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!


Sunday, February 28, 2010

Cookie Recipe #57 - Almond Toffee Triangles

Geometry Lesson for the day: How many degrees of each angle in a triangle (equilateral)? How many almonds in an equilateral Toffee Triangle? Crunchy almonds, chewy middle and a sweet bar base are the variables that make this cookie delicious.

Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup butter, cut into pieces, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1/3 cup light or dark corn syrup, 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1 1/2 cups sliced almonds, 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 15x10x1 inch baking pan with cooking spray. In large mixing bowl, combine flour, butter, sugar and salt until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; press firmly and evenly into prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes or until goldlen brown. Remove from oven and prepare topping as follows: In medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in almonds and vanilla. Pour over hot crust; spread evenly. Pop back into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes longer and until set and golden. Cool completely on wire rack.

Cut into 2 1/2 inch squares then cut each square in half diagonally to create triangles. Makes 4 dozen triangles. (Treasury of Holiday cookies, published by Publications International, Ltd, Lincolnwood, IL, in 1994).

Cookies Rule!!!

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