cookies, cause today...what a day
I've been meaning to post my favorite of the new Christmas cookie recipes I tried out this year. This one was from the Baltimore Sun's cookie list. It's not terribly sweet and perfectly lovely with tea. And a good way to use up the buckwheat flour stored in the bottom of my freezer.
I used the dried figs cause I bought fresh and forgot about them until yukky. Also couldn't find star anise, then had to run out and buy more extract cause mine had dried out. Also used salted butter cause that's how I roll.
Buckwheat and Fig Thumbprint Cookies
Filling:
6 oz (~ 1 ¼ c) chopped dried figs
¾ c sugar
1 star anise pod (or a few drops of anise extract)
1 c water
Combine the figs, sugar, star anise and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low or low so that the mixture is barely bubbling at the edges. Cook until the figs are very soft, 45 minutes to an hour. Remove the saucepan from the heat, discard the star anise pod and use a stick blender to puree the mixture into a smooth jam. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate. The jam will thicken somewhat as it cools.
Fresh Fig Filling:
Cook 12 oz of figs cut into small dice, 1 lb of sugar and 1 star anise pod in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the figs become soft and the sugar has dissolved. Cook, with the mixture bubbling, until the figs have compeltely broken down and the preserves are set.
For the cookies:
1 c buckwheat flour
1 c unbleached all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp kosher salt
12 tbsp ( 1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 c sugar
1 large egg
Combine the flours, baking powder and salt on a sheet of wax paper.
Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer; beat on low speed until well blended, then on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightened and fluffy. Stop to scrape down the bowl.
Add the egg, beating on low speed until incorporated.
Add the flour mixture in two additions, beating on low speed until well combined.
Form 48 dough balls of equal size, placing them on a baking sheet (or a large plate that will fit into your refrigerator). Use your thumb or the small end of a melon baller dipped in water to create an indentation at the center of each one. Fill with ½ to 1 tsp of the filling. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a few baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
Arrange the thumbprints on the baking sheets, spacing them at least two inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time for 6 minutes, then rotate from front to back; bake for 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges.
7 minutes, then 7 more, plus about 2 in my oven
Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat to bake all the thumbprints.
From Sarah Malphrus, executive pastry chef at Woodberry Kitchen, Artifact Coffee, Shoo-Fly and Parts & Labor in Baltimore, Maryland
This entry was originally posted at http://vjs2259.dreamwidth.org/354861.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
I used the dried figs cause I bought fresh and forgot about them until yukky. Also couldn't find star anise, then had to run out and buy more extract cause mine had dried out. Also used salted butter cause that's how I roll.
Buckwheat and Fig Thumbprint Cookies
Filling:
6 oz (~ 1 ¼ c) chopped dried figs
¾ c sugar
1 star anise pod (or a few drops of anise extract)
1 c water
Combine the figs, sugar, star anise and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low or low so that the mixture is barely bubbling at the edges. Cook until the figs are very soft, 45 minutes to an hour. Remove the saucepan from the heat, discard the star anise pod and use a stick blender to puree the mixture into a smooth jam. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate. The jam will thicken somewhat as it cools.
Fresh Fig Filling:
Cook 12 oz of figs cut into small dice, 1 lb of sugar and 1 star anise pod in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the figs become soft and the sugar has dissolved. Cook, with the mixture bubbling, until the figs have compeltely broken down and the preserves are set.
For the cookies:
1 c buckwheat flour
1 c unbleached all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp kosher salt
12 tbsp ( 1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 c sugar
1 large egg
Combine the flours, baking powder and salt on a sheet of wax paper.
Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer; beat on low speed until well blended, then on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightened and fluffy. Stop to scrape down the bowl.
Add the egg, beating on low speed until incorporated.
Add the flour mixture in two additions, beating on low speed until well combined.
Form 48 dough balls of equal size, placing them on a baking sheet (or a large plate that will fit into your refrigerator). Use your thumb or the small end of a melon baller dipped in water to create an indentation at the center of each one. Fill with ½ to 1 tsp of the filling. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a few baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
Arrange the thumbprints on the baking sheets, spacing them at least two inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time for 6 minutes, then rotate from front to back; bake for 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges.
7 minutes, then 7 more, plus about 2 in my oven
Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat to bake all the thumbprints.
From Sarah Malphrus, executive pastry chef at Woodberry Kitchen, Artifact Coffee, Shoo-Fly and Parts & Labor in Baltimore, Maryland
This entry was originally posted at http://vjs2259.dreamwidth.org/354861.html. Please comment there using OpenID.