Meeting-friendly snacks to bake

[Anna N]

AnnaN : could you taste the difference ?

I might need to do a side-by-side tasting to be sure but I think these ones were just a little bit more molasses like. I also think they should have come out of the oven a little before they did

[ChocoMom]

Hi Anna,

 

The blondies look wonderful with that bit of tan!  I bet it made them taste lovely, too. 

 

My coffee was lonely this morning, and it got me to thinking.....I was wondering if, in your search for more baked goods to make, if you've done any biscotti?  My neighbor and I used to take turns making different kinds, and we'd "taste test"  them over morning coffee after our husbands went to work. Morning coffee would go until about 2pm on those days.   (No wonder I'm so chubby!)

 

I'd use the basic recipe out of one of the KAF cookbooks and tinker with it.  The Cookie Companion, maybe?    Anyways, there's so many different combinations that work well together. Dried cherries and pistashios dipped in dark chocolate was a favorite of mine. Almond was another. White chocolate, dried apricots or dried pineapple, and macadamia nuts was yet another.  The list goes on and on.  

 

So, maybe if you feel like trying a different sort of thing, that might be something to experiment with. ? I can't wait to see what you make next! 

 

Andrea

[Anna N]

Hi Anna,

 

The blondies look wonderful with that bit of tan!  I bet it made them taste lovely, too. 

 

My coffee was lonely this morning, and it got me to thinking.....I was wondering if, in your search for more baked goods to make, if you've done any biscotti?  My neighbor and I used to take turns making different kinds, and we'd "taste test"  them over morning coffee after our husbands went to work. Morning coffee would go until about 2pm on those days.   (No wonder I'm so chubby!)

 

I'd use the basic recipe out of one of the KAF cookbooks and tinker with it.  The Cookie Companion, maybe?    Anyways, there's so many different combinations that work well together. Dried cherries and pistashios dipped in dark chocolate was a favorite of mine. Almond was another. White chocolate, dried apricots or dried pineapple, and macadamia nuts was yet another.  The list goes on and on.  

 

So, maybe if you feel like trying a different sort of thing, that might be something to experiment with. ? I can't wait to see what you make next! 

 

Andrea

[ChocoMom]

Oh, that's okay!  If I can find an excuse to eat chocolate, I will.  And, the biscotti was a good breakfast avenue for chocolate to make its way to my mouth.

 

So another thought is Nisu....a Finnish sweet bread. I braid mine, and sprinkle with coarse sugar; others use a glaze or nothing at all. It can be pulled apart easily, and eaten with or without butter. If you'd like, I can find a recipe.  My Swedish daughter in law calls it "Cardamom bread", as that is the main flavor/spice used in it.

 

Just a thought, but I'd only use it as a last resort:  the bars and cookies you make look so yummy and decadent, I'm not sure that Nisu would suffice. But, it is tasty with a cup of coffee.

[Anna N]

Lemon snaps. They don't look very exciting but they are quite delicious.

[rotuts]

AnnaN :

 

your Energy in the Kitchen 

 

is fantastic  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Me, I just shovel show .............

[Anna N]

You might think so. But like so many of us as we age we celebrate the good days!

[cookingofjoy]

I've been enjoying following all of your baking!  With your shortbread and the comment on the world peace cookies, I thought of Dorie's espresso shortbread cookies from Baking from my home to yours.  I am usually baking with consideration for kids, but grown ups seem to like these.   

[Anna N]

I've been enjoying following all of your baking!  With your shortbread and the comment on the world peace cookies, I thought of Dorie's espresso shortbread cookies from Baking from my home to yours.  I am usually baking with consideration for kids, but grown ups seem to like these.

Thanks for this suggestion. These are definitely delicious. Most recipes that call for espresso leave me wondering why I bothered. But the espresso flavour comes through in these in spades. However, this is no reflection on you whatsoever, they are incredibly fragile and seem prepared to crumble if you give them a look of any kind! This is not such a bad thing as I get to keep the crumbled ones.

Since I was fairly certain that my granddaughter would not like the coffee flavoured cookies I thought I might give the World Peace Cookies another shot. I know from doing a lot of reading that I am not alone in my inability to get this recipe to work. As before, as soon as I attempt to slice the roll they crumble.

The very few rescued ones.

The cookie-making debris. I have made this into a roll and put it back in the fridge and perhaps by tomorrow I will care whether I cook them or not.

[Tri2Cook]

I didn't have too much trouble with them crumbling, just enough for it to be mildly annoying. The problem I did have is going to get me in a lot of trouble with the masses though... I just didn't particularly love them. I didn't hate them, just didn't like them enough to wrestle with them again.

[Anna N]

I didn't have too much trouble with them crumbling, just enough for it to be mildly annoying. The problem I did have is going to get me in a lot of trouble with the masses though... I just didn't particularly love them. I didn't hate them, just didn't like them enough to wrestle with them again.

I was equally underwhelmed which probably explains why it took me so long to bother attempting again.

[Kerry Beal]

Thanks for this suggestion. These are definitely delicious. Most recipes that call for espresso leave me wondering why I bothered. But the espresso flavour comes through in these in spades. However, this is no reflection on you whatsoever, they are incredibly fragile and seem prepared to crumble if you give them a look of any kind! This is not such a bad thing as I get to keep the crumbled ones.

image.jpg

image.jpg

Since I was fairly certain that my granddaughter would not like the coffee flavoured cookies I thought I might give the World Peace Cookies another shot. I know from doing a lot of reading that I am not alone in my inability to get this recipe to work. As before, as soon as I attempt to slice the roll they crumble.

image.jpg

The very few rescued ones.

image.jpg

The cookie-making debris. I have made this into a roll and put it back in the fridge and perhaps by tomorrow I will care whether I cook them or not.

They would make excellent bark in this condition!

[Anna N]

Kerry,

If you are referring to the debris I doubt it would make good bark. It is raw cookie dough.

[Kerry Beal]

Ah I see - if you were to bake the debris first - I could use it for bark.

[MelissaH]

I've always just taken the bits that crumble off and pressed them back onto their cookie before baking. they maybe aren't quite as perfect looking, but they taste fine. If the dough is too cold, I get more crumbling.

 

I should also note that this is one recipe I have ALWAYS made on a scale. I first learned about it in Paris Sweets, when they were still Korova Cookies and not yet World Peace Cookies. If you want to see the original mass measurements, they're here: http://doriegreenspan.com/2009/02/world-peace-cookies-metric-measures-and-variations.html

[Anna N]

I've always just taken the bits that crumble off and pressed them back onto their cookie before baking. they maybe aren't quite as perfect looking, but they taste fine. If the dough is too cold, I get more crumbling.

 

I should also note that this is one recipe I have ALWAYS made on a scale. I first learned about it in Paris Sweets, when they were still Korova Cookies and not yet World Peace Cookies. If you want to see the original mass measurements, they're here: http://doriegreenspan.com/2009/02/world-peace-cookies-metric-measures-and-variations.html

Melissa,

Thank you so very much for this. Even as I was making them I was wishing for proper weight measurements as it seemed likely it would lead to greater success. No guarantee of course but I am definitely willing to give them another shot.

[Toliver]

I've always just taken the bits that crumble off and pressed them back onto their cookie before baking. they maybe aren't quite as perfect looking, but they taste fine. If the dough is too cold, I get more crumbling.

I try to use the sharpest knife I have to thick-slice the cookie dough. The last few times I've made them, I used a serrated knife and "sawed" my slices off. It's those little bastard chunks 'o' chocolate that are the troublemakers. They refuse to slice easily and instigate the crumbling. Of course I use the "mush the crumbs all back together to sort of resemble a cookie again" method. Whatever works!

 

edited to add: The first time I made these cookies I forgot to add the salt and threw it in as the very last ingredient for the final stir. I ended up liking how the salt was more pronounced in the cookie to contrast with the sweetness. That's how I've been making them ever since.

Edited February 18, 2015 by Toliver (log)

[Anna N]

I try to use the sharpest knife I have to thick-slice the cookie dough. The last few times I've made them, I used a serrated knife and "sawed" my slices off. It's those little bastard chunks 'o' chocolate that are the troublemakers. They refuse to slice easily and instigate the crumbling. Of course I use the "mush the crumbs all back together to sort of resemble a cookie again" method. Whatever works!

 

edited to add: The first time I made these cookies I forgot to add the salt and threw it in as the very last ingredient for the final stir. I ended up liking how the salt was more pronounced in the cookie to contrast with the sweetness. That's how I've been making them ever since.

I did put an edge on my sharpest, thinnest knife but it didn't help a bit. Some of them I did scrunch (scientific terminology) back together.

But you are right it is the little chunks of chocolate that gremlinate (another scientific term) the process.

[cookingofjoy]

Anna - I'm sorry they were so touchy!  I didn't remember them being so crumbly, but I do remember the world peace cookies being crumbly.  I thought it was the rolling that I had trouble with.  I looked back at some old pictures from one of the times I'd made them (edit: the espresso shortbread), and at first I thought maybe my chocolate was smaller chunks, but looking on the side, I don't know if that's true either. 

I'm sorry they didn't work out!

Edited February 24, 2015 by cookingofjoy (log)

[Anna N]

Anna - I'm sorry they were so touchy!  I didn't remember them being so crumbly, but I do remember the world peace cookies being crumbly.  I thought it was the rolling that I had trouble with.  I looked back at some old pictures from one of the times I'd made them (edit: the espresso shortbread), and at first I thought maybe my chocolate was smaller chunks, but looking on the side, I don't know if that's true either. 

I'm sorry they didn't work out!

Oh dear I'm sorry if I gave you the impression they did not work out. That's not true at all. They were definitely challenging but I enjoyed them and so did the people they were intended for. And my granddaughter definitely enjoyed the peace cookies. I kept some of the espresso shortbread and it is in my freezer and I sneak one or two almost every day!

[Anna N]

A repeat. Dorie Greenspan's caramel crunch bars. They do not look much like bars. I think they shattered because I had put them into the refrigerator to firm up the chocolate as advised in the recipe and then attempted to cut them while they were still very cold.

[rotuts]

AnnaN

 

such a shame you cant email me

 

as an attachment  

 

In one of those new 3.D

 

printers

 

Sytreene

 

is one thing

 

but Id love to see the above 

 

in my Kitchen Mail Box

 

as is   no styrene

[Anna N]

I was given some of the black cocoa powder so made David Lebovitz' Dark brownies.

and then inspired by Kim click

Benne wafers (for the chocolate haters!)

[emmalish]

Anna, what did you think of the dark brownies? I know where I can get some of the black cocoa powder.

[Anna N]

Anna, what did you think of the dark brownies? I know where I can get some of the black cocoa powder.

I really am the wrong person to ask about brownies as I don't particularly like any of them. I did taste these and compared to others I have tried I did not think that they were high in chocolate flavour. I had been warned that this was likely the case but the colour is impressive. I think it would be great fun to put up a plate of mixed brownies and see how people responded.