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Tuesday, March 9, 2010
TWD #92: I’m changing this cookie’s name.
I know that Dorie Greenspan named these cookies Thumbprints for Us Big Guys but I’m changing the name. I know that’s bold of me since it’s not MY recipe but I’m gonna take some liberties since this is MY blog. HA! From now on they will be called “The Cookies That Made My Home Owner’s Insurance Premium Go Down” Cookies. Ok maybe that’s a slight exaggeration but the insurance assessor that came by my house said that *IF* it was up to him, he would gladly take monthly payment in these cookies. I hope he gets promoted really fast! Because little does he know I got his words on my iPhone’s voice memo app. Muhahaha!
This week the Tuesday With Dorie Bakers are channeling their inner Cookie Monster hosted by Mike of Ugly Dude Food. You can find the complete recipe on his blog. I have a special place in my heart for Mike. (Hopefully his girlfriend isn’t the jealous type. *waving at Rachel*) If memory serves me correctly (which we all know is not something to bet on), he was the first official guy that joined the Tuesdays With Dorie baking group. And he has since then been paving the way for future guy baker/members. His experiences every week for the past year have continued to make me laugh and prove that guys can bake (or at least give it a valiant effort)! Much love for ya, UFD!
What I learned this week:
I really love the impact that Twitter has had on my baking esp from TWD bakers that provide me with hints, tips and tricks before and during my baking. It’s almost like being able to bake with them even though we are 1000s of miles away. Cheesy but true.
I have yet to capture a really awesome action shot of my mixer blending sugar+butter. This picture makes me dizzy just looking at it. Was anyone else kinda surprised that there were no eggs in this recipe?
Oh baby! That almond extract smelled so good. If someone made a perfume with that scent I’d buy it. Eau de Almond by Chanel. You heard it here first! (L) So did anyone else go bonkers looking for hazelnuts? I couldn’t find them anywhere! Are nuts like fruits and hazelnuts aren’t in season? So I subbed with almond meal. (R)
This picture is kind of a farce. I didn’t really use a round tsp to make each cookie ball. I used my digital scale instead. I’m OCD like that. Every ball weighed exactly 0.5oz. EXACTLY. (L) Since I have weird shaped thumbs and didn’t like how it make my thumbprint cookies look, I opted to use the back of my 1/4 tsp instead. Remember? Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. (R)
Pre-baked the cookies were all round and perfectly indented but post bake they didn’t spread much but puffed up a little so while the cookies were warm from the oven I used my 1/4 tsp to indent them again. Just don’t push too hard or the cookies will crack and break in half. RIP broken cookies. You’re safe in my belly now.
My favorite part was sprinkling powdered sugar over all the cookies. It was almost therapeutic.
I got kinda lazy at the end and decided to nuke my raspberry jam for 30 secs instead of boil in a saucepan. Oh and not to brag but… I am seriously in love with the picture of putting the jam in the cookie. *brag brag brag*
ENJOY!
Husband rating: A
He’s a jam fan so he really enjoyed these cookies. He told me that he felt like he could eat alot of these since they weren’t overly sweet. Maybe I shouldn’t tell him how much butter is in it, eh?
Wifey rating: A/A+
I wasn’t sure what I’d think about these cookies b/c I thought the cookie dough was kinda bland. I even added 1 tsp of salt to the cookie dough like Bridget of The Way The Cookie Crumbles suggested. I think it definitely needed the salt. But I still wasn’t that impressed. But add some powdered sugar and some nuked raspberry jam and you have yourself a winner! I honestly don’t think I’d try them with hazelnuts since I love the almond+raspberry flavor combo so much.
Other rating: A+
Tom (my insurance assessor) loved them and took some home for his wife and kids. I also shared the rest with my neighbors and they had nothing but good things to say between powder sugar-ed bites. Think milk commercial but with powdered sugar. All 60 cookies were gone within an hour.
Next week: Soft Chocolate and Raspberry Tart page 354
FOOTNOTE: As my last ditch attempt I have a proposition for all May hosts. I’d like to offer a bribe REWARD to the first TWD baker that picks the White Chocolate Brownies on page 110 in the month of May. I will buy you the next TWD cookbook. This is not a joke. I am dead serious. After May, I’m waving the white flag of surrender and will forever hold my peace.
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chocolatechic — March 9, 2010 @ 4:57 am
Oh…your cookies are beautiful.
I didn’t use almond extract, I just doubled the vanilla.
laurie — March 9, 2010 @ 6:05 am
They look adorably perfect C. Too cute.
Dont think I didnt see your little bribe at the bottom. When is your bday again? July?!? I can make things happen darlin. :)
Maria — March 9, 2010 @ 6:30 am
See cookies are a good thing:) They look perfect!
Jessica — March 9, 2010 @ 8:48 am
Now, why don’t I think to use my baking for devious, money-saving purposes (bwahahaha)? The thumbprints look great – good call on adding the salt. I should have.
Leslie — March 9, 2010 @ 9:40 am
Perfect cookies. Perfect. I used the end of my wooden spoon as Dorie suggested, but your teaspoon method would make a bigger reservoir for the filling, so I’m going with that next time. I filled mine with salted caramel ganache, which offset the blandness of the cookie dough.
Beryl — March 9, 2010 @ 11:07 am
Love that jam pouring shot! Awesome job!
tia @ buttercreambarbie — March 9, 2010 @ 12:37 pm
Love your cooling rack. How practical! Also, i’m making a mental note of your teaspoon method for next time. You’re one smart cookie who bakes yummy cookies!!! :)
Valerina — March 9, 2010 @ 12:43 pm
I’ll see your weighing out OCD tick and raise you an inability to take pictures until all the dishes are clean and the counter is free of powdered suger.
Visiting your blog just proves that I need to get out more and mingle with more TWD bakers. Your pictures are stellar and yeah, I am jealous of the jam pouring shot. If I tried anything like that with my point and click it would be so blurry that it would look almost indecent. Great job! :)
mike — March 9, 2010 @ 12:48 pm
Those prep photos are just too much! Very professional and a joy to look at. The “prints” look fantastic – as well as how they were made (teaspoon method). Very wonderful post AND cookies!
Jodie — March 9, 2010 @ 1:06 pm
Cute little cookies. I wish I could bake cookies instead of pay HOA dues!
Beth — March 9, 2010 @ 2:37 pm
Thanks for the comment on my TWD post! Just landed here and your cookies look much more delicious… I think my jam reservoir wasn’t deep or wide enough! I also am having a mini Twitter obsession lately — it’s just too fun to connect with bakers from all over!
Mary — March 9, 2010 @ 2:57 pm
Love the step-by-step action shots! I used almonds too, lemon curd, but they are more attractive with the jam.
food librarian — March 9, 2010 @ 3:26 pm
Clara, you are too funny and the OCD thing is crazy. You weighed each one?! Be sure to pull these out when you go shopping for your next car. – mary
rachsbabycakes — March 9, 2010 @ 3:47 pm
I love the pic of the jam going into the cookie. Definitely my favorite. :)
Amanda — March 9, 2010 @ 5:26 pm
They look marvelous! So glad they were such a hit :)
I am reaching out to my fellow foodies today to see if they on my Food Bloggers Discussion List. If you are not we would love to have you! Email me amanda AT amandascookin.com
ldh — March 9, 2010 @ 5:30 pm
I gave these an A+ too! You cookies look great! Thanks for stopping by place and leaving your comment ~ it’s nice to meet you.
Kindly, ldh
Jill — March 9, 2010 @ 7:36 pm
You should brag about the picture of the jam going into the cookie – it’s beautiful! Your cookies look awesome. I bet your insurance assessor is blogging about them right now. :)
Carol Peterman — March 9, 2010 @ 11:23 pm
A teaspoon to press them! Oh that would have made my cookies looks so much better. Most of mine looked like a clay pinch pot I made in elementary school. Thankfully once filled they looked like cookies. Yours are absolutely beautiful!
Teanna — March 10, 2010 @ 5:18 am
Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we could just pay our way with baked goods? Sigh. Your cookies look awesome, and you are so precise! I love all of the shots!
Flourchild — March 10, 2010 @ 6:08 am
I love post, made me laugh! If only we could use cookies like money!
Your cookies look so good and I love the step by step photos. I made mine with the gound hazle nuts and raspberry jam..they were the bomb!
Flourchild — March 10, 2010 @ 6:09 am
That was supposed to read I love YOUR post..sorry!
Linda — March 10, 2010 @ 2:19 pm
If only our baked goods could be used as currency, we’d be RICH!!!!
Confession time – you’re not the only one that used a scale to portion the cookies. I’ll admit it, is the anal retentive CPA in me – I can’t help it! ;)
Margaret — March 10, 2010 @ 5:49 pm
I’ll be your employee if you are going to pay in cookies. LOL
Which, by the way, look great. I nuked my applebutter if that makes you feel better.
pamela — March 10, 2010 @ 6:38 pm
Yeah, I nuked my jam, too. So nice of you to share with the assessor and everyone else! You must be loved by all of the neighbors!
Jacque — March 10, 2010 @ 7:29 pm
I’ll be right behind you in line to buy that almond extract perfume. Love it!
I have to agree, you jam filled cookie pic is awesome… magazine worthy even. Glad you enjoyed them so much.
Di — March 14, 2010 @ 7:50 pm
Your cookies look great! And add me to the list of people who microwaved the jam. It worked great. I like your idea of using the teaspoon for the “thumbprints”. I used a wooden spoon handle for mine, which worked well, but I wish the holes had been a little wider.
Nancy (n.o.e.) — March 16, 2010 @ 2:05 pm
I weigh everything possible when I bake. Love your sub – almonds are the BEST, especially with jam. I’ll forgive you your love of white chocolate.