by BS

Baking for Friends: Linzer Heart Cookies

With the Beyonce Bowl come and gone, it must be about time to start focusing on the next food-obsessive holiday on the calendar.

Yes, Valentine’s Day can be dumb, but it also can be an excuse to bake up some over-the-top deliciousness, right? One of our favorite New York-based bakeries, Tate’s Bake Shop, is here to share this recipe for Linzer heart cookies from their cookbook, Baking for Friends.

Anyone who has picked up Tate’s crazy-crispy chocolate chips at a store around NYC understands that these folks know how to do cookies right. And, if you’re in need of a V-day gift, hop over to Tate’s website and get 20 percent off any cookie-centric just for being an ES-er. Use the code BLOG213 at checkout.

Tate’s Bake Shop Linzer Heart Cookies

by unsightly

Key Lime Coconut Sugar Cookies

While these cookies might not be able to compete with the over-the-top showiness of the Twinkie Key Lime Pie, they are a slightly more subtle (and just as delicious) alternative. Key lime zest and juice are combined with a chewy coconut sugar cookie and rolled in sparkling sugar to give them a nice crunch on the outside. Fiori di Sicilia gives these another level of complexity. You can substitute regular vanilla extract, but the splurge on this flavor is completely justified but the amazing flavor it gives. Regular granulated sugar can be substituted for the white sanding sugar as well. This dough is best baked right after making. Chilling the dough yields an uneven cookie.

Key Lime Coconut Sugar Cookies

by Miss K

In Search of Aesthetic Pleasure: Gingerbread Biscotti

Two years ago, I made some gingerbread biscotti that looked like this.

I was so darn proud of myself. Not only had I made a holiday treat that was just sweet enough and could be enjoyed all day, but they were beautiful, too. A little bit of icing, and I felt like the Queen of Christmas baking.

Then, the next four or five times I made them, they looked like this:

Still delicious, sure, but decidedly unattractive. Lumpy and crumbly, they were just too embarrassing to be shared with all but the closest of friends. Fortunately, my son was teething around the time that I was turning out batches of gingerbread blobs, so he took care of quite a few of them.

This year, I decided that I had had enough. I decided to do something bold. Something that I love to do when cooking, but greatly fear when it comes to baking: I changed the recipe. (Gasp)

The main problem seemed to be that the dough was too dry. My first instinct was to add water, but I remembered a time from my youth when doing just that had led to miserable results, so I rethought. I seemed to recall my mom saying that the best way to change a recipe is to increase or decrease the existing ingredients, not introduce something totally foreign (like water). I took a deep breath and gave it a go. I added an additional egg and just a tad more oil, plus I decreased the flour by a quarter cup. In truth, I fully expected an epic failure, something for which I am probably developing a reputation for around here.

But no! It worked! Before I could forget what had caused this miracle to occur, I made sure to record the changes right on the recipe. This was a success that I am determined to repeat. And, lucky for you all, it’s one that I am oh-so-happy to share.

Revised Gingerbread Biscotti

in Desserts / Recipe 0 comments

by unsightly

Almond Spice Cookies with Anise Frosting

These cookies are the answer to my love of Jingles cookies, but my dislike of crunchy cookies. I made an almond-gingerbread hybrid dough. The almond paste gives the cookie a nice chew and the ginger/molasses gives the cookie a hint of spice. A light anise buttercream frosting finishes these off with my favorite taste of the holidays.

Almond Spice Cookies with Anise Frosting

in Desserts / Featured / Recipe 0 comments

by unsightly

Lemon Green Tea Cookie Sandwiches

Matcha is one of those things that most people either love or barf up. It’s strong, pungent, and unmistakeable. I love it on its own, I extra-love it paired with sweet lemon. I had the opportunity to try a couple matcha samples from Rare Tea Republic, and I couldn’t help but make frosting out of it. The tea lends the most spectacular green color to the buttercream. And this is a flavor combo you won’t soon forget (whether you’re loving it or barfing it up).

Lemon Green Tea Cookie Sandwiches

in Desserts / Featured / Recipe 0 comments

by snebbu

Where art Thou, Candy Corn Oreo?!

Panic. The horror, the horror. For weeks now, I’ve searched various Target stores for the “limited edition” Candy Corn Oreos, where they are supposedly “exclusively available.” Well, apparently “limited edition” means first week of October, because I’ve found none. Zero. And I’m pretty pissed about it. Plus, I’m a little confused about what Nabisco considers “seasonal.”

I can’t just keep this disappointment to myself, so I’ve decided to harness this energy and write an open letter to Nabisco:

Dear Nabisco,

First and foremost, let me say, Happy Halloween! I know how much you appreciate all of the holidays. And I admire your effort in honoring almost all of them. The green and red Oreo filling, pastel colored Oreos for Easter—it’s great. And you’ve been thinking out of the box lately—kudos. I’ve seen Neapolitan Oreos, Lemon Oreos, and even Candy Corn Oreos.

For a “limited time,” we (America) were permitted to explore the hidden treasure of a candy corn Oreo. Way-to-go on this. I am sending you a virtual gold star, and your report card will reflect it with an “O for Outstanding” and a smiley face inside of it. Those who were able to try these enjoyed the adventure.

Those who did not get to enjoy it are still looking for the damn candy corn Oreos. I thought this was a “limited time” thing as in, for the Halloween season. Perhaps you’re confused about what “seasonal” means. The sources I’ve checked define seasonal as “dependent on season or determined by a certain time of the year.” Not sure you knew this, but Halloween is on October 31st every year. It’s like Christmas—the date is constant. It’s not one of those tricky things that requires you to calculate the date.

You see, this is why I found it odd over two weeks ago (that would be mid-October) not to find the candy-corn Oreos. I found the other “seasonal” treats like candy corn, caramel apple lollipops, tons and tons of Halloween themed candy, even those stupid Halloween pretzels. Of course, these are all offered for a limited time. But apparently not as limited as your Candy Corn Oreos. However, I was able to find Neapolitan Oreos (which you would think would be offered in the summer?)

I had so many ideas for these Oreos. The possibilities were really endless. For instance, Candy Corn Oreo balls, Candy Corn Oreo cupcakes, Candy Corn Oreos covered in white chocolate, and even Candy Corn Oreo cheesecake. Instead, what did I get? Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Rather than doing that, I grabbed some seasonal beers and enjoyed some Oktoberfest brews. Do your f’ing homework.

kthnxbye.

For anyone that did find these things and made something awesome—let us know! We’re very intrigued…

in Rants & Raves 2 comments

by unsightly

Pig Cookies

Did that bacon log get your attention? Good.

Pig Cookies. We’re going with that name because Maple-Glazed-Bacon-Wrapped-Brown-Sugar-Cookies was just too long. These cookies are the end result of three weeks of failure, frustration, equipment breakdowns, laziness, and of course procrastination. That being said, these are delicious. I know they are because I ate 8 of them before I realized that I still needed to snap a picture and should probably stop.

Pig Cookies

in Bacon / Desserts / Featured / Pig / Recipe 0 comments