Friday, September 12, 2014

Three Cookies and a Weekend

This is my ambitious weekend plan - make GingerBread Man cookies, Dark Chocolate cookies for FondBites #41 and M & M cookies as a trial version for the return gifts for Navarathri or for Sammu's birthday.

Gingerbread man cookies:

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups (195 grams) maida
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon + 1 pinch baking soda
  • 1 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • A pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 2 ground cloves
  • 1/4 cup (55 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
  • 3 tbsp regular curd
  • slightly less than 1/3 cup  honey

Method:

In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. 

In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the paddle attachment, (or with a hand mixer) beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the curd and honey and beat until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture beating until incorporated.

Divide the dough in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (at least two hours or even overnight). 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Use a gingerbread cutter to cut out the cookies.  With an offset spatula lift the cookies onto the baking sheet, placing about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. If you are hanging the cookies or using as gift tags, make a hole at the top of the cookies with a straw or end of a wooden skewer. (If cookies are a little soft, place the baking sheet (with the cookies) in the fridge for about 10 minutes. This will prevent the cookies from losing their shape.)

Bake for about 6-8 minutes depending on the size of the cookies. They are done when they are firm and the edges are just beginning to brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for about 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. If desired, you can press raisins, currants, or candies into the dough for eyes and buttons while the cookies are still warm. Otherwise, confectioners frosting can be used to decorate the cookies. Store in an airtight container.

Edited to add - I could not make icing for these cookies but made them and the kids as usual liked them.  No pics to show this time.

Fond Bites Dark Chocolate Cookes 41

Ingredients:
  • Dark Chocolate – 125 gms
  • Butter – 35 gms
  • Flaxmeal - 1 tbsp dissolved in scant 3 tbsp water
  • Pure vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon
  • Powdered jaggery – 1/4 + 1/8 cup
  • Maida – 1/3 cup
  • Baking powder – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Salt – 1/8 teaspoon
  • Chocolate chips – 175 gms
Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180 degree C. Line baking tray with butter paper/silicon mat.
Chop butter and chocolate and melt in a double boiler over stove top until completely melted without any lumps
Add the flax meal mixture after running it in a small mixie jar for a minute
Beat together for about a couple of minutes
Add the powdered jaggery to the mix
Beat again on medium high speed for about 3 minutes until the mixture becomes thick and fluffy. Add pure vanilla extract and beat well.
Now add the melted butter-chocolate into the eggs mixture.
Beat well until everything combines well together.
Add flour, baking powder and salt into the liquid mixture.
Beat just until the flour combines. Do not over beat
Add the chocolate chips into the batter like dough. 
Fold the chocolate chips using your spatula or a wooden spoon. The batter like, will slowly cease to be batter-like and get close to a dough.  But it will still look like a thick batter not a dough.
Use a teaspoon, or a scooper to scoop out the dough onto the prepared cookie sheet. Place them about 3 inches apart. They spread well. Alternately, you can cling wrap the dough and refrigerate it. After an hour, you will be able to scoop out. Then you can make balls, flatten it and then place them on the baking tray.
Bake in pre-heated oven for about 10-12 minutes for a chewy version. Cool on wire rack.
Bake upto 15 for a crispy version.
Bake with top and bottom rods on.

Edited to add:  Baked these and really liked them.  I let them be chewy and they turned crisp on storing after a day.  So they would have been hard if i had baked them for 15 minutes.  I baked for just over ten minutes.  Also, they should be spread in a circular shape and spread out really well if you want perfect looking cookies.

Pics below:





M & M cookies
Ingredients:

  • 1 cups (260 grams) all purpose flour
  • 1/2 & 1/8 baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 85 unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 65 granulated white sugar
  • 70 grams powdered jaggery
  • 3 tbsp thick curd
  • 3/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) M&M's® or Smarties® candies


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Place one oven rack in the top third of the oven, and one oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy (about 2 - 3 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the curd, beating until well combined. Beat in the vanilla extract.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. (If batter is soft, cover and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes or until firm.)

Using a tablespoon, an ice cream scoop, or two spoons, form batter into large balls. Spread into a round about 1 1/4 inch diameter. Completely cover the tops of the cookies with the M&M's® or Smarties®. Gently press the candies into the dough. Bake the cookies for about 8-10 minutes minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the baking time. The cookies are done when they are light golden brown in color and just set around the edges. They will still seem a little soft in the center but they will firm up as they cool. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.

Edited to add:  Have not made these yet.  Will make them soon.

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