Eight to Twelve
In which the week’s work can be timed in eight-to-twelve-minute intervals.
I don’t do cakes.
I don’t do puddings.
I don’t do mince pies.
I do cookies.
The one North American Christmas tradition, which has followed our family to Europe to be foisted upon friends and neighbours, is the practice of making cookies. Piles…mounds…heaps of cookies to share. So, it’s been baking week at The Bell House…
Baking Trilogy, Part 1: New Favourite
Admittedly, these take a little bit of effort, but it’s oh so worth it when you see each beauty come consistently perfect out of the oven. And chocolatey? Oh yeah…
Chocolate Crackles from Martha Stewart’s Holiday Cookies magazine
makes 5 dozen
8 ounces (227 grams dark chocolate) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1-1/4 cups all purpose (plain) flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup (1/4 of standard Irish block) butter
1-1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup confectioner’s (icing) sugar
Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring. Set aside and let cool. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
Mix butter and brown sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla, and then the melted chocolate. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the milk. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Wrap each in plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
Divide each piece into 16 (1-inch) balls. Roll in granulated sugar to coat, then in confectioner’s sugar to coat. Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment (or greaseproof) paper.
Bake until surface cracks, about 12-14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment paper in airtight containers up to 3 days.
Time to make a coffee, I think…
Wow, my mom used to make these when I was a kid! I’d forgotten all about them. Thanks for the recipe!
20 Dec 2007 at 4:51 am
These look delicious. Thanks for sharing! By the way, is that a MS cookie magazine or a book? I may have to procure it. I’m a big MS fan. I’m also a cookie fan, rather than any other. Have a great holiday season.
20 Dec 2007 at 6:41 pm
Quick pass the plate my mouth is watering!! Lovely
20 Dec 2007 at 10:56 pm
Oh, sorry, if I had read the WHOLE entry and paid attention to what I was reading, I would’ve caught that it was a magazine.
21 Dec 2007 at 12:06 am
yummee - I am baking a lot now too! though I do some cookies during the year - xmas is the busiest time for this. no mince pies and no puddings here either - but if we don’t have at least 7 or 8 of the old favourites (I’ve scaled down a lot, I used to to at least double this number in germany!) it’s not christmas yet! thanks for the tip with the butter though - I like the cup measurements for dry stuff like sugar and flour, but why anybody would want to fiddle about with pressing butter into cups is beyond me:) and the change from cups to sticks doesn’t help much over here either:)) so I have to remember - 1 cup = 1/2 a pack….. hold on, half of 454 grams or half of 227 grams???? argh… metric against imperial - again!
21 Dec 2007 at 1:00 am
You have a wonderful blog and thanks for the great recipe !!!
23 Dec 2007 at 10:15 pm
oh yeah, really strong coffee. with chocolate? breakfast of champions!
24 Dec 2007 at 1:12 am
I made these this year. Unfortunately mine ran a tad. The hazards of baking in Florida.
I also made my first Figgy Pudding using the boozy recipe that guided Michelle Norris on NPR. Pretty tasty and a lot of fun to make with a friend.
31 Dec 2007 at 1:55 pm