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!


Saturday, April 24, 2010

Cookie Recipe #112 - Lemon Lace Tuiles


Biting into one of these cookies allows a burst of lemon and orange to explode inside your mouth with every crunch. The dough should be made the night before then refrigerated overnight.

Ingredients: 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, strained from 4 lemons, 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice, strained, 3 1/2 ounces (7 tablespoons)unsalted butter, melted, 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest.

Instructions: Mix sugar, flour, and salt in large mixing bowl. Add lemon and orange juices, and beat until just combined. Slowly pour in butter, then increase speed to medium. Add lemon and orange zests, and continue to beat until combined. Cover, and refrigerate overnight (or up to 1 week).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon batter, 1 teaspoon for each cookie, onto a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart (I did 5 at a time). Refrigerate remaining batter between batches. Using a small offset spatula, spread mounds into 3-inch circles. Bake cookies until uniformly light gold, 10-12 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 1 minute. Working quickly, flip cookies over, smooth side up, and roll each around the handle of a wooden spoon. Let stand until hardened. (If cookies become too difficult to roll, return to oven until warm and flexible). Repeat with remaining batter.

Makes 3-4 dozen citrusy rolls.

This recipe was given to me by my neighbor, Gail, who found it in a Martha Stewart "From My Home to Yours" magazine in an office.

Cookies Rule!!!

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