Ok, everyone loves to debate what makes better sugar cookies, Butter or Crisco? Well, everyone covets my mother-in-laws sugar cookies at the holidays. They all hope to be on the list to get a container! They are completely addictive. Since I love to bake, I've tried many sugar cookie recipes, but none compare. Many of my baking friends insisted I was wrong. I guess among food people, butter is best. But being the open-minded sort, I have decided after much recipe testing that crisco definitely has different qualities than butter and in some cases, it is the best choice. I use both in my kitchen depending on what I am baking and how I want it. So, in 2009 (my real estate was slow then, LOL), I baked 3 different recipes of sugar cookies. My mother-in-law's and two friends' favorites that both used butter. I didn't ice/frost them, because I took them around and had a variety of friends and family taste all 3 without knowing anything about cookie A, B or C, and tell me their favorite. Now, I know this isn't a qualified study, my fields weren't diverse enough or large enough, but this was just for my own interest. AND, the amazing result....drum roll please.....no one selected a butter cookie as their favorite, even though there were 2 butter and only 1 crisco cookie. Carol's won hands down. And my survey is enough for me, this is my favorite and go-to sugar cookie recipe!
Carol’s Cut-Outs (Sugar
Cookies)
2/3
C Crisco
1
1/4 C sugar
2
eggs
1 T
milk
1
tsp vanilla
3 C
sifted enriched flour
1
tsp salt
2
tsp double-acting baking powder (Carol uses Clabber Girl--or 3 tsp regular)
Blend
Crisco, sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla.
Add combined dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Roll 1/8” thick (Carol
rolls hers 1/4”) on a lightly floured board and cut with a cookie cutter. Bake in moderate oven, 375 degrees, on
an un-greased baking sheets for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Remove from pan immediately and sprinkle with sugar, if desired. Recipe says
it: Makes 6-7 dozen
(NOTE:
Carol gets less than the recipe says;
Amy’s
note: for a 4” across pumpkin cutter, using a batch and half of dough, I made
approximately 36-40 cookies).
Variations:
Crunch Cookie: Stir 1 C very finely
chopped nuts into the cookie dough.
Orange or lemon cookies: Use 1 T orange or lemon
juice in place of milk and stir in 1 T orange or lemon rind.
Filled Cookies: Cut sugar cookie dough
with round cookie cutter. Place a spoonful of jelly or jam in center of one
cookie and top with another cookie. Press edges tightly to seal. Bake as
directed.
Spice Sugar Cookies: Add 1/2 tsp nutmeg
and 1/4 tsp cinnamon with dry ingredients.
Note: I use this cookie recipe for my friend Denise Leo's Dreamy Apricot Blonde Brownies
Carol’s Icing
1
1/2 sticks of butter
2
lb powdered sugar
1/4-1/3
C skim milk (start with less and add if necessary)
Mix
with an electric mixer.
Makes
enough to ice about 5 batches of the above recipe.
(Amy’s
note: I thin it with milk to the desired consistency—Carol uses it thicker and
spreads it on like cake frosting—but if you thin it you can dip the cookie and
smooth with an offset spatula and it hardens for decorating/similar to royal
icing.)
Amy's Favorite Brownies
10 tablespoon butter, plus more for pan
6 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate, broken into large chunks
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Ganache Frosting:
1/2 pound semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup whipping cream
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 9- by 13-in. baking pan. In a medium
saucepan, stir butter and bittersweet chocolate over very low heat with a
heatproof rubber spatula until just melted (do not let simmer or boil). Remove
from heat and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt.
Slowly pour chocolate-butter mixture into egg mixture, whisking constantly.
Into a separate bowl, sift flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder, then whisk
together. With a clean rubber spatula, gently fold flour mixture into egg
mixture until just combined.
3. Spread batter evenly in the baking pan. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, or
until brownies are firm, beginning to pull away from sides of pan, and a
toothpick inserted in center emerges with only a few crumbs clinging to it. Let
brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
5. In the top of a double boiler or a metal bowl set over simmering
water, combine chopped semisweet chocolate and whipping cream. Cook, stirring
often, until melted and blended. Remove from heat and let ganache cool until
just warm.
6. Pour ganache over cooled brownies in pan and allow to set until firm,
about 2 hours at room temperature or 1 hour in the refrigerator.
More toppings to try. Why stop at all choclate?
Try these other toppings for these rich brownies. Be generous with amounts, and chill brownies so
that the topping sets.
Coconut and Macadamia: Sprinkle shredded toasted coconut and chopped
toasted macadamia nuts over the just-warm ganache layer.
Crushed Toffee: Sprinkle crushed toffee bits over the just-warm ganache
layer.
Double Peanut: Warm up natural-style peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
and spread over cooled brownies. Refrigerate until peanut butter is firm; top
with ganache and chopped peanuts.
Raspberry: Spread raspberry jam over cooled brownies and top with
ganache.
Rocky Road: Preheat broiler. Spread half of the just-warm ganache over
cooled brownies, then top with mini marshmallows and chopped walnuts. Broil
brownies for about 1 minute, or until marshmallows are toasted and beginning to
melt together. Remove from oven and drizzle with remaining ganache.
White Chocolate Swirl: Spoon dollops of melted white chocolate over the
just-warm ganache layer and make marbled swirls using a toothpick or a knife.
Peppermint Topping (Great at the Holidays):
--80 hard, round, red-and-white peppermint swirl candies
Set oven temperature to 300°. Line a level, rimmed 11 1/2- by 16-in. baking sheet with parchment. With a pencil, draw a grid of 1 3/4-in. squares on parchment (5 rows of 8), leaving about a 1-in. border, and turn parchment over. Place a mint in the center of each square. Bake 15 to 25 minutes, or until completely melted into 1 large sheet, but remove before candy begins to turn yellow. Immediately score peppermint squares with a pizza cutter, using pencil lines as your guide. If scored lines don't hold, rescore quickly. Let candy cool completely. Gently break into squares along score lines. Arrange, bake, and score remaining 40 candies the same way (you'll have extra squares; pick the prettiest).
Place peppermint squares bottom side up on ganache, leaving enough room between squares to cut brownies. Cut brownies into squares along edges of peppermint tops, wiping knife clean between cuts. Remove brownies from pan, discard (or eat) scraps, and return brownies to pan. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure wrap does not touch peppermint, and refrigerate 3 hours (to soften candy a bit). Serve slightly chilled.
Of course you can use this base brownie and go to my friend, Denise Leo's website for really inspiring creations!
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