough logs from the refrigerator. Using a sharp paring knife, slice each log into 1/4-inch pieces. Take a slice and dip one side in egg white (leave slice in egg white for about 10 seconds helps the almonds to adhere), then dip in the sliced almonds, pressing firmly into the almonds; place on baking sheets. Repeat with remaining cookie slices. 4. Place a cookie sheet on each shelf of the preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden, switching position of the sheets half way through baking. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to a cooling rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar. TAKE a LOOK: There are days I should just call it quits and stay out of my kitchen. The day I made these cookies was one of those days. The recipe calls for 7-ounces of toasted pecans. I put them in the oven and planned to leave them there for only 5 minutes. I walked away, became distracted, and when I finally remembered I had precious pecans in the oven, almost 15 minutes had passed. They were burnt. They were black. Regretfully, I tossed them into the trash. It makes me sick when I waste ingredients -- especially expensive pecans. Had I not already browned the butter for these cookies, I might have actually given up. But the smell of browning butter wafting through my kitchen was just too good to ignore; so I continued. I've been making a Pecan & Butter Log Cookie for many years and it is one of my absolute favorite cookies -- ever. So, why even bother with another pecan cookie? This recent attempt, for me, is all about the brown butter. It has a flavor with no equal. As you can see, these cookies bake up quite thin. I ended up making teaspoonful mounds of dough instead of the tablespoon amount called for in the recipe. And, they spread during baking. I left a good 2-inches between each mound. adapted recipe from Gourmet | October 2009 • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar • 1/2 cup granulated sugar • 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda • 3/4 teaspoon salt • 2 large eggs • 2 cups (7-ounces) pecans, toasted, cooled, and chopped PREHEAT OVEN to 350˚F 1. Place a rack in the upper third and lower third of the oven. 2. Heat the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat until the milk solids on the bottom of the pan turn brown. Watch the butter closely. When brown, transfer to a shallow bowl and place in the freezer for about 15 minutes, or just until congealed. 3. Combine the brown butter, sugars, flour, baking soda, salt, and eggs in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in the pecans. 4. Spoon teaspoons of batter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving 2-inches between each mound. 5. Place one cookie sheet on each of the two shelves in oven and bake, switching position of cookie sheets halfway through baking, until brown. My cookies were done within 10 minutes, but depending on the oven, it could take as long as 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. They will crisp as they cool. TAKE a LOOK: This cookie, more than any other cookie I make during the holidays, brings back precious childhood memories of Christmas and the cookies both my mother and aunt baked at that time of year. This Rolled Vanilla Cookie isn't their recipe, but it's close, and it's the only one I've ever used for my frosted and decorated cut-out cookies. Instead of frosting these cookies, I have also dipped them in melted semi-sweet chocolate (with enough unsalted butter added to give it a good dipping constancy), which also taste quite good. Either way, it wouldn't be Christmas at our house without them. Rolled Vanilla Christmas Tree Cookies recipe from the Woman's Home Companion Cookbook PREHEAT OVEN TO 400˚F • 3 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened • 1 1/2 cups sugar • 2 eggs at room temperature, well-beaten • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1. Sift flour; measure. Add baking powder and salt. Sift again. 2. Cream butter; add sugar gradually and continue to beat until light. Add well-beaten eggs and blend thoroughly; add vanilla. 3. Combine the dry ingredients and the creamed mixture; mix all thoroughly and chill. 4. Roll cookie dough as thin as possible on a lightly floured surface and cut with cookie cutter. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the center of the oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Watch closely. Because the cookies are so thin, they can burn quickly! 5. Cool cookies on a rack and frost with powdered sugar icing or dip into melted chocolate. TAKE a LOOK: Back by popular demand... I used to make these little Gingerbread Boys with Chocolate Pants every holiday season; by the hundreds. The past few years I've taken a break from baking them -- gingerbread boy burn-out. I continued to make the cookie dough, but in the shape of snowflakes instead, and covered in blue and white powdered sugar icing studded with silver French dragées. But this year I decided it was time to resurrect the little boys with chocolate pants. I have never been a fan of soft, thick gingerbread cookies. This recipe makes a nice, crisp cookie if the dough is rolled thin. • 1/2 cup butter • 1/2 cup sugar • 1/2 cup molasses • 1 1/2 teaspoon vinegar • 1 egg, beaten • 3 cups unbleached flour • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon • 1/2 teaspoon ginger • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 12 ounce bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter plus additional if necessary • Cinnamon Red Hots • Powdered sugar icing -- made by mixing powdered sugar with milk or cream 1. In a large heavy saucepan, mix together butter, sugar and molasses with the vinegar. Bring to a boil. Cool. Add egg. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and ginger. Add the salt. Add dry ingredients to the molasses mixture. Mix well and chill. Roll out to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out shapes. Bake at 375˚F for 8 to 12 minutes. 2. In a double boiler, over simmering water, melt the chocolate chips with the butter. You want a consistency similar to heavy cream. Dip cookies into the chocolate and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drop a "cinnamon red hot" onto the chocolate. If a face is desired, mix together powdered (confectioners') sugar with a little milk or cream and using a tiny (#2) piping tip, make a face with dots and hair with a squiggle ;-) TAKE a LOOK: Since I am supposed to stay off of my feet for several days because of a bum knee (Can you believe it -- a doctor told me I cannot be in my kitchen!), I thought I would share with you a cookie. I ran across the Swedish recipe for this orange and chocolate-dipped cookie several years ago in a magazine and it quickly became a favorite of all who ate it. At the urging of a neighbor, I entered it in our local newspaper's annual cookie contest in 2007 -- and won. Several weeks later, I was informed it was practically impossible to find a jar of orange marmalade in Minneapolis; all had been sold for the baking of this cookie. For the past several weeks it seems to me whenever I open the newspaper I see the above photograph which they are using for their holiday cookie contest ad. And today, this cookie (recipe from the Kosta Guest House in Sweden) was just named as one of the top three cookies of all time submitted to the Star Tribune's annual holiday cookie contest. Yes, it really is that good. So, while I am not standing in my kitchen today, and I am not baking anything in my kitchen today, maybe someone will be making one of my favorite cookies, ever, today. TAKE a LOOK: I have to say, I was thrilled when I woke up to rain. It was the perfect excuse to stay indoors. Our weather this summer has been hot and dry, which means that most of my days have been spent recently, working on outdoor projects. I'm good at projects for a while, but these have gone on far too long -- they have to end! With the luxury of time in my kitchen today, I caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, and baked Cornmeal-Walnut Biscotti. The vegetables were for a Pissaladière -- a Provencal "pizza". And the Cornmeal-Walnut Biscotti -- well, I made those for a little treat with espresso in the afternoon, and as a mid-morning snack, but most importantly, to pair with a cappuccino when I first get up in the morning! I'm a big fan of cornmeal and walnuts, so these biscotti are pretty perfect as far as I'm concerned. The recipe is from Field Guide to Cookies by Anita Chu and I found it through David Lebovitz -- David's adapted recipe here. And after the Cornmeal-Walnut Biscotti came out of the oven, I made an Espresso Con Panna. I've been hooked on these recently... TO MAKE: Pour about 1/4 cup cold, heavy cream into a small bowl. Using a small whisk, beat the cream until it starts to thicken -- you do not want it whipped into peaks, just thickened. Place the bowl of cream in the refrigerator to keep chilled and make a double espresso. Spoon the cream on top. I love the contrast of the hot espresso with the cold, thickened cream floating on top -- delicious! And be sure to serve a cornmeal biscotti alongside. TAKE a LOOK: • + • + • + • + • My ANTIQUE-of-the-WEEK sister Susan flew into town to host a bridal shower for my daughter. I made the food... My daughter was greeted with congratulatory kisses by the guests. Appetizers were served on the deck. The table for dining was set up on the patio and crowned with a canopy to protect the guests from the slight possibility of rain. • Melon, Prosciutto, and Fresh Mozzarella Skewers • White Bean Spread with Pita Crackers • Tapenade • French La Petit Crème with Sour Cherry Spread and Walnuts • Iced Tea and Lemonade • Cuvée Catherine Rosé d Anjou • Radish Sandwiches • Seared Haricot Vert • Chicken Salad with Wild Rice and Watercress • Lemon-Lime Mousse with Fresh Strawberries • Cookies A beautiful day spent with wonderful friends! The main course was a salad of chicken, wild rice, and watercress with a tarragon vinaigrette. I have been making it for years with no recollection of where I found the recipe. :: Chicken with Wild Rice and Watercress INGREDIENTS • 1 cup wild rice • 1 1/2 cups water • Salt • 3 cups diced, poached chicken • 1 cup watercress leaves • 1/2 cup thinly-sliced green onions • 1/2 cup diced celery • 1/2 cup toasted, blanched almonds TARRAGON VINAIGRETTE • 1/2 cup olive oil • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon • 1 teaspoon kosher salt • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper Rinse the rice under cold water. Place in a saucepan of salted water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, about 25 to 35 minutes. Rinse the rice under cold water and drain well. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the chicken, watercress, green onion, and diced celery, mixing gently. When ready to serve, top with the toasted almonds. TO MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE Slowly whisk the oil into the vinegar. Stir in the tarragon, salt, and pepper. Pour a small amount of the vinaigrette over the chicken salad and mix gently. Add additional vinaigrette until the salad is evenly coated. You will probably not need all of the vinaigrette. SERVE THE SALAD SLIGHTLY CHILLED TAKE a LOOK: Sometimes, all I need to say is... pour a big glass of milk, sit down, and enjoy! That is definitely the case with these Brownie & Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies. There... enough said. adapted recipe by Donna Hay FOR THE BROWNIE COOKIES: • 350 grams bittersweet chocolate, chopped • 40 grams unsalted butter • 2 large eggs • 2/3 cup granulated sugar • 1 teaspoon vanilla • 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER FILLING: • 1 cup powdered sugar • 1 cup smooth peanut butter • 80 grams unsalted butter, softened • 1 teaspoon vanilla • 1/3 cup light cream TO MAKE THE BROWNIE COOKIES: 1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Place 200 grams of bittersweet chocolate and the 40 grams of butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until melted and smooth; set aside. 2. Place the eggs, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer and whisk until pale and creamy. Stir in the flour, baking powder, butter-chocolate mixture, and the remaining 150 grams of chopped chocolate. Set the mixture aside for 10 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the brownie mixture onto the baking sheets making 10 evenly spaced mounds on each sheet. 4. Bake the brownies on the center rack of the oven for 10 minutes. (I baked one sheet at a time. Not necessary if you have a convection oven. Or, bake both sheets at the same time on different oven racks and switch out their locations half way through baking). TO MAKE THE PEANUT BUTTER FILLING: 1. In a large bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients until smooth. TO ASSEMBLE: Spread peanut butter filling onto the bottom of one brownie cookie and top filling with another cookie. Repeat. Recipe makes 10 large Brownie & Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies. 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