Christmas and cookies go together like popcorn and movies: It’s hard to think of one without the other. That said, it’s Christmas and I have to have cookies. Fact is, I begin to crave them – and I’m not alone.
Helen Fletcher, renowned pastry chef at Tony’s and author of “Craving Cookies: The Quintessential American Cookie Book,” shares my sentiment. After all, cookies contribute to those holiday memories.
“Cookies can be sublime and subtle or ridiculous and over the top, elegant or simple. And they can have a place at the greatest of celebrations or simply keep us company when we are home alone on a gray day,” Fletcher said.
Fletcher is a firm believer that cookies should be baked throughout the year, not just during the holiday season. However, it’s Christmastime – time to get back in the kitchen, preheat the oven and bake.
While cookies are generally easy to make, it helps to understand a few basics. It also helps to get as many tips as possible from experts like Fletcher. For example, she recommends weighing ingredients instead of using measuring cups and spoons.
“I push weights because it doesn’t matter if your flour is packed or fluffy. It’s always going to weight the same. That’s why professional bakers bake with weights so they can get the exact same results,” she said.
Another great tip is knowing your ingredients, which can allow bakers to save a few bucks without sacrificing quality or flavor. Fletcher’s No. 1 example is vanilla. Understanding the differences between – and when to use – pure vanilla and imitation vanilla.
“At work, I only use Tahitian vanilla that costs $400 a gallon, but I use it sparely and in certain recipes. I do not use it in anything baked because I feel it bakes out. So, I use a good imitation vanilla for that,” Fletcher said. “I use imitation vanilla in anything with chocolate, or those recipes that have a lot of add ingredients or spices in it because you’re not going to perceive the difference. But if you’re worried about it, then double it. When it comes to pure vanilla, I use it where it’s going to make a difference: pastry cream, creme Anglaise and butter cookies, where the vanilla is the flavor. And if you’re only using a few ingredients – flour, butter sugar or maybe one or two other things – then use it because it’s going to show up and you’re going to taste it.”
Another tip is bake safe, a caution provided by Roberta Duyff, food and nutrition consultant and author of the “American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide,” who suggests being mindful of food safety and advocates using pasteurized eggs in recipes using shell eggs to eliminate the risk of salmonella and viruses like avian influenza. Pasteurization is an all-natural process, involving only heat, not chemicals. Eggs go through a series of warm water baths to eliminate bacteria. Using pasteurized eggs will make cookie dough safer for those who insist on sampling it before it’s baked.
With only a few weeks left, it’s time to gather those cookie recipes. Among them, a few of Fletcher’s cookie recipes from her book or blog, PastriesLikeaPro.com. Each recipe is practically foolproof and are illustrated with step-by-step photos.
Fletcher has generously shared her festive Harlequin Cookies, which is featured in both “Craving Cookies” and on the blog.
Harlequin Cookies
1 cup unsalted butter, softened (225 grams, 8 ounces or 2 sticks)
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (250 grams or 8 3/4 ounces)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 cups + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (300 grams or 10 1/2 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberries or raspberries, powdered
2 tablespoons cocoa*
Red food coloring, optional**
Sanding sugar or granulated sugar, as needed
*Any cocoa will do, but there are color variations. I use black cocoa as it gives the darkest color of all the cocoas. Dutch cocoa would be the next darkest, while natural cocoa gives the lightest brown.
**The use of red food coloring is optional, but the cookies will look pretty drab without it.
Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Combine the butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer and beat just to combine. Add the egg and mix until blended.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Add to the butter mixture and beat on low speed until everything is incorporated.
Assembly
Divide the dough into three parts (about 270 grams or about 9 1/2 ounces each). Return one batch to the mixing bowl and add 2 tablespoons of strawberry powder. After the powder is mixed in, add red food coloring to get a vibrant red. It is important to note that some color will bake out, so it needs to be darker than desired when going into the oven. Remove to a bowl.
Wipe the mixer with a paper towel, if needed. It should be clean enough to continue if a bowl scraper was used to remove the dough.
Place a second portion of dough in the mixing bowl and add the cocoa powder. Blend in completely. It is easiest to scoop each flavor all at once, then put them together. Wash the scooper in-between flavors.
Using a #100 scooper, or about 2 teaspoons each, scoop each of the doughs and line them up on a baking sheet. Cover each batch with plastic wrap as you go along so they don’t dry out. Place one of each color before you. Gently push them together so they are one. Roll between the palms of your hands to form a ball.
Roll the ball in a bowl of sanding sugar and place on a baking sheet. These cookies will spread considerably, so stagger and place three across and five down.
Bake for 10 to 13 minutes. The white part will barely be brown and they will be slightly soft in the middle. Do not overbake.
Yield: About 26 cookies
Storage: Keep in a covered container at room temperature for four to five days.
