12 Days of Cookies, 2016 - Day 8: Skibo Castle Ginger Crunch

Today's cookies were made by Sandi Troop and can be sampled at the Annapolis Royal Library.

 

I have participated in the 12 Days of Cookies several times. Two or three times I resurrected recipes I used from library books when my kids were little or recipes that looked like ones I could make well in advance. This year I wanted one that just intrigued me to try...and I found it in The Gourmet Cookie Book: The Single Best Recipe from Each Year 1941 – 2009. Who doesn’t love ginger, a lot? Who doesn’t love shortbread, a lot? You know that shortbread cookie covered with toffee; are you drooling yet? This recipe responds to the above questions but takes them in a new direction.

The shortbread base is really thin and not very sweet but the ginger toffee-like topping is easy peasy to make and tastes a treat. With 1 cup icing sugar it is a sweet part to the cookie, making a perfect contrast to the thin, crisp shortbread base.

Initially I thought I could get Lyle’s Golden Syrup at the local grocery store but when I went in to get it they didn’t have it. A quick Google search recommended substituting 2 parts corn syrup with one part molasses. Since the recipe only calls for 1 Tbsp in the topping I thought this would work. As far as I can tell it did; Skibo Castle Ginger Crunch is delicious!

 

Shortbread base:

1 ¾ cup all purpose flour

3 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ginger

¼ tsp salt

½ cup cold butter

Topping:

6 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Tbsp Lyle’s Golden Syrup

1 cup confection sugar

½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp vanilla

 

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 13x9 metal baking pan

Make Shortbread base:

Sift together dry ingredients and blend in butter with your fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press evenly into bottom of pan (base will be thin). Bake in middle of oven until golden and crisp, 20 – 25 minutes.

Make topping just before shortbread is done:

Melt the butter in a small saucepan and whisk the remaining ingredients until smooth. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring 30 seconds.

Pour Topping

Remove shortbread from oven and pour topping over, tilting pan to cover shortbread evenly.  Cool in pan on rack, then cut into small rectangles 8 by 8 or for larger cookies 4 by 9.

Notes:

It breaks easily when cutting into pieces. I think the solution would be to use a very thin, very sharp knife.

I also intend to use extra ginger, maybe ½ tsp more, in the toffee topping next time I make it. (There will be a next time.)

Finally I have been on a low carb/ high protein diet the last 4 months. I cheat, with little remorse occasionally. It helps me stay in control and choose my treats more wisely. With the Skibo Castle Ginger Crunch I was absolutely NOT in control. I had to pack the remains up and put them in a tin out of the way quickly. Even that did not prevent me from sampling them again this morning. (Only 1 though and carbs in the morning are not as bad as carbs in the evening; plus I cut the cookies small).

 

Don't forget -- you can Enter to win a Cookie Gift Bag!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12 Days of Cookies, 2016 - Day 5: Melt-In-Your-Mouth Shortbread

Middleton branch manager Sue Aldred made these yummy shortbread cookies from a recipe found in the December 2014 issue of All-Recipes magazine. Drop in to the Rosa M. Harvey Middleton and Area Library today for some warm smiles and a cookie.

Ingredients:

1 lb. salted butter

1 cup icing sugar

1/2 cup cornstarch

3 cups white flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla 

Whip butter until fluffy. Stir in icing sugar, cornstarch, salt, and flour. Beat on low for one minute. Add vanilla and beat on high for 3 to 4 minutes. Drop cookies by spoonsful 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

I find that I have better results if I bake them for 20 minutes at 300 degrees F. (The recipes calls for baking for a shorter time at 375 but this temperature is too hot.)

Ice with almond icing and decorate with sprinkles or chopped cherries.                  

These freeze very well.                                  

Yield: 4 dozen small cookies.

Don't forget -- you can Enter to win a Cookie Gift Bag!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12 Days of Cookies, 2016 - Day 1: Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread

These lemony delights will be shared at the Kentville branch today and were baked by Jai Soloy, Community Engagement Assistant. The recipe can be found on page 22 of Christmas by Elizabeth Baird and Anna Hobbs. 

 Bake this crunchy shortbread as individual cookies or in a square pan.

1 cup (250 ml) butter, softened

1 cup (250 ml) icing sugar

2 tbsp (25 ml) poppy seeds

2 tbsp (25 ml) grated lemon rind

2 cups (500 ml) all-purpose flour

2 tbsp (25 ml) granulated sugar

 In a bowl, beat butter with icing sugar until fluffy; stir in poppy seeds and lemon rind. Gradually blend in flour. Gather dough into a ball and chill for 30 minutes if sticky.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to ¼-inch (5 mm) thickness; cut into 2-inch (5 cm) rounds and place on ungreased baking sheets. (Or, press dough into a 9-inch (2.5 L) square pan; prick surface all over with a fork.) Sprinkle with the granulated sugar.

Bake in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes for cookies, or 35 minutes for square, or until set and very faintly browned. Let cookies cool on a rack. or let large square cool in pan before cutting into bars.  

Shortbread can be stored in airtight containers for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Makes about 40 cookies or 24 bars.

 Notes: We made our shortbread in a square cake pan. This is the fastest method with the least amount of cleanup.

Some general cookie baking tips:

Try to follow the recipe closely on the first attempt. If you actually taste the cookie and think it has too much or not enough of something, make a note for the second batch. Just because you like one certain ingredient on it's own is not a good enough reason to double it. This especially holds true for strong flavours like, say, lemon rind. Don't worry, "1st Day of Cookies" cookie- tasters in Kentville, I learned this lesson on an earlier batch. Not yours.   

If you must double one ingredient, double all of the other ones too. Extra cookies are always welcome this time of year. If they don't have enough, say, lemon rind, they can be used to nicely pad out your cookie display. 

Didn't follow my advice and ended up with a cookie that tastes too...something? Don't panic! Uneaten shortbread can be used as hay bales in a small nativity scene, or building blocks for the kids if they have to sit through a long patch of time at the grown-up table after dinner.

Enjoy!

DON’T FORGET!! You can  enter  to win a Cookie Gift Bag!!

Day 9, 2015; CHOCOLATE-DIPPED ORANGE SHORTBREAD

These shortbread look so good!! Thanks Connie! Pop into the Bridgetown Library today and get one before they are all gone. You will find this recipe in Baking for Friends by Kathleen King.

Makes about 4 ½ dozen cookies

Shortbread
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour,
  plus, more for rolling and cutting out the dough
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ pound salted butter, at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
Grated zest of 1 orange
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1.      To make the shortbread, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer set on high speed until combined, about 1 minute.  Beat in the egg, followed by the orange zest, orange juice and vanilla.  With the mixer on low speed, mix in the flour mixture just until combined.

 

2.      Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a thick disk.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.  (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.  If it is too firm to roll out, let stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes to soften slightly.)

3.      Position the oven racks in the top third and centre of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
 
4.      Working with 1 disk at a time, briefly knead the dough on a lightly floured work surface until smooth.  Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick.  Dip a 2 ½-inch round cookie cutter or another shape of a similar size in flour and cut out cookies, cutting them as close together as possible to avoid excess scraps.  Arrange the rounds about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.  Gather up the dough scraps and gently knead together, and cut out more cookies.  If the dough becomes too soft to roll out, refrigerate until chilled.  Refrigerate any remaining dough while you bake the first batch.
 

5.      Bake, rotating the positions of the sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking, until the cookies are lightly browned on the edges and bottoms, about 20 minutes.  The cookie tops will not brown, but do not under bake them, or they lack flavour.  Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.  Transfer to wire cooling racks and let cool completely.  Repeat with the remaining cough, on cooled baking sheets.
 
6.      To dip the cookies, line baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.  Put the chocolate in a microwave-safe medium bowl.  Heat the chocolate on Medium (50% power), stirring at 30-second intervals, until fully melted.  Let stand, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has cooled to 89 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.  Place the bowl in another bowl of hot tap water to keep it warm enough for dipping, being careful not to splash water into the melted chocolate.
 
7.      One at a time, dip one half of each cookie into the chocolate.  Drag the bottom of the cookie across the rim of the bowl to remove excess chocolate, and place the cookie on the baking sheet.  If the chocolate cools and thickens, warm in the microwave for 15 seconds at Medium.  Let the cookies stand until the chocolate sets and they can be easily lifted from the baking sheet, about 1 hour.

Don't forget-- you too can Enter to win a gift card. Show us YOUR cookies!

 

Day 2, 2014: Lime Shortbread with Dried Cherries

Lime Shortbread with Dried Cherries

This fresh, sweet-tart cookie just melts in your mouth and is so delicious. The dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Bake up one log and save the other for another day when you need a treat.




Prep: 25 min. plus chilling  
Bake: 10 min./batch
Makes: About 5 dozen

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tbsp grated lime peel
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped dried cherries

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until blended. Beat in lime peel and extracts. In another bowl, mix flour baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in cherries.

2. Divide dough in half; shape each into a 7-in.-long roll. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 3-4 hours or until firm.

3. Preheat oven to 350. Unwrap and cut dough crosswise into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

Freeze option: Place wrapped logs in resealable plastic freezer bag; freeze. To use, unwrap frozen logs and cut into slices. If neccessary, let dough stand a few minutes at room temperature before cutting. Bake as directed.

** Orange Shortbread with Dried Cranberries

Substitute grated orange peel for the lime peel and chopped dried cranberries for the cherries.

This recipe comes from "The Taste of Home Cookbook".

Submitted by Wendy Kearnes
Outreach Services Manager

Day 4: Rolled Chocolate Shortbread

Baked and decorated by Sue Aldred from our Middleton branch, these shortbreads are ready for the holidays! Stop by the Hantsport Library this afternoon to try them. 

Rolled Chocolate Shortbread - from the book  Company's Coming: Most Loved Cookies by Jean Pare

 1 cup butter (not margarine), softened

½ cup icing sugar

¼ cup cocoa, sifted if lumpy

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

Beat butter and icing sugar in large bowl until smooth. Add cocoa. Beat well.

Add flour in 2 additions. Knead dough in bowl if necessary to incorporate flour. Divide dough into 2 equal portions. Roll out each portion on lightly floured surface to ¼ inch thickness. Cut out shapes. Roll out scraps to cut more shapes. Arrange about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 325 for about 12 minutes. Let stand on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool. Cool sheets between batches. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Day 9: New Year's Icy Shortbread

Angela Reynolds, Head of Youth Services, has delved into the children's cookbooks for this shortbread recipe. It is from the book Make and Bake Amazing Cookies, by Elizabeth MacCleod. How can you go wrong with shortbread and candy canes? These starry treats are making their way to the Wolfville Library today.

 Here's the recipe, with added notes from Angela:
 

You will need:

2 c. butter

2 c. lightly packed brown sugar

Peppermint flavouring (or vanilla)

4 c. all-purpose flour

½ c. crushed candy canes

Large mixing bowl, wooden spoon, wax paper, rolling pin, cookie cutters, lifter, baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.

1.       Preheat oven to 315 degrees

2.       Beat together the butter and sugar until creamy. Add 12 drops of peppermint flavouring (I used ¼ tsp of vanilla). Add the flour and mix thoroughly  (you’ll probably have to use your hands for this step).

3.       Roll out some of the dough until it is ¼ in thick. Cut out using cookie cutters. (Dip the cutter into flour each time to keep it from sticking to dough). Using lifter, transfer to cookie sheet. Sprinkle a little crushed candy cane on each cookie.

4.       Bake 12-15 minutes, until firm and very pale. Cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooking area. 

This is my first time to make shortbread, and it is quite tasty. I think these cookies would be fairly easy to make with kids. The book has some good tips for young bakers!

Day 1: Espresso Shortbread

 Sally MacDonald, who works at our Headquarters Office, has baked Espresso Shortbread from Martha Stewart's Holidays: recipes, gifts, and decorations, Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Perfect treat with a cup of tea or coffee on a cold winter's day. Sally's cookies are making their way to the Annapolis Royal branch today!

Here's the recipe:

 

Espresso Shortbread

MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN

A simple shortbread with a sophisticated coffee flavor

½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter

½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ teaspoon powdered instant coffee

2 ¼ cups sifted all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla and coffee. 

Sift together flour and salt ; add to butter mixture and beat well.

2. Chill dough until firm.

3. Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

4. Roll dough ¼ inch thick and cut into 2-inch-by 5-inch bars. 

Prick with a fork. Score middles of bars with a knife.

5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Sally's Tips: Since I can’t leave any recipe alone, I changed this a bit. I used the same ingredients, but I divided the dough into two equal parts and pressed each part into an 8” round pan. I pricked all over with a fork and baked in a 275 degree F. oven for about an hour. As soon as they were removed from the oven, I cut them into 16 equal segments with a sharp knife. Then I let them cool in the pan for a few minutes before removing them to cooling racks.