jammy almond crumb bars

we live 

in the country

not the county of estates and tag sales

but the country

of 

pastures and dairy sheep

so when

someone stops by

we wave them in

take their coat

and 

sit them down with a

hot cup of coffee and a sweet

these bars are a twist on the common crumble bar

i use whatever jam i have on hand

{usually something not too sweet loaded with bits of fruit}

the twist comes in the form of almond paste

it finds its way into these cookies

at every bite

jammy almond crumb bars

(printable recipe)

2 sticks unsalted butter--room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

7 oz almond paste (divided)

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp kosher salt

3/4 cup high quality-not too sweet jam (ollalaberry, raspberry, blackberry, fruits of the forest, etc)

1/4 cup toasted pistachio nuts

place sugar, flour and 1/3 of the almond paste in a bowl.  by hand, work in the almond paste so that it is in small bits throughout the flour.  Add the butter and work by hand until you get a crumble that will stick when pressed together.

press about 2/3 of the dough into the bottom and up the sides of  a 9"x9"  fluted tart pan*. take remaining almond paste and lightly press a thin layer on top of the crust.  you may not use all of the paste. spread evenly with jam.  

Mix the pistachio nuts in with remaining dough.  Evenly distribute remaining dough by crumbling on top of jam.  (i like a thick layer of topping)

Bake at 350 for approximately 40-45 minutes. you want the crust and crumble to be slightly colored, but not over-browned.

*if you do not have a fluted tart pan, this works fine in a standard 9x9 cake pan, just be sure to bring the crust 1/4-1/2"  up the sides.

browned butter berry bars {in the sweet kitchen}

this weekend past

we took a long drive

with no real agenda

except to explore

as we drove north

i began to obsess

a cookbook was given to me about a year ago

called

big sur bakery

while getting lost in its pages

i fell in love with the place

and began imagining each bite

while big sur is coastal

and

 we were on an inland route

a little jot west, wasn't too far off course

{it wasn't like we had anywhere to be}

so

an hour, and ten white knuckles later

we arrived in big sur

unfortunately

the bakery was hosting a wedding

which meant

it was closed

double dip dang-nabbit ugh

instead

we stopped at a half bad restaurant

for nourishment

not enjoyment

planning our return

and

when we got home

promptly made these

which are a variation of the brown butter rhubarb bars

from

the big sur bakery cookbook

using

berries we picked that morning

brown butter berry bars

(adapted from the big sur bakery cookbook)

 jam

2 cups blackberries and mulberries {or berries of your choice}

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 cup sugar

place all ingredients in a heavy bottomed saucepan.  cook on low heat until it begins to bubble and thicken.  watch closely and cook until it is thick and jammy. set aside to cool

crust

1 cup unsalted butter--melted

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 1/2 cups flour{whole wheat or all-purpose}

whisk together the flour, powdered sugar and salt.  stir in butter.  press into a 9"x 13" pan.  bake in a 375^ oven until it just begins to brown(15-18 minutes).  remove from oven and allow to cool.

brown butter filling

3 large eggs

 1 1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

grated zest of 1 lemon

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup + 2 Tbs unsalted butter

3/4 cup + 2 Tbs flour {whole wheat or all purpose}

1 teaspoon vanilla

place the butter in a saucepan and cook on low heat until it becomes brown and nutty, careful not to burn.  whisk together the eggs, sugar, salt, lemon zest, lemon juice, flour and vanilla.  carefully stir in the browned butter.

to assemble

spread about half of the browned butter mixture on the prepared crust.  dollop about 3/4 of the jam on top.  spread the remaining browned butter filling and then dollop the remaining jam.  bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges just begin to turn brown.  do not overbake, (allowing the filling to souffle). allow to cool before cutting into bars. 

delicious room temperature or directly from refrigerator.

browned butter chocolate chip cookies

 mayberry-esque after school tales

of

warm cookies and cold milk

aren't mine

in my world

cookies were for christmas

fruit, yogurt, cheese

were snacks

i never quite developed

a sensory memory for the ubiquitous
toll house

instead of invoking memories

of

backyard tag, championship games, mom with flour dusted apron

i've been a bit bored by them

until now

this is not my recipe

it came to me by way of a third-party

i have been told

it was created by

Cook's Illustrated 

which doesn't surprise me

in the least bit

this cookie is filled with 

notes of toffee

 enough salt to tease your palate

the bite of bitter chocolate

and 

manages to be both soft and crispy

the recipe is a bit fussy

but worth it

trust me....

browned butter chocolate chip cookies
makes 16
(Print Recipe Here)
from cook's illustrated and only v.slightly changed

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
14 Tbs unsalted butter--divided
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar-firmly packed
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
3/4 cups toasted walnut halves

heat oven to 375F.  line baking sheets with parchment paper.  whisk flour and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.  heat 10 Tbs of butter in a skillet over medium heat, swirling continually,  until it becomes a dark golden brown and it smells a bit toffee like. this should take about 3-5 minutes...the larger the skillet, the quicker the reaction.  remove from heat and pour butter into mixing bowl.  add the remaining butter and stir until it is melted.  add the sugars, salt and vanilla to the bowl and hand-whisk until mixed well.  add egg and egg yolk and whisk until smooth and begins to lighten in color a bit.  let rest for 3 minutes.  whisk again for 30 seconds and let rest for 3 minutes.  do this procedure 2 more times.  use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir in the flour mixture so that it is just combined--do not over-mix.  stir in chocolate and nuts.  scoop out large balls (about 3 Tbs) onto to the parchment, placing about 2" apart.  Bake for about 10-14 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned.  cool on wire rack.

*the original recipe calls for table salt, semi -sweet chips or chunks  and chopped pecans or walnuts.  i prefer kosher salt, bittersweet (60-70% cocoa solids) and large pieces of walnut which is why i inserted them into the recipe.  try it both ways and decide for yourself!

heart palmiers

we have neighbors

with fabulous taste

crown molding

silver service

art gallery lighting

kind of taste

i almost wonder

if hubs and i 

are their pro-bono friends

while residing in california

we rang in 

london's new year

together

complete with

champagne

caviar

and

crown roast

imagine my horror

as i catch

from the corner of my eye

hubs

in all his glory

hands full of palmiers

flaky crumbs falling to his beard

a smile as broad as his shoulders

complimenting the hostess

on her fabulous dessert

turning to me

gave a grand wink

and said

"you should make these"

so i did

   simple easy heart palmiers

1 sheet puff pastry--cold but not frozen

2 Tbs unsalted butter--melted

2 Tbs granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup granulated sugar for dipping

place puff pastry on a sheet of parchment. in a small bowl, mix together the 2 Tbs granulated sugar and 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon. using a pastry brush, brush the butter evenly covering the entire piece of pastry. evenly and liberally sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top of the butter. measure or eye the center of the puff pastry and gently score with the dull end of a knife (do not cut through) starting on one end, tightly roll the dough to the center.  roll the opposite end to the center, forming what looks like a scroll.  gently press together, and if you would like an exaggerated heart shape, pinch the bottom to a point.  wrap in parchment and/or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill. after 1 hour and up to 24 hours, preheat the oven to 375F.  line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  place the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a saucer or shallow bowl. remove the dough from the refrigerator and slice crosswise in 1/4" sections.  reshape as necessary, then dip both sides in the sugar. place on parchment paper approximately 1" apart. bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.  allow to cool a bit, but not fully before removing from the parchment.  the sugar will cause them to stick if they cool too much.  allow to finish cooling on a wire rack.

eat with abandon!

linking up to

504 Main--tickled pink

black and whites

my parents grew up in new york

although we moved to california

when i was a toddler

"new yorkness" remains in my dna

 i won't apologize for it

(see? i warned you)

my favorite goodies

from

the old neighborhood

were

tucked in a pink box

secured with twine

wrapping 

not only sweets

but

stories of my mother

as a young girl

a nickle in her pocket

walking to and from school

in snow

up hill

both ways

stopping at the local bakery

to warm her toes

and 

carefully choose

an afternoon treat

times have changed

and so have bakeries

fancy cupcakes

mini pies

and

low-carb muffins

have edged out

old fashion favorites 

like

slabs of coffee cake

sweet buns

crullers

and

black & whites as big as your noggin

thankfully

nancy baggett

has a knock-out recipe 

for black and whites 

in her

the all american cookie book

there is nothing i like more

than presenting

this new york favorite

to my favorite new yorker

my mom

 

 New York Black and Whites

recipe from Nancy Baggett

(printable recipe)

3 cups all-purpose white flour
Scant 3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup (1 stick plus 2 2/3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, slightly softened
1/2 cup white vegetable shortening
2 large eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
Scant 3/4 teaspoon lemon extract
1/3 cup sour cream
Quick Vanilla and Chocolate Fondants:
1/4 cup light corn syrup
5 cups powdered sugar, sifted after measuring, plus more if needed
3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease several baking sheets or coat with nonstick spray.
In a medium bowl, thoroughly stir together flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the sugar, butter, and shortening until well blended and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, vanilla, corn syrup, and lemon extract and beat until evenly incorporated. Beat in half of the flour mixture until evenly incorporated. On low speed, beat in the sour cream. Beat or stir in the remaining flour mixture, just until well blended and smooth. Let the dough stand to firm up for about 5 minutes.

Using a scan 1/4-cup measure of dough, shape into balls with lightly greased hands. Place on the baking sheets, spacing about 3 1/2 inches apart. Using your hand, press and pat the balls to about 3 1/4 inches in diameter.**i make mine mini..using a small ice cream scoop as my measurement

Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, in the middle o the oven for 10 to 14 minutes, or until lightly browned at the edges and the tops just spring back when lightly pressed in he centers. Reverse the sheet from front to back halfway through baking to ensure even browning. Transfer the sheet to a wire rack and let stand until the cookies firm up slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Use a spatula, transfer the cookies to wire racks. Let stand until completely cooled.

For the Fondants:
In a medium, heavy saucepan, bring 1/2 cup water and the corn syrup just to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla until completely smooth. Place the chocolate in a small, deep bowl. Pour 2/3 cup of the hot vanilla fondant over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is partially melted. Pour another 1/2 cup of the vanilla fondant over the chocolate. Stirring constantly, thin the chocolate fondant to a fluid but not runny consistency by adding 3 to 4 teaspoons of hot water, a little at a time. Stir until the chocolate melts completely and the water is thoroughly incorporated.
Set the wire racks with the cookies over wax paper to catch drips. Using a small, wide-bladed spatula, spreader, or table knife, immediately ice half of each cookies with the chocolate fondant. (if the fondant stiffens as you work, thin it by thoroughly stirring in a few drops of hot water. If the fondant cools completely, rewarm it over low heat, stirring).
In necessary, adjust the consistency of the vanilla fondant by stirring in additional powdered sugar or hot water until fluid by not runny. Ice the second half of each cookies with the vanilla fondant. Let the cookies stand until the icing set, at least 2 hours and preferably 4 hours.

** 

this recipe comes directly from Nancy Baggett's All American Cookie Book; a book that has been in my library for about 10 years.  I have not bee asked to endorse the book or any individual recipes by the author or publisher.  This is simply a darn good recipe, one of many in this book.

lemon cooler cookies

honestly

i'm not sure if i have actually tasted

the original 

lemon cooler cookie

i. do. know.

i wanted to try them

but, alas

they were in a box

on a shelf

in the grocery store

lest you forgot

we have established

that my mom 

didn't do 

"store bought"

odds are

i only remember these cookies

by how my friends

(insert tongue in cheek )

with 

better brown bag lunches than mine

described them

and not

by taste

which is why

i believe

my version

is 

a perfect impostor

packing a lemony punch

with a

sweet sugar chaser

 lemon coolers

(printable recipe)

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter--room temp

2 cups powdered sugar-divided

2 heaping tsp lemon zest

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 tsp kosher salt

 stir together flour, cornstarch and salt in a bowl. in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and 1 cup powdered sugar until evenly mixed.  beat in lemon zest and lemon juice. slowly stir in the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.  gather the dough and form into a flat ball.  divide dough into 4 pieces, rolling each into a log.  the diameter of the log is to your own specifications, depending on your desired cookie size. my preference is about 2" round.  wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. you may also freeze the log(s) at this time.  

when ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325.  line cookie sheets with parchment.  remove the log from plastic wrap and slice in 1/4" rounds.  it is helpful to twist the log clockwise each time you cut, so as to avoid a flattened bottom. place cookies 1" apart on the cookie sheet and bake approximately 10-12 minutes. cookies are done when they are just turning golden on the bottom.

while cookies are baking, place the remaining 1 cup powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. as you remove the cookies from the oven, they will be too delicate to handle.  once they are cooled a bit (not fully cool, still slightly warm), carefully turn them in the powdered sugar, and place back onto same cookie sheet. the sugar will melt slightly and be a bit like frosting. once the cookies are fully cooled, toss them in the powdered sugar a second time.

i love sweets {buffet}

when asked to donate

a sweets table

for a school auction

i enlisted the help of a friend

because

well

to put it mildly

i can run amok

grand ideas

outlandish displays

(we shall never forget the 15 foot lighted eiffel tower we HAD to make for last year's french theme)

and

fancy packaging

always seem like a great idea

before

two days of frantic baking

my friend

is a voice of reason

incredible creative talent

meticulous taste

and

the queen of cones

together

we were able to put together 

this darling display

expressing the event theme of

LOVE

coffee cake recipe

sugar cookie recipe

*labels and signs created by hubster

brown-butter bacon shortbread with bourbon-maple glaze

at a recent food-swap

i traded jam for 

browned butter shortbread 

it was
out of this world

within minutes 

of finishing the very last crumb

i was conspiring to make my own

the gal with whom i swapped

was kind enough to share the recipe 

from gourmet magazine

(insert long sigh and whimper mourning the loss of this fabulous magazine)

while browning the butter

i was reminded a bit of the smell

of bacon

caveat

i have been know to swear
that i smell bacon

at a kosher deli

i'm only slightly obsessed

i do draw the line

at

chocolate covered bacon

don't love it

but

here is what i do love

these 

crispy, nutty, salty 

with a throat warming

bourbon glaze

 brown-butter bacon shortbread

with bourbon-maple glaze
*this recipe only slightly resembles its inspiration. the addition of bacon, bacon fat, nuts, and glaze are all mine
original recipe here
(printable recipe)

shortbread

4 oz browned butter-cooled to solid in fridge

2 oz bacon grease--cooled to solid in fridge

1/2 tsp grey sea salt (kosher is fine)

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup bacon--cooked crispy and finely chopped

1 1/3 cup+ 3 Tbs all purpose flour

1 cup toasted and chopped pecans

in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the cooled butter, cooled bacon grease and brown sugar. add the salt and vanilla and stir to mix.  mix in the bacon bits, then the flour. mix only to fully incorporate the flour, do not over mix. 

remove the dough from mixer and form into a cylinder on plastic wrap

roll the dough into the chopped nuts, cover and place in refrigerator.  let rest in fridge for an hour.

when ready to bake, heat oven to 350f. slice the roll into 1/4" slices and place on lined cookie sheet, leaving about 1/2" between each cookie. these will spread a bit.

allow to bake about 10-12 minutes or until they start to brown on the bottom. remove from oven and let cool.  

once cool, drizzle with glaze.

bourbon maple glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp maple syrup

up to 1 Tbs bourbon

place powdered sugar in a bowl. stir in the maple syrup.  add bourbon 1 tsp at a time until it reaches a nice runny consistency, that will barely hold its shape.  pour into a piping bag or use a spoon to decoratively drizzle over the cookies.  allow to sit until the glaze has firmed up.

i am parading this recipe

is if it is a

pig at the county fair

at foodbuzz' baconalia

with 

fingers crossed

that it is blue ribbon worthy

cobbled peanut bars

don't you love hello dollies

the layered cookie

with lots of goodies

held together with a bit of condensed milk

and a 

crunchy graham cracker crust

me too

i set out to make a batch just the other day

only to find

i didn't have any butterscotch chips

in the pantry

what's a girl to do?

cobble together a substitute

of course

these are chewy and peanuty

and

seriously delicious

bust open your pantry

and make a batch

cobbled peanut bars
(printable recipe)

3 Tbs butter--melted

1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 cup shredded coconut

2/3 cup marshmallows

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

6 oz peanut butter chips

1 cup dry roasted peanuts

1  14oz can sweetened condensed milk

mix together the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs together.  press into the bottom of a 13x9" pan.  sprinkle coconut on top.add the chips and marshmallows on top, distributing evenly.  drizzle the condensed milk over the top, then add the peanuts.

bake at 350 for about 1/2 hour

let cool, then cut into bars to serve

i am sharing this with
rook no 17 a little birdie told me
and
hearth and soul blog hop

pb and o so early cookies

i'm that person

the one that is rarely late

the one that calls restaurants

to say i'm running behind schedule

i'm that person

leisurely sauntering through the airport

who

doesn't huff and puff when someone has 7 layers of clothes to remove

along with lace up knee high boots

at security

because

i am neurotic

i always have time to spare

i missed a plane 

once

in the 90s

because of an accident on a country road

traffic was stopped dead

no fighting it

it was 3 days before my sister's wedding

i was maid of honor

and

 i hadn't had my dress fitting

consequently

it took me more than a day of travel

 which meant

a last minute dress fitting

resulting in

a poorly made dress

which meant

when my dance partner accidentally stepped on the bottom of my dress

most of it (the dress)

ended up lying in a heap

on the dance floor

and i stood

in my very classy

maroon stockings

a slip

3 inch heels

and crop top

now

i am neurotic

about airline travel

2 hours before flight time

i like to be sitting at the gate

not 

at the check in

or

security

but 

at.the.gate.

which brings me to today's recipe

recently

while enjoying the sights and sounds of milwaukee international airport

for hours on end

i purchased a peanut butter oatmeal cookie as big as my head

hubster and i both thought it was genius

peanut butter and oatmeal

sadly

genius it was not

great idea

poor execution

i knew i could make something that tastes better

and i did

peanut butter and oatmeal cookies

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

3 cups old fashioned oatmeal

mix the salt,baking soda, flour, graham cracker crumbs and oatmeal in a large bowl.  in a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat together the butter, dark brown sugar and granulated sugar, until fluffy.  add the egg and vanilla..and beat until fully incorporated.  beat in the peanut butter and beat for 1 minute.  add the dry ingredients all at once and stir until fully mixed. form into balls and flatten with the tines of a fork.  bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.

these are delicious right out of the cookie jar, but also wonderful with a scoop of peanut butter chocolate ice cream sandwiched between.


linking these up to
sweet as sugar cookies

pizzelle

i learned to make pizzelle

at the knee of my great-aunt rose

while still quite young

she was an amazing baker

and

a real stickler

i learned not to lick the spoon

at a very early age

each time i lift

my pizzelle iron

from its tattered 

and 

batter scarred box

my memory of  my aunt rose floats richly

in the fragrance of these cookies

and

the season

 Pizzelle 
(printable recipe)

3 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 Tbs + 1 tsp baking powder

4 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 Tbs Anise flavored extract

4 oz unsalted butter--melted and cooled

combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.  In another bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks, sugar, extract and melted butter.  stir into the flour mixture. this batter will be nice and thick, similar to a pate a choux.  drop by the spoonful onto a hot pizzelle iron.  check after 60 seconds for color. you want it to be a light blonde in color.  do not undercook, undercooked pizzelle will not get nice and crispy.  sprinkle with a bit of powdered sugar and serve.

you can form these into cones or cups, or even cut in fourths while they are still warm.  i like to use them for large and beautiful ice cream sandwiches...or rolled and filled with a bit of brandy flavored whipped cream...but i mostly like them just as they are.

one last thing...

wishing you all

a peaceful holiday

filled 

with sweet memories

humble gratitude

and

deep joy

Merry Christmas

italian fig cookies

to be honest

this is more of a st. joseph's day treat

than a christmas one

but

truth be told

they are good

any time of year

be warned

this is not a fig newton facsimile

these are spicy and heady and filled with riches

wrapped in a buttery italian pastry

called

pasta frolla

my presentation isn't typical either

they are usually rolled in a tube-shape 

and cut in sections

on a cookie tray

i find them to stay fresh a bit longer

when presented like this

italian fig cookies

cucidati
(printable recipe)

pasta frolla

4 cups flour

2/3 cups granulated sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 cup unsalted butter--cold and cut into pieces

4 large eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla

using a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt a few times to ensure fully mixed.  drop in the butter and pulse until the butter has incorporated completely turning the mixture into a powder.  add the eggs and vanilla and continue to pulse until the dough forms a ball.  remove and wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. 

filling

12 oz dried figs (i use calimyrna)

1/2 cup currants or raisins

zest of 1 orange finely grated

1/3 cup blanched, slivered almonds--toasted

1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate--cut into pieces or chips

3 heaping Tablespoons apricot preserves

3 Tbs dark rum

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

light pinch ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

egg beaten with a bit of water for egg wash

powdered sugar glaze or royal icing for decoration

sprinkles for decoration

if the figs are hard and dry, place them in a bowl of hot water to soften, drain and then proceed with recipe.   dice the figs and place in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients. stir to fully incorporate. place the entire mixture in the food processor, fitted with steel blade and pulse until you have a paste.  place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

roll the dough out to 1/4" and cut with a small round, plain or scalloped cookie cutter. place just a small bit of fig on top of half the cutouts.  brush a bit of egg wash with a brush on the outer edge of the dough. place a second piece of dough on top and press with tines of fork or toothpick to seal.  brush top with egg wash.  bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. you have to watch to see that they don't burn, you want them just starting to brown on the bottom.

when cool, leave plain or drizzle a bit of powdered sugar glaze (powdered sugar and milk to a runny consistency), or royal icing and add a few sprinkles.  

chocolate glazed gingerbread

until yesterday

it had been years

since i made

gingerbread cookies 

but

come holiday time

i bake for others

others with specific requests

so

i dusted off my cookie cutter

and scoured my recipe archives

i found a fun idea in

nancy baggett's all american cookie book

for 

a chocolate glazed version

one of my favorite combinations

gingerbread and chocolate is

here's what i have to say

i will give you her recipe

slightly altered 

(it is what i do, i can't help myself)

it produces a firm and crisp cookie

(which i like)

but it lacks a "roundness", another flavor note, i think

i added honey and it is an improvement

and then there is the glaze

it just was NOT chocolatey enough

looking like chocolate

and tasting like chocolate

are two entirely different things

i bumped it up--considerably

i give you the recipe

with the tweaks already in

if you want the original

buy the book

it is worth it

she has some great recipes

chocolate glazed gingerbread
(printable recipe)

(adapted from all american cookie book)

6 1/2 cups flour (plus more if needed)

2 Tbs ground cinnamon

2 Tbs ground ginger *

1 tsp ground cloves

1 1/4 tsp kosher salt *

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar *

1 cup unsalted butter--slightly softened

2 Tbs corn oil (or other flavorless oil)

1 1/4 cup molasses*

1/4 cup honey*

whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and baking powder in a large bowl and set aside.  in an electric mixer, beat together the brown sugar, butter, and oil until light and fluffy. beat in molasses, honey and 2 1/2 Tbs water until well blended. beat in half the flour mixture until well blended. stir in the remaining flour. knead the dough until it becomes smooth and shiny. if dough is too stiff, you may add a bit more water, if too sticky, add flour.  divide dough into three pieces. roll each piece in between pieces of wax or parchment paper to 1/4" thick.  place in the refrigerator to firm up (about 3 hours).  when ready to use, peel back the parchment from both sides and using a cookie cutter, stamp out design.  bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet for approximately 6-12 minutes at 350F.  keep a close eye.  let cool, then dip in chocolate glaze

chocolate luster glaze

11/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate--coarsely chopped and melted*

3 1/4 cups powdered sugar

pinch kosher salt*

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder*

1/3 cup water

1 Tbs light or dark corn syrup*

1 tsp vanilla extract

heat the water and corn syrup in a sauce pan, over medium heat until it just comes to a boil.  remove from heat.  sift together the powdered sugar, salt and cocoa powder.  stir the hot syrup/water into the powdered sugar mixture and beat by hand until smooth and shiny.  toss in the vanilla and melted chocolate and beat again until smooth.  dip cookies or use an offset spatula to frost. let cookies sit a minimum of 3 hours to ensure they are set.  decorate as desired. 

the ingredients marked by * have been altered, or added by yours truly.