Punch up your springtime party with a big batch of something sweetjust right for dads, grads and everyone in between. Tucker Shaw, The Denver Post
Cookie recipes for springtime parties:
Biarritz Cookies
From “French Classics Made Easy,” by Richard Grausman (Workman). The author writes: “Most versions are made using only almonds, but I use half almonds and half hazelnuts for a more unusual cookie. I also bake my cookies on a baking sheet that is only buttered, instead of buttered and floured, producing a slightly thinner cookie than the original. If your cookies are too fragile ... bake your next batch on a floured cookie sheet.” Makes 5 to 6 dozen cookies.
Ingredients
1/3cup blanched hazelnuts
1/3cup whole blanched almonds
Butter for baking sheets
1/2cup minus 2 teaspoons sugar
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 egg whites
1/4cup all-purpose flour
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 with the oven rack in the middle position. Place the hazelnuts and almonds in a rimmed baking sheet and roast until the nuts are lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Allow the nuts to cool, about 15 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 450. Lightly butter two baking sheets.
In a food processor, grind the nuts with the sugar until a powder forms, about 45 seconds. Add the butter and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and egg whites and blend until the batter is smooth, about 15 seconds. Turn the processor off and add the flour. Process quickly, on and off, to mix in the flour, about 5 seconds.
Drop scant teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving 1 inch between the cookies. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove the cookies with a long metal spatula to cool.
Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second bursts, stirring after each burst. Cool. When smooth and cool to the touch, use a knife or small metal spatula to coat each cookie with a thin layer of the chocolate. Chill until the chocolate hardens.
Lemon Tea Cakes
From “At My Grandmother’s Knee: Recipes & Memories Handed Down by Women of the South,” by Faye Porter. Makes 4 dozen.
Ingredients
2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/4cups sugar
1 teaspoon lemon extract
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons buttermilk
Sugar for sprinkling
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for 1 minute, until light. Add the sugar and the lemon extract and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and lemon zest and beat well. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition.
Drop the cookies by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with white sugar.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned on the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Sprinkle with more zest if desired.
Grandma Tina’s Chocolate Drop Cookies
From “Milk and Cookies,” by Tina Casaceli. Makes 3-4 dozen.
Ingredients
2 1/2ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4cup vegetable shortening
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/4cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Chocolate frosting (recipe below)
Slivered nuts for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line two baking sheets with nonstick silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
Put the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, and stir frequently for about 4 minutes, or until the chocolate has melted. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Combine the flour and baking soda in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
Put the shortening in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Begin beating on low to soften. Add the brown sugar, increase the speed to medium and continue to beat for two minutes. Add the egg, milk and vanilla, beating to incorporate.
Reduce the speed to low and add the melted chocolate, beating to incorporate. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat to just blend, then remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape the paddle clean.
Drop the dough by the heaping tablespoonful, about 2 inches apart, onto the prepared baking sheets. If desired, dampen your fingertip and round off the edges slightly to give a neater finish to the baked cookies.
Place in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, or just until the center is set. Do not overbake or the cookies will be dry and harden very quickly.
Remove from the oven and, using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool.
When cool, lightly coat the top of each cookie with frosting and place a nut (walnut or almond) in the center.
Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, at room temperature
1 tablespoon strong brewed coffee, plus more if needed
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Directions
Put the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Heat, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes, or until chocolate has melted. Remove from the heat. Begin adding bits of butter, beating until the chocolate is smooth and shiny, and quickly whisk in the 1 tablespoon of coffee.
Put the confectioners’ sugar in a mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, stir the melted chocolate mixture into the sugar, beating until glossy. If the frosting is too thick, add more coffee, a bit at a time, to reach spreading consistency.
Walnut Praline Sandies
Recipe by Tucker Shaw. Makes about 2 dozen.
Ingredients
FOR WALNUT PRALINE:
1/2cup walnut halves
1/3cup sugar
FOR COOKIES:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2cup ground walnuts
Directions
Make the walnut praline: Cook walnuts in dry saute pan over medium-high heat until fragrant and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
In small saucepan, melt sugar over low heat, stirring, until dissolved. Leave it to boil without stirring about 30 seconds or until faintly amber. Pour over walnuts (be careful, hot sugar is dangerous) and let harden, about 30 minutes. Break into chunks and set aside.
Make the cookies: In standing mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Slowly incorporate flour and walnuts. Divide dough in half. Form two logs about 1-inch in diameter, wrap tightly and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350, place rack in center position. Slice logs into cookies about 1/2-inch thick. Place cookies on sheet lined with silicon baking mat or parchment paper, then place a piece of walnut praline on top of each cookie.
Bake 10 minutes or until lightly golden on the edges. Remove to a rack to cool.
Sweet Basil Shortbread (Vegan)
Not pictured. From “Vegan Desserts,” by Hannah Kaminsky (Skyhorse). Makes 1-2 dozen cookies.
Ingredients
3/4cup non-dairy margarine
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2cup cornstarch
1/2cup confectioner’s sugar
1/4cup fresh basil leaves, sliced very thin
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Pinch salt
Directions
Toss the margarine into your stand mixer and beat it by itself just to soften it a bit. Add in the flour, starting the mixer at a slow speed so that it doesn’t send the powder flying out. Once that has been completely incorporated, follow it with the cornstarch and then with the sugar. Toss in the sliced basil while the mix is still powdery so that it’s coated in the flour and evenly distributed. Finally, add the lemon juice and zest, along with the salt, and mix until it all comes together into a cohesive ball of dough. It may seem very dry and unlikely to stick together at all, but give it time — it could take as long as 5 minutes. You might need to remove it from the bowl near the end and knead the last dry bits in by hand.
On a lightly floured surface, sprinkle the dough with just a touch more flour, and roll it out to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. If you have trouble rolling it out smoothly or find that it’s too sticky to work with, let it chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or so before continuing. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees and line two baking sheets with silicon baking mats or parchment paper. Cut into squares of about 1 1/2 inches on each side; move to prepared baking sheet. Bake for 16-20 minutes, until the edges just begin to take on some color, but you don’t really want to brown these. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 10 minutes, and then move them onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
