Meeting-friendly snacks to bake

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, blue_dolphin said:

What sort of coconut did you use?  Sweetened flaked? Something else?

 

Sorry.  It was sweetened flaked.

 

 Just got word back from the gang that they were delicious.   I asked if they were not sick of coconut cookies since this was the third week in a row. They said no they were not sick of them because they were all different. 

[Anna N]

 My grandma raised me through the end of the war and the postwar years. Her favourite  chocolate  bar was Cadbury’s Brazil nut bar. For Mothering Sunday and for her birthday I would save up my allowance and buy one of these for her. I am pretty sure I got to eat most of each one!  Brazil nuts have been in short supply for years but recently I received a gift of some which I stuck into my freezer. Last night I was thinking about Brazil nuts and my grandmother and cookie making.  I didn’t think that there would be a recipe for a cookie that included both milk chocolate and Brazil nuts. It occurred to me there might be such a thing as a universal cookie recipe where you could choose your own inclusions. The ones I found didn’t appeal much so I simply took a chocolate chip cookie recipe and modified it to my own taste. These are not bad at all.  Of course they have decent chocolate in them, not chocolate chips, and I think that makes a huge difference.

 

 

 

They look anaemic in the photograph but not in reality. I tried a fair bit of manoeuvring around the light to improve the colour but with little luck. 

 

 

Edited November 12, 2018 by Anna N (log)

[Scones&Rain]

I'm a huge fan of muffins.  You can bake them in batches, easily mix and match flavors, and make them any size!  Chocolate chip, banana, cranberry, or blueberry are my favorites.  

[Anna N]

22 minutes ago, Scones&Rain said:

I'm a huge fan of muffins.  You can bake them in batches, easily mix and match flavors, and make them any size!  Chocolate chip, banana, cranberry, or blueberry are my favorites.  

Sorry but muffins just don’t work for this crowd. 

[Anna N]

 And now for something completely different.

 

I was surfing the web for something or other but it certainly wasn’t cookies. I came across a recipe from Dan Lepard.

 

I am familiar with Parkin but have never run across it in cookie form.  So when  Dan Lepard’s Chocolate Parkin Biscuits popped up , I knew  I would have to make them.

 

I like Dan’s recipes because he almost always uses weights rather than volumes.  But I have to nitpick this one thing about this recipe. He suggests that the dough for each cookie be the size of a shelled walnut. Why could he not have given a weight?  

 

I am pretty sure I mis-judged the size since I got at least twice as many cookies as suggested. 

 

 

 These are very good but given the amount of ginger in the recipe I am surprised how little ginger I detect in the finished product.  

 

 I baked them for 14 minutes rather than the 20 minutes recommended.  

 

 

[kayb]

Well, THAT send me to google. It has been a successful day. I have learned two somethings on eGullet today.

 

Saved the recipes, too.

 

[Lisa Shock]

Fekkas might work, and they keep well for a long time in a sealed container.

[Anna N]

On 11/19/2018 at 6:27 PM, Lisa Shock said:

Fekkas might work, and they keep well for a long time in a sealed container.

 Thanks for the suggestion. To me they are very much like biscotti and biscotti is only tolerable when you can dip it in some decent and appropriate wine. 😂  otherwise it’s just scale cake. 

[Anna N]

A bonanza of on-sale coconut landed in my house. 

 

 This recipe uses no flour  so it is gluten free for a certain somebody. I also know my son-in-law loves coconut macaroons so they will not go to waste no matter what.

 

Later today I may swallow my pride  and try Anna Olsen’s recipe. I will replace the whole purpose flour with oat flour and see how that goes. 

 

 

 I love the look of these. They’re not little mountains but perhaps could pass for rolling hills?

 

 

 

 

Edited November 27, 2018 by Anna N (log)

[Lisa Shock]

1 hour ago, Anna N said:

 Thanks for the suggestion. To me they are very much like biscotti and biscotti is only tolerable when you can dip it in some decent and appropriate wine. 😂  otherwise it’s just stale cake. 

 

I find fekkas to be a bit easier on the teeth, and more aggressively spiced. Also, I have learned that sometimes, they are served as a breakfast food; broken into chunks and served with milk poured over -like cereal. I have used them crushed as a topping for a layered custard dessert. Anyway, since fekkas last a long time if sealed in an airtight container, I thought they would be perfect as office fare.

[Anna N]

37 minutes ago, Lisa Shock said:

 

I find fekkas to be a bit easier on the teeth, and more aggressively spiced. Also, I have learned that sometimes, they are served as a breakfast food; broken into chunks and served with milk poured over -like cereal. I have used them crushed as a topping for a layered custard dessert. Anyway, since fekkas last a long time if sealed in an airtight container, I thought they would be perfect as office fare.

I really do appreciate your input. But food that is brought into this office and in my experience into just about any office is pounced upon with all the grace of seagulls when tossed your leftover french fries. It is never a pretty sight.  Long shelf-life is not a concern.😂

 

Edited November 27, 2018 by Anna N (log)

[heidih]

3 hours ago, Anna N said:

A bonanza of on-sale coconut landed in my house. 

 

 This recipe uses no flour  so it is gluten free for a certain somebody. I also know my son-in-law loves coconut macaroons so they will not go to waste no matter what.

 

Later today I may swallow my pride  and try Anna Olsen’s recipe. I will replace the whole purpose flour with oat flour and see how that goes. 

 

 

 I love the look of these. They’re not little mountains but perhaps could pass for rolling hills?

 

 

I used to treat myself to the macaroons at the iconic Farmers Market in Los Angeles and they had  that same deeper color which to me indicated an enhanced coconut flavor.  I need to find some. I don't want to make them cuz I will eat them all https://www.farmersmarketla.com/history

[Anna N]

3 minutes ago, heidih said:

deeper color which to me indicated an enhanced coconut flavor. 

 For these, I briefly toasted the  coconut first.  You were very lucky to have access to a such farmers market.  I bet you miss it!  

[heidih]

6 minutes ago, Anna N said:

 For these, I briefly toasted the  coconut first.  You were very lucky to have access to a such farmers market.  I bet you miss it!  

 

 

Well we have come a long way with our extensive local farmers market system. .What we have in place now is extraordinary. World renowned local chefs prowl the locl FMs esp Santa Monica and Hollywood. But back in the day, yes, bought my first  (maybe only) pheasant there

 

https://www.smgov.net/Portals/Farmers_Market/About_Us/History.aspx

Edited November 27, 2018 by heidih (log)

[kayb]

@Anna N -- I dearly love a coconut macaroon. I make them periodically, but generally only when Child B, the one with celiac, is here, as she loves them too. Otherwise, well, I'm inclined to eat the whole pan.

 

I use a little almond flour in mine to help them hold their shape. Otherwise, just eggs, coconut and sugar. A little almond extract. Low oven (325F) for 20 minutes, maybe. That sound close to yours?

 

Ages and ages ago, I used to work in downtown Memphis, around the corner from the late lamented Federal Bake Shop. They made coconut macaroons about the size of both my fists put together. Many's the time I made lunch off of one. I miss that wonderful old bakery.

Edited November 27, 2018 by kayb
because I'm writing incoherently today. (log)

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, kayb said:

@Anna N -- I dearly love a coconut macaroon. I make them periodically, but generally only when Child B, the one with celiac, is here, as she loves them too. Otherwise, well, I'm inclined to eat the whole pan.

 

I use a little almond flour in mine to help them hold their shape. Otherwise, just eggs, coconut and sugar. A little almond extract. Low oven (325F) for 20 minutes, maybe. That sound close to yours?

 

Ages and ages ago, I used to work in downtown Memphis, around the corner from the late lamented Federal Bake Shop. They made coconut macaroons about the size of both my fists put together. Many's the time I made lunch off of one. I miss that wonderful old bakery.

 

These are flourless—here. I could not imagine eating a coconut macaroon that size. I like them but find them too sweet even when the sugar is reduced and they are a bit of a challenge without any (opposing) molars. ☹️

[Anna N]

 

 First, the photograph that shows that all things come to those who wait. Dulce de leche! Made the safest way that I know of:  with patience and time. In this case about four years. 

 

Fortunately I had another can of condensed milk on hand!

 

 I did make a version of Anna Olsen‘s coconut macaroons. Never again. I no longer have the strength to mix even 1/2 of the recipe I was given!  Perhaps if I had used my head I might have put it into the mixer with the dough hook.  I am reminded of the very occasional time when I used to make rice crispy squares. They, too, are not for the faint of heart. 

 

 But here they are and surely I can give up on the coconut macaroons for a considerable stretch of time.  Let’s say another four years when I get a bonus of some dulce de leche. 

 

 

 These are once again flourless. I used coconut flour in place of the wheat flour called for in the recipe. 

 

[heidih]

@Anna N  What?!  So that was just an old can? I've done the water bath with the can and it was decent but can you clarify?  Because I am very visual I think dulce de leche disappoints cuz I think it looks like butterscotch but is mostly just sweet. I adore butterscotch.

[Anna N]

24 minutes ago, heidih said:

@Anna N  What?!  So that was just an old can? I've done the water bath with the can and it was decent but can you clarify?  Because I am very visual I think dulce de leche disappoints cuz I think it looks like butterscotch but is mostly just sweet. I adore butterscotch.

Sat in my cupboard for four years. Opened it this morning. That’s about it. It was basically very boring.   There are better ways.

[Anna N]

So of all the coconut macaroons that I made over the past little while these were is the most popular. 

 

In another thread we had a brief discussion about pfeffernusse and I thought they would be an excellent offering this close to the holidays.

 

 

I sampled them before they were iced and they were excellent. Once iced the texture seemed to change. They have also obviously been through the wars as the icing is no longer very attractive. I like them enough to eat them myself but I’m not prepared to send them off into the world to have aspersions cast upon them. I used this recipe.

 

As a consequence the dough for Smitten Kitchen’s Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies is chilling in the fridge.

 

 

[Toliver]

1 hour ago, Anna N said:

... They have also obviously been through the wars as the icing is no longer very attractive.

When I make my Butterball cookies (no turkey is involved...just a pound of butter!), I roll them in powdered sugar and let them sit overnight. The butter also changes  this cookie and makes the powdered sugar look sort of patchy. So I just roll them one more time in powdered sugar. and then they're pretty again.

[Lisa Shock]

On 12/3/2018 at 5:16 PM, Anna N said:

Sat in my cupboard for four years. Opened it this morning. That’s about it. It was basically very boring.   There are better ways.

 

I prefer buying jars of goat's milk caramel at the Mexican supermarket. It's slightly tangy and has a good strong caramel taste.

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, Toliver said:

When I make my Butterball cookies (no turkey is involved...just a pound of butter!), I roll them in powdered sugar and let them sit overnight. The butter also changes  this cookie and makes the powdered sugar look sort of patchy. So I just roll them one more time in powdered sugar. and then they're pretty again.

 But these are glazed with egg white and sugar.

[Toliver]

20 minutes ago, Anna N said:

 But these are glazed with egg white and sugar.

My apologies. It looked like powdered sugar. Thanks for the correction.

[Anna N]

36 minutes ago, Toliver said:

My apologies. It looked like powdered sugar. Thanks for the correction.

 You don’t need to apologize.  I will remember your tip for the powdered sugar for future endeavors. I probably should have gone the powdered sugar route. Don’t think I would attempt the icing again.