We are introduced, at an early age, to the sweet wondernous of a cookie. From teething cookies to soothe the swollen aching gums of incoming incisors, onto animal crackers purchased in rectangular-shaped boxes bearing a string handle for easy toting by little fingers. Deciding which part of the animal should be eaten first-the trunk of the elephant or the tail of a lion-depended on how hungry one was. Savor each and every one or simply gobble them down as fast as possible.

My next cookie memory would be the ever famous, possibly all-time favorite, the chocolate chip cookie. There is nothing better than to bite into a round circle of baked dough sprinkled with gooey melt-in-your-mouth chocolate. A chocolate chip cookie can dry tears, heal broken hearts, mend scraped knees and elbows and solve sibling arguments. Most of the problems in the world could likely be solved by a properly baked, right out of the oven, chocolate chip cookie. The power of a cookie is underestimated.

I will attempt in the next 365 days to prepare and comment on a year’s worth of different cookies-one for each day. My goal is to share with others my extreme love of cookies-baking them and especially eating them! Feel free to send me your favorite recipe, your earliest cookie memories, or how cookies may have influenced your life. Cookies Rule!


Thursday, February 25, 2010

Cookie Recipe #54 - Apricot Windows

These cookies taste like a shortbread cookie covered with preserves (apricot), but you can use whatever flavor you like.

Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups apricot preserves, room temperature, 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/3 cups yellow cornmeal, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 2 1/4 cups (4 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 3 large eggs, room temperature, cooking spray.

Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat an 11x17 inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and line bottom with parchment paper. Spoon preserves into a bowl, and beat with a rubber spatula to smooth out texture; set aside. In another bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, and salt.

In large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, until smooth after each addition. Add reserved flour mixture gradually until thoroughly combined. Remove 1 3/4 cups of the dough and insert into a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip. Fold over the end to keep dough from drying out.

Using a spatula, spread remaining dough into prepared pan as evenly as possible and bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Remove pan from oven, transfer to heatproof surface, and spread preserves on top in an even layer. Using prepared pastry bag, pipe parallel lines of dough spaced 1 inch apart over the jam. Pipe perpendicular lines of dough over first lines, making a checkerboard look. Pop back into the oven and bake until golden, 20-25 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Cut into 1 1/2x3 inch bars or 3 inch squares. Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.

Makes 4 dozen bars or 2 dozen squares. (Martha Stewart's Cookies, published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, New York, in 2008).

Cookies Rule!!!

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