The Great Cookie Bake-Off

I haven't decorated any cookies for a while. It's time to make some snowflakes, snowmen, Valentine's hearts and other winter-themed cookies. To be honest, the reason that I have been a bit reluctant to return to this hobby craft obsession is because the recipe that I have been using for the cookie itself hasn't been my absolute favorite. It worked, it was sturdy enough and well-accepted but I kept thinking, in the back of my mind, that I needed to find a better, more delicious and delectable, cookie. One that would hold up to the vigors of royal icing and yet was delicate enough to melt in the mouth. Is this an unreal expectation?  I don't know, but nonetheless the experimentation has begun.

This recipe proved to be a good one, really good. I am linking to it here in case you would like to whip up your own small batch. The very fact that this one made only a small amount, perfect for my experiment, was the main reason that I chose it. It was, as indicated, both crisp and soft at the same time. Because there is no icing I did lightly sprinkle the tops with sanding sugar. It passed the taste test but I still feel there's room, maybe a teeny bit, for improvement. 

I returned to my tried and true cookie recipes; this cookbook was one from the early days of our marriage. I tried two sugar cookie recipes from this one, the book was a gift from my mother in 1976. 

This one tasted delicious but didn't stack up-- the sides spread during the baking process. If it can't hold its cut shape consistently it is not a contender for cut-out cookies. However, I did take these with me on retreat this past weekend and my fellow quilters were more than happy to eat up the results of my ongoing experiment!

Again, this recipe (#2 from the vintage book) did not hold its shape either, the sides spread. The flavor on these didn't  measure up either; they tasked okay blah; the whole purpose of my experimentation was to provide a cookie that is more than a mere vehicle for the decorative icing. 

That's three recipes and lots and lots of munching! How many experiments allow you to eat your rejects? Mr. Goodneedle suggests that I stay with the first cookie I tried, the small batch. I'm too full of cookies right now to think straight. I have one more to try, it's a tough job but someone has to do it!

Life is Good!

...and oh, so delicious...

Pan-tastic!

My dear MIL gave me this terrific pan for making Danish Ebelskiver, little filled pancakes. Have you ever tried them? They are simply wonderful, crispy on the outside and light, sweet and delicious on the inside. They cook up quickly, only a few minutes on each side and they're done. I made my first batch last night. I used strawberry preserves for the filling, they were good, but I'm going to do some experimenting and try putting in a sweetened cream cheese next. One of the suggested fillings is chocolate hazelnut spread, but I'm not a big fan of the noisette; I think that plain chocolate would be great, however. What about cinnamon spiced apples; or how about cooked cherries or blueberries? The possibilities keeping pop-pop-popping like popcorn kernels in my head.

Life is Good!