Snickerdoodles 2.0

December 4, 2009 by culinarychronicles

When the bf told me a few years ago that his FAVORITE cookie was the Snickerdoodle, I was a bit surprised. In all honesty, I hadn’t had many Snickerdoodles in my life, recalling that they were pretty much a sugar cookie with an extra application of ground cinnamon prior to baking. They were okay for me but not a cookie that I would first reach for.

But, when my better half has specific treats that he likes, I’ve got to do my best to make it happen! :)   I had made several attempts in the past of his beloved cookie with mediocre results—yielding more of a “butter cookie flavor” than what I envision as a Snickerdoodle. I struggled with how I could kick up the flavor a bit without losing the integrity of the simple dough.

After many variations, I finally stumbled upon a great end product—and it was simple too! I’ve added extra cinnamon in the dough and substituted a portion of the granulated sugar to light brown sugar. Lastly, right when the cookies come out of the oven, I suggest sprinkling some of the remaining coating mixture of cinnamon/sugar on the warm cookies for an added “oompf” of texture and flavor. What a difference a few steps make! I was clearly making it too complicated in my first few attempts. :)   Ooops!

The bf has proclaimed that it’s my best cookie yet—lightly crispy on the outside and chewy in the inside. This kicked up version of a classic has definitely changed my opinion on the Snickerdoodle.

Special Note: I’ve used SaiGon Cinnamon in my cookies—a gift from my cousin who had visited the Motherland :)  SaiGon Cinnamon direct from Viet Nam is often not ground as fine like the cinnamon you’ll find in supermarkets or your average grocery store in the States. Hence, you’ll notice the larger flecks of it in my photos of the cookies.

 

Snickerdoodles 2.0 © Photo rights reserved.

Snickerdoodles 2.0 Cooling on Racks © Photo rights reserved.

 

Snickerdoodle Cookies 2.0
Makes approximately 24 cookies

Ingredients:

½ Cup Butter (1 stick) at room temperature
¾ Cup Granulated Sugar
¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda
¼ Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1 Large Egg at room temperature        
½ Teaspoon Vanilla
1 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour 

For Coating:
3 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
1 ½ Teaspoons Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare two baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Using your stand mixer (or large bowl with handheld mixer) beat butter, ¾ cup of sugar, and ¼ cup brown sugar until very smooth (approximately 2 minutes until smooth). Stop periodically to scrape down sides of the bowl. Add egg and vanilla until well blended.

In another bowl, mix flour, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Carefully add dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Combine until smooth. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Dough may be refrigerated if it is too soft to handle.

In a small dish, mix remaining sugar and the cinnamon. Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar mixture and place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Using the bottom of a glass, gently flatten each cookie to about ½ inch thick.

Bake the cookies for about 10-12 minutes or until they are light golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle each cookie with the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Posted in Recipes | 7 Comments »

The Barefoot Contessa Does It Again….

November 25, 2009 by culinarychronicles

It’s no secret that I love me some Ina Garten. The woman has a beautiful house in East Hampton, fabulous friends with amazing professions at her disposal (florists, bakers, photographers, LIGHTING SPECIALISTS?!, etc.), and when it comes down to it, she has delicious & reliable recipes.

Ina Garten-The Barefoot Contessa

With that said, it was a no-brainer to look to her for recipe ideas for a dinner the bf and I were fixing for my family. The criteria were simple. (1) It had to be delicious. (2) Since I don’t get to cook for my family too often, it had to be special. (3) It had to please the pallets from a 3 year old all the way to……..well, I won’t divulge our ages.  :)

Days before our trip we happened to catch an older episode of the Barefoot Contessa’s Back to Basics show on the Food Network and saw the perfect dish– Company Pot Roast. It looked super hearty and comforting—and with one pot, it was ideal!

Since it was our first hand at the recipe, we stuck very true to the script. The end results? Quite Delish in our opinion! The additional step of pureeing half of the sauce and then returning it back to the pot seemed a bit laborious at first. However, after trying the dish, the consistency that this step gave is a MUST! That Ina—she sure does know her stuff!

Two things to note when following this recipe:

  1. Some of her estimates seemed a bit off for us. For instance, the recipe calls for 2 cups of celery, which she estimated to be 4 stalks. For me, it was 6 stalks. The recipe could also easily feed 10 adults, let alone the 8 it quoted.
  2. The preparation work of the mirepoix can be killer. 6 cups of chopped carrots, onions, and celery made me wish I had a commis to do the prep work! :)

With that said, the dish turned out quite well and we would definitely recommend making it. Pair it with garlic leeks mashed potatoes (like we did) and you’ll have a little party on a plate. And as Ina would say, “How bad could that be?”  :)

6 Cups of Mirepoix--Get Chopping! © Photo rights reserved.

2 Cups of thoroughly washed and dried Leeks © Photo rights reserved.

Our Final Plating: Company Pot Roast with Garlic Leeks Mashed Potatoes © Photo rights reserved.

Ina Garten’s Company Pot Roast ©

Ingredients

1 (4 to 5-pound) Prime Boneless Beef Chuck Roast, tied
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
All-purpose flour
Good Olive Oil
2 Cups Chopped Carrots (4 Carrots)
2 Cups Chopped Yellow Onions (2 Onions)
2 Cups Chopped Celery (4 Stalks)
2 Cups Chopped Leeks, white and light green parts (2 to 4 Leeks)
5 Large Garlic Cloves, peeled and crushed
2 Cups Good Red Wine, such as Burgundy
2 Tablespoons Cognac or Brandy
1 (28-ounce) Can Whole Plum Tomatoes in puree
1 Cup Chicken Stock, preferably homemade
1 Chicken Bouillon Cube
3 Branches Fresh Thyme
2 Branches Fresh Rosemary
1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. Season the roast all over with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Dredge the whole roast in flour, including the ends. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the roast and sear for 4 to 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn and sear the other side and then turn and sear the ends. This should take 4 to 5 minutes for each side. Remove the roast to a large plate.

Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add the carrots, onions, celery, leeks, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. Add the wine and Cognac and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, bouillon cube, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Tie the thyme and rosemary together with kitchen string and add to the pot. Put the roast back into the pot, bring to a boil, and cover. Place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is fork tender or about 160 degrees F internally. Turn the heat down to 250 degrees F after about an hour to keep the sauce at a simmer.

Remove the roast to a cutting board. Remove the herb bundle and discard. Skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce. Transfer half the sauce and vegetables to a blender or a food processor fitted with the steel blade and puree until smooth. Pour the puree back into the pot, place on the stovetop over low heat, and return the sauce to a simmer. Place 2 tablespoons flour and the butter in a small bowl and mash them together with a fork. Stir into the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring until thickened. Taste for seasonings. Remove the strings from the roast, and slice the meat. Serve warm with the sauce spooned over it.

Posted in Recipes | 3 Comments »

Mini Spiced Cheesecakes with Gingerbread Crust

November 23, 2009 by culinarychronicles

Since we were preparing a “heavy meal” for my family the other night, I wanted to make something light for dessert to end things off with a little sweetness. What better than mini cheesecakes? They’re small enough for folks who have had a bit too much for dinner but perfect for those of us who have a spare “dessert tummy” that we reserve specifically for delicious treats. They’re quite small so you can just pop them into your mouth. :) 

This particular recipe is wonderful for the holiday season with its gingerbread crust and spiced cheesecake filling. The ricotta also offers a light pairing to the cream cheese that is neither too sweet nor dense. For those who prefer even more warmth in flavor, add an additional ½ teaspoon of cinnamon to the cheesecake mixture. You can also swap out the raspberry garnish for a drizzle of white chocolate ganache.

Enjoy! :)

Mini Spiced Cheesecakes with Gingerbread Crust © Photo rights reserved.

 

Mini Spiced Cheesecakes with Gingerbread Crusts
Makes approximately 18-20 mini cheesecakes
Ingredients:

1 Cup Gingersnap Cookies
4 Tablespoons Melted Butter
½ Cup Ricotta Cheese
4 Ounces Cream Cheese
½ Cup Granulated Sugar
½ Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs
Raspberries for Garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees.

In a food processor, pulse Gingersnap cookies into an even powder. Transfer to a bowl and add melted butter until the mixture has the consistency of wet sand. Generously spray 2 mini-muffin pans with cooking spray. Place a heaping teaspoon of the gingersnap mixture into the bottom of each cup, pressing firmly down to pack the bottom. Place the prepared pans in the oven and bake for approximately 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

In a food processor combine the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and the eggs. Blend until smooth. Fill the cups with about 1½ tablespoons of the cheesecake mixture. Situate the mini muffin pans in a water bath by placing them in a baking dish and pour boiling water in the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the mini muffin pans. Bake for 25 minutes. Transfer the mini muffin pans to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes then refrigerate for 20 minutes. Use a small pairing knife to gently pop the cheesecakes out of the cups. Plate the mini cheesecakes and garnish with one raspberry atop each cake.

Posted in Recipes | 4 Comments »

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