Matzo Brittle

I'm crazy for matzo. Since Passover started yesterday it's the perfect time to make Matzo Brittle! In fact, it's so good that I plan on making another batch to bring with me on Easter Sunday. It's easy to make and incredibly delicious.

The recipe calls for fleur de sel, a hand-harvested sea salt that is moist, yet still has a nice crunch. I found it at Whole Foods and was able to buy a small amount. It's a good thing because it was priced at $19.99 per pound. Worth searching for, fleur de sel gives the brittle a distinct flavor unlike regular table salt.



Matzo Brittle

4 sheets of unsalted matzo (1/2 box)
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into large pieces
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons fleur de sel
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I used a whole bag)
1 cup toasted, sliced almonds or toasted pecans coarsely chopped

Heat oven to 350 degrees and arrange rack to middle position.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with two overlapping pieces of aluminum foil and wrap edges over the sides. Arrange matzo in a single layer, breaking pieces as needed to fill empty spaces. Set aside.

Place butter, brown sugar, and 3/4 teaspoon fleur de sel in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir with a rubber spatula until the mixture comes to a boil, about 5 minutes. Continue to boil for 3 minutes more. Remove from heat, add vanilla. Pour slowly as the hot caramel may bubble up. Stir to combine.

Pour caramel over matzo and spread it evenly using a rubber spatula. Place baking sheet in the oven and bake matzo until small bubbles cover the surface and caramel is fragrant, about 10 minutes. Do not let caramel burn. Check after 8 minutes to be sure it doesn't!

Remove from oven, sprinkle with chocolate chips and set aside until chips are softened, about 5 minutes.

Spread chocolate evenly over the caramel using a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with nuts and remaining 3/4 teaspoon fleur de sel. (I used a bit more, and spread it evenly across the entire sheet by rubbing it gently between my palms).

Refrigerate the brittle until cool, about 15 minutes. Break into pieces and serve.

Note: I had trouble with the brittle sticking to the foil because the caramel seeped under the matzo. I popped the pan in the freezer for 1/2 hour and then I was able to easily peel off the foil from the back of the frozen brittle. I put the brittle on a large cutting board and cut the sheet into squares using a chef's knife.

Warning: This stuff is addictive. It's sweet, salty, and crunchy in every single bite.

Glazed Lemon Cookies

My dear friend and former co-worker Wendy simply adores these cookies. The first time I gave her one she took a bite and her eyes opened wide. The first thing she said was, "Wow, why are you still working here when you could be making these all the time!" She's probably right, but for now I refuse to give up my day job. Since Wendy first tasted these cookies I've switched jobs but I still share cookies with her whenever I can. One of my new co-workers, Sheryl, loves them just as much as Wendy (maybe even more).

These cookies are full of lemon flavor and remind me of springtime. The glaze is made with a tablespoon of cream cheese, two tablespoons of lemon juice, and 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar. A simple concoction that elevates a good cookie to a fantastic cookie.

Try them for yourself and feel free to leave comments.

This recipe is from Cook's Illustrated's, March/April 2003 issue.

Glazed Lemon Cookies

3/4 cup sugar
2 T grated lemon zest plus 2 T juice from 2 lemons
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 t baking powder
12 T (1 1/2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large egg yolk
1/2 t vanilla extract

In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, process granulated sugar and lemon zest until sugar is damp and zest is incorporated, about 30 seconds.

Add flour, salt, and baking powder, pulsing to combine (about 10 one-second pulses). Scatter butter chunks over the mixture and pulse until dough resembles fine cornmeal (about 15 one-second pulses).

In a small bowl, beat together lemon juice, egg yolk, and vanilla with fork to combine. With machine running, add the mixture in a slow, steady stream (about 10 seconds) and continue processing until dough begins to form ball, 10 - 15 seconds longer.

Turn dough and any dry bits onto the counter and working quickly, gently knead the dough until it comes together and no dry bits remain. Shape dough into log about 10 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Wrap dough in parchment paper (or wax paper) and twist ends to seal tightly. Chill dough until firm and cold, about 45 minutes in the freezer or 2 hours in the refrigerator.

To bake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap dough log and using a sharp knife, slice dough into rounds 3/8 thick. Place on baking sheets 1 inch apart and reshape into rounds if cookies loose shape. If dough gets too soft, place back in wrapper, close tightly and return to freezer for a few minutes.

Bake until edges are golden brown, about 14 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking. Cool cookies on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.

Glaze

1 T softened cream cheese, softened
2 T juice from 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Whisk cream cheese and lemon juice in medium nonreactive bowl until no lumps remain. Add powdered sugar and whisk until smooth.

Spoon a scant teaspoon of glaze onto each cookie and spread evenly with back of spoon, 1/8 inch from edge of each cookie.

Variation: Lime Glazed Cookies
Substitute lime zest and lime juice in equal proportions.

Cookie Press Review

These cookies are a hit with every single person who has ever tasted them in my presence. They're easy to prepare and the glaze is virtually fail proof.

Cookie press rating: 5 lemony cookies (out of five)

St. Patrick's Day Cutouts

Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day! The day the Irish and the pseudo Irish watch a parade and then hit the bars. I suspect there will be many people calling in sick on Thursday.

Over the weekend I made these cutout cookies to celebrate. I'm bringing them into work tomorrow and sharing with my co-workers. We've all be working hard lately and they deserve a little treat.

The cookie is a basic sugar cookie with royal icing. Click here for the previously posted recipes from the Penguin cookies I made a few months ago.

I unscrewed the green cap from the food coloring and put a drop into the mixing bowl only to find out the container was mislabeled and I had just made light blue icing! Luckily, I remembered that blue and yellow make green. With a few drops of yellow and a splash of creme de menthe, I remedied the situation and had a nice light green icing. Whew! That was close. My co-workers will never know that I almost gave them blue shamrocks.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Chocolate Mint Wafers

The girl scouts are at it again. Hawking cookies in public spaces, they stand in front of supermarkets, drugstores, and on street corners. They sometimes shout as you exit the stores as if you aren't already helplessly drawn to the table of cookies like a moth to a porch light. You simply can't resist the little buggers in their tacky green uniforms making eye contact and being as sweet as the cookies they're selling.

They use cuteness to lure you in and make a killing from overpriced (but yummy) cookies like Samoas, Trefoils, Tagalongs, and last year's new cookie, Dulce de Leche. Two boxes? Sure no problem. Three boxes? Why not, it's for a good cause. Four boxes? I can always freeze them. Yeah right.

My absolute favorite are those addictive Thin Mints. Some people smoke, some do illicit drugs. I do Thin Mints.

About two years ago, I found a recipe for chocolate-mint wafers in Martha's Everyday Food magazine that are very much like the Thin Mints I adore so much.

For the cocoa powder, I used Droste, dutch processed cocoa imported from Holland. If you can find it, (and can afford a splurge) it's totally worth it. Pricey, at about $7 - $9 per 8 ounce box, it has an intense chocolate flavor without the bitterness of unsweetened cocoa powder.

These cookies are easy to make. Be patient when dipping the wafers into the chocolate. Let the chocolate drip back into the bowl and gently scrape the bottom of the fork on the side of the bowl to remove excess chocolate.

Chocolate Mint Wafers

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powders
1/4 teaspoon (plus 1/8 teaspoon salt for chocolate coating)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixture on low, gradually add flour mixture. Mix until combined being careful not to over mix.

Form balls of dough about 1 teaspoon each, and place on cookie sheets. Dip bottom of a glass in water, and flatten balls into 1 1/2 inch round discs (about 1/4 inch thick). Bake until slightly firm to the touch, 8 to 10 minutes. If baking two pans at a time, rotate pans midway through baking. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.

Place chocolate, peppermint extract, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt into a double boiler, or large, heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Dunk each cookie into the chocolate and carefully remove using a fork. Carefully scrape the bottom of the fork against the side of the bowl to remove excess chocolate. Allow chocolate to drip off.

Refrigerate until chocolate has hardened, about 30 minutes. Keep cookies chilled until ready to serve.

Cookie Press Review

These cookies are simply incredible. A rich, chocolate cookie covered in an intense layer of bittersweet chocolate, I can't think of anything better. My tasters comments weren't audible over the ummms and ooohs. I'll take that as a good sign.

Cookie press rating: 5 cookies (out of 5). A perfect score!

Magnificent Madeleines

The madeleine is a traditional cake from the Lorraine region in northeastern France. Madeleines are small sponge cakes with a distinctive shell-like shape acquired from being baked in pans with shell-shaped depressions. In order to make madeleines, you must have a molded pan which are found in any kitchen store for about $20 - $30. Pans can be found with a nonstick coating and I heartily recommend finding one. If using a nonstick pan, you can omit buttering and flouring the pan. Instead simply give it a light coating with a nonstick spray like Pam.

Traditional madeleine recipes include very finely ground nuts, usually almonds. A variation uses lemon zest and extract for a wonderful lemon flavor. This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook.

Other than the special pan, and some patience while the batter rests, these cookies aren't too difficult to make. These are great for showers, or parties where you want to go upscale and impress your friends.

Rosewater Madeleines (makes approximately 20)

1 stick butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
scant 1/2 cup almond flour*
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon rosewater
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt

*Instead of almond flour, you may add 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of finely ground almonds to 1/2 cup flour

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Set aside to cool. In a large bowl, whisk together flours and sugar; set aside.

Add rosewater to cooled butter. Stir to combine. In a large bowl, combine eggs and salt, whisking until frothy. Whish in flour mixture to combine. Fold butter into butter mixture. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, 2 hours or overnight.



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter madeleine pan, dust lightly with flour, tapping lightly on pan to remove excess flour. Fill each mold about halfway and bake, rotating pan(s) during baking until the edges are golden brown, about 12 to 14 minutes. Remove immediately to wire racks to cool. I found that using a rubber spatula and gently pressing on the cakes worked very well.

Madelines are best eaten the day they are made.


Variation: Lemon Madeleines

2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon pure lemon extract

Omit rosewater and add lemon zest and extract to melted butter.

Cookie Press Review

I have to confess that I may not have added the correct amount of flour but these turned out very well despite my possible mistake. I ground up almonds in my food processor, but may have forgotten to add the 1/2 cup flour. I will try again this weekend and this time I'll follow the directions more carefully. My tasters raved about these madeleines. They loved the almond flavor and the hint of rosewater. I think I'll try to add a full teaspoon of rosewater next time and see how that affects the taste.

I encourage you to bake and serve these the same day they are made. Otherwise, they lose a bit of their sponge-like texture and that would be a shame.

Cookie press rating: 3 1/2 cookies (out of five)

Lime-Glazed Coconut Snowballs

Whenever I ask friends and relatives what their favorite Christmas cookie is, I always hear Snowballs (or Russian Tea Cakes if you want to be hoitytoity) mentioned in the top three. When I saw this recipe for Lime-Glazed Snowballs, I figured I'd give them a try. After all it's March and holiday cookie season is just ten months away and I need to be ready with a few new cookies in the lineup. Could this be a contender? Time would tell.

This recipe is from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook, or the "Red Bible" as I like to call it.

Cookie Dough

2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
3/4 Cup Superfine Sugar (grind up regular sugar in a food processor to make superfine sugar or just by a box)
1/4 t Salt
2 Sticks Unsalted Butter, softened and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 T Cream Cheese, Softened
2 t Vanilla Extract

Whisk flour, salt, and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Beat butter into the flour mixture, one piece at a time, on medium-low speed. Continue to beat until the mixture looks crumbly and slightly wet, about 2 minutes longer. Beat in softened cream cheese and vanilla until the dough begins to hold together, forming large clumps.

Knead the dough in the bowl by hand a few times until it forms a large ball. Turn the dough out onto a clean counter top, divide into two equal pieces and form two discs, each approximately four inches wide. Chill for 20 to 30 minutes or longer.

Lime Glaze

While dough is chilling, whisk 2 tablespoons of lime juice and 1 tablespoon of cream cheese together in a bowl until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and whisk until smooth. You may add more lime juice if needed to thin the glaze. Glaze should be thin enough to spread easily, but not too runny.

In a separate bowl, place 1 to 1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut (unsweetened coconut is more difficult to find, but health food stores carry it), chopped fine.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using your hands, roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheets 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake until cookies are light brown, about 12 minutes, rotating pans from upper to lower shelf if baking two pans.

Let cookies cool on sheets for 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.

When cookies are completely cool, dip tops in the glaze, scrape away excess, and dip into the coconut. Set cookies back on wire rack to cool. Glaze will set in about 20 minutes.

Cookie Press Review

Let me start by saying that these are nothing like traditional snowballs that are rolled in powdered sugar. These are quite different but delicious nonetheless. The dough is a delicate butter cookie with a fine crumb. The lime glaze offers a subtle citrus flavor without being overpowering. I'd like a bit more lime flavor now that I think about it. The coconut adds a nice texture and flavor as well.
Overall, these are very good cookies. They look like you slaved away in the kitchen for hours, but really you didn't. And best of all, they are bite size so you can eat them by the dozen. I had to stop myself. Really I did.

Cookie press rating: 4 cookies (out of five)