Christmas Cookies

It has been too long since the last post. It is not because we haven't been cooking...cause we have. To tell you the truth I've been eating like a queen, which is nice because now I don't have to worry about fitting in a wedding dress anymore. (everything in moderation!) This past weekend I decided to bake bake bake! I used my 6 qt Kitchenaid stand mixer for an entire day...and it was glorious! I also used the silicon baking mats that Justin "made" us get. Justin and I will make wonderful B&B owners one day. I'm excited.

Things I realized when baking cookies:
1. Never do it in a rush. You'll burn them.
2. Cookies bake best at 375 F for about 10 minutes. (at least in my oven :) Don't let recipes tell you otherwise.
3. Bake one tray at a time. (see #1)
4. While you have cookies in the oven, make a batter that needs to sit for awhile (like sugar cookies or gingerbread) You'll feel efficient.

Most of the cookies I made were based from recipes I found in cookbooks or online. I'm beginning to get comfortable with the chemistry of baking and realizing when something is just not "right." Here we go:


The Best Peanut Butter Cookies I've Ever Made (and Had)

2.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 cup extra crunchy peanut butter
~1/2 cup of smooth peanut butter*
2 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs

Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes. The starred peanut butter is what I added to the recipe. The recipe called for chopped peanuts. Didn't have it (or want it). It didn't have the peanut butter taste that I wanted, but I didn't want to compromise the texture that I wanted, which is why I added the smooth peanut butter. I think adding the peanut butter created the perfect texture.

This next recipe I got from slashfood.com. I've never heard of this website until I was searching for the "right" recipe. When they had an interview with our favorite artist, Zac Brown, we knew we should visit this site regularly.

Cranberry, Orange &  Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1 large egg
zest of one orange (about 2-3 tsp)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (I used a semisweet chocolate bar that I cut up....it makes the cookie look more rustic and pretty)


Read more: http://www.slashfood.com/2006/12/08/christmas-cookie-of-the-week-cranberry-orange-and-dark-chocolate/#ixzz1905E7dMv


I tried to add pecans to it (I dipped a pecan into the raw batter and ate it...). And it really detracted from the chocolate and cranberries. The orange zest really pulls everything together and when you add a nutty flavor, the essence is lost.

I used Alton Brown's Sugar Cookie recipe. The key is sticking to cold temperatures, especially when rolling out the dough.
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon milk
Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough

All in all, I'm excited. I think after this baking experience, I'm really going to read up on the chemistry of baking. And so will my children. I am doing a lab when we get back to school where we bake muffins in a microwave. I perhaps may frame my chemical reactions unit through baking. Perhaps.