the silver palate molasses cookies

Molasses cookies, why so glum? Too often, they are dismayed at having to share the same display case or cookie box with their more conspicuous and highly-celebrated counterparts. Enter the usual suspects- the chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, snickerdoodle, white chip macadamia, peanut butter, even that short-lived seasonal cookie; the molasses lives in the shadows of such touted favorites. Perhaps the heady, bold flavors and spice of the molasses are a bit overwhelming for some. Or maybe what ruined it was there was just one too many commercial "ginger molasses crisps" out there that tasted and looked more like hardtack than a cookie. I was guilty of such intimidations; as a child, faced with the decision between a buttery shortbread cookie and a dark, lackluster molasses, the choice was obvious.

My first eye-opening experience, or rather, tastebud-opening, with the molasses cookie actually involved a Starbuck's. After ordering a PB cookie, I was mistakenly given the molasses, and reluctantly I nibbled. I remember the immediate sweetness, not cloying, but deep and rich, like a good caramel. The cloves and cinnamon hit my palate next, spicy, but balanced out by the tons of butter that'd probably been used for the dough. This entire time, I had been missing out. Perhaps it was a sign that I was entering adult cookie-dom, no more frosted sugar cookies or animal crackers (but don't count on it).

Since then, I've always enjoyed making different versions of the molasses cookie- some recipes use ginger, others less but with more cinnamon and allspice; playing with the dough to get the right texture also took a few trials to get right. I've eaten my way through thin and crispy, soft and chewy, soft and cakelike, and stick-to-your-teeth chewy. One of my favorite versions, that produces consistent results time and again, is a recipe from The Silver Palate Cookbook. According to the book, these cookies are one of their most popular treats. I strongly concur, as everytime I've made these large, saucer-like cookies, they turn out deliciously rich, spicy, and nuanced with flavor. Crispy around the edges, with a chewy center, just the way I like.

Nowadays, more often than not, I'll choose the molasses over any old chocolate chip, and especially if they're homemade. What it lacks in flamboyance, it makes up for with personality. That alone, should sell itself.

Molasses Cookies
from The Silver Palate Cookbook

12 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 molasses
1 egg
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt the butter, and add in sugar and molasses.
3. Lightly beat the egg and add to the butter mixture, blending well.
4. Sift the dry ingredients together, and add to the butter mixture. (It will look wet.)
5. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
6. Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons onto the cookie sheet, 3 inches apart (they will spread out).
7. Bake 8-10 minutes, until the cookies darken.
8. Remove parchment from cookie sheet, and let the cookies cool on the paper, or a rack.

napa, day 3, bouchon overload

Needless to say, the morning after the wedding was a late start, involving a Starbucks run, and a happy decision to drive up to Yountville for some culinary TLC at Bouchon.

Yountville turned out to be a very small town, but full of big names, thus the touristy feel. We drove down Washington Street and within 2 blocks passed by Ad Hoc, Bistro Jeanty, The French Laundry and Bouchon. It was my first visit to Bouchon, and the original one too, and Mr.S's second time (his first was at the Vegas locale, which I also reviewed). Now, it was midday, the sun streaming in through the open veranda to light the mosaic floor tiling, and our lovely meal to come.

this baguette has handles for me to grab onto

The folded, brown parchment paper menus were set on our plates, like a map waiting to be pressed open, to depict French bistro classics. The trouble was, I wanted to taste everything! Our neat and prim waiter announced the lunch specials to be a salmon tartare with red onion, capers, and hard-boiled egg, a puree of sweet carrot soup, and a lamb tartine sandwich with pickled red onion and watercress. I didn't want to be left eating a half dozen oysters by myself (Mr.S doesn't eat them) especially for my first meal of the day. I was truly tempted by the terrine of foie gras, but at $47, seemed like too much of a lunchtime splurge. The steamed mussels in white wine ($27.50) that came in a lovely covered, earthenware tureen was also an option, as was the salmon tartare ($16.50) with a side of the macaroni au gratin ($6.50).

I chose from the list of fromages to start, a ripe and nutty cow's milk cheese called Sea Stack. Made by Mt. Townsend Creamery in Washington state, Sea Stack is wonderfully mild and creamy that it reminded me of a cross between a ripened brie and good, salted butter. Today it was served with slices of walnut bread, and a spiced peach and pecan chutney. If you don't already know it by now, anything creamy is my weakness, and by the way the slice of cheese was oozing out of its ashen shell, I was in fromage heaven. The peach was nice, but a tarter fruit like apple or pear would have helped to balance out the butteriness too.

Our server expertly de-crumbed our table and brought us our plats principaux- my lamb tartine and Mr.S's Croque Madame. Since his came with a heaping mountain of frites, I substituted mine for a side of ratatouille. (I was curious as to how Keller's version tasted since he was the consultant chef on the set of the namesake movie, Ratatouille.) Though I found it to be somewhat greasy, I still managed to finish it off without difficulty. A good flavoring of fresh herbs here. My lamb was the star of my meal, served chilled over toasted levain and a light shmear of aioli. The meat was tender and had no trace of gaminess, and paired well with the sour pickles and bitter watercress.

At some point during my lamb euphoria, I tasted a bite of Mr.S's cheesy, eggy sandwich. It was sweet and mild, being that the brioche was wonderfully decadent and buttery. The whole thing was moistened with a light, but creamy, Mornay sauce, and topped off with a fried egg. I liked the fries the most, because I remember the first thought I had when tasting them was that it reminded me of McDonald's fries. Is that uncouth of me?? (I don't much care, as they were frickin' awesome.)

mmm eggy

Satiated and content, we wobbled next door to Bouchon Bakery. How clever (and evil) to tempt customers as they walk out of Bouchon with a sweeter, chocolatier version of Bouchon!

The pastries were all a lovely, cohesive shade of crackling, golden brown, some stuffed with chocolate, others fruit, and others still with nuts and pastes. Lining the back wall was a selection of artisan breads; like if you hadn't had enough of their chewy, delicate baguette from lunch, take one home! Or eat it in the car... There was a case full of cookie-like things, another of cakes, and a few pre-made sandwiches. Boxes of truffles and biscotti were also for sale.

At $3 per cookie, I knew I'd be limited in my decision making. I knew I wanted to try certain ones, so that's what I bought- the famous TKO (Thomas Keller Oreo), his version of the Nutter Butter, and the French mararons. Since I've made the TKO at home before, I knew what it'd taste like, and honestly speaking, mine tasted better. This one was too large, and didn't have enough filling for the huge amount of cookie it was sandwiched between.

My favorite was the Nutter Butter. At about 4 inches in diameter, this was a hefty old thing, probably with a whole half stick of butter in each one! No complaints there! There were chunks of peanut in the cookie, which was a nice touch. The best part was the filling- it tasted like a peanut ganache, rich but not overly sweet.

I picked out 3 flavors of macarons- pistachio, caramel and raspberry. There was also chocolate and vanilla to choose from. The texture was perfect, crunchy exterior with a chewy center. However, the I found the taste to be lacking. They were very sugary and I had trouble tasting the pistachio and the caramel flavors. The raspberry, on the other hand, tasted artificial. I think I prefer a smaller, more poppable, size macaron as opposed to these larger ones (about 1.5"). The best macaron I've tasted yet was not in France nor in a French pastry shop, but from an upscale delicatessan in Madrid called Mallorca. (The raspberry tasted like raspberries, and it was buttery and light.)

pistachio macaron

Thank goodness Mr.S offered to drive back to San Francisco, seeing as I was comatose, from good food. All that Bouchon was good, but it seemed like a far way to go when you live in the city to come all the way out to Yountville. Especially when there are numerous French bistros and bakeries equally on par in SF, in terms of taste, service, and menu offerings. It was a tasty experience, and next time I'm out here in Y-ville, it'll be for dinner at the French Laundry!

Bouchon

6534 Washington Street

Yountville, CA 94599

Bouchon Bakery
6528 Washington Street

Yountville, CA 94599

green tea shortbread with cocoa nibs

I made a batch of these over the weekend for our company potluck. Many of my coworkers asked if it was food coloring! Gasp! How uncouth. Surprisingly, a little bit of green tea powder goes a long way, both in terms of flavor and color.

As most of you know, I am a big fan of cocoa nibs; if I could, I would probably add a dash of it to everything I ate. It imparts a crunchy textural quality as well as a deep, earthy, chocolaty finish to any food it flavors.

These little treats are delicate and subtly sweet. The sugary crust around the edge gives a bit more of a crunch, along with the nibs too. Next time, I will use a couple more tablespoons of butter and may even try to incorporate the nibs into the dough itself before rolling out.


Green Tea Shortbread with Cocoa Nibs
makes 36-40 1-inch cookies

2.5 oz (~1 cup) confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp matcha powder
6 oz. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 large egg yolks

cocoa nibs, for topping
sugar, for rolling

1. Cream butter with confectioner's sugar and matcha powder until smooth and evenly mixed, about 2 minutes. Slowly mix in the flour until well incorporated. Add the yolks one by one, mixing after each addition. The dough will start to come together when large clumps form. Turn out the dough onto your board and form into a disc. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 45 min.

2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

3. Roll out the dough into 1/4" thick disc. Cut the dough with cookie cutters. Gently lift out each cookie, roll the edges in sugar and place on the prepared pans. Add a pinch of cocoa nibs to each cookie and press down into the dough.

4. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until slightly golden around the edges, but not brown. (You want a tender, buttery cookie.)

chocolate raspberry madeleines

There's something about afternoon tea that I love. The idea of sneaking in a whole other meal of sandwiches and biscuits, and calling it tea, is ingenious. Perhaps it is its ability to civilize even the most etiquette-challenged of individuals, at least for one afternoon. Madeleines, of course, are French, and probably would have never found their way into a British tea. But it's my tea party, and I'll make what I want to. Besides, madeleines are so delightful. Great for dunking, yet still elegant and refined.

I made this chocolate version for Easter dinner with Mr.S's family. Flavored with a dollop of raspberry preserves, they are nuanced with another layer of sweetness.


If anyone has suggestions on a good madeleine pan, or know of how to keep the pretty little cakes from sticking, please let know. Mine is from Williams Sonoma, heavy gauge steel with a non-stick finish. Any help would be appreciated!


Chocolate Raspberry Madeleines
loosely adapted from Cooks Illustrated
yields 12 madeleines

4 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
pinch salt
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp raspberry liquor, such as Chambord
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
raspberry preserves

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Brush madeleine pan with melted butter; dust lightly with flour. Sift together flour, cocoa powder and salt in a bowl; set aside.

2. Beat yolks with egg on high until light and pale, about 5 minutes. Add in sugar and vanilla; continue beating for another 3 minutes until ribbons in the batter start to form. Gently fold in flour mixture, then melted butter and Chambord.

3. Spoon the batter into the molds, filling them halfway. Drop a dollop of raspberry preserves into the center of each, and finish by spooning the remaining half of the batter on top. The batter should come level with the rim of the mold. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until cakes spring back when gently pressed. Loosen each cake and turn out onto a dry towel; allow to cool completely.

hamentashen

Like little parcels of delight, these hamentashen have a hard time deciding whether it's a pastry or a cookie. So we'll call it a pastrookie. Traditionally eaten during Purim, these triangular pastrookies are shaped after the three-cornered hats worn by Haman, the antagonist in the Book of Esther. That's the extent of my knowledge on the history and origin of these Jewish goodies; but I do know just how delicious they are. I ate enough of them during college to make me an expert. There was a small cafe outside the campus library that fully serviced my hamentash needs. My personally favorite filling is poppy seed, a sweetened paste called mohn, followed by apricot and date. I've also seen them filled with cherries, prunes and chocolate.

The dough is a cross between a sugar cookie and a shortbread, producing a soft, sweet interior with a crispy, butter crust. Need I say more?


Hamentashen
yields 12-14

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk

1 recipe mohn (see below)
apricot preserves

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, with a mixer, cream together butter and sugar, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated.

2. Alternately add in the flour and milk until a dough comes together. Turn it out onto a work surface and form into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for about 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 375F. Roll out the dough on a floured board into a disc of 1/4" thickness. With a 2-3" cookie cutter or rim of a glass, cut out circles of dough. Dollop a tablespoon of mohn or fruit jam onto the center of each. Gently fold in the sides of each circle into a triangle and seal the corners well.

4. Lay the triangles out 2" apart on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Cool on a rack.


Mohn (Poppyseed Filling)

1/2 cup boiling water
2 oz. poppy seeds
3/4 cup whole milk
2 1/2 Tbsp honey or sugar
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup coarsely ground walnuts
2 Tbsp raisins, chopped
1 tsp lemon juice

1. Steep poppy seeds in water overnight. Drain well. Finely grind the seeds with a coffee grinder.

2. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and poppy seeds. Simmer for 15 minutes to reduce down the milk until it has the consistency of heavy cream. Stir in the honey, butter and raisins and simmer for another 5 minutes. Finally stir in the walnuts and lemon juice. Let cool.

graham crackers

I came back from my sunny vacation, only to be met with dreary weather and gray skies. As I found myself slipping into the post-vacation blues, the only cure I could think of for my sad state was making some comfort food... homemade graham crackers. Mmmm, remember eating these out of the box when you were little? Somehow they always made me feel better. The graham cracker definitely doesn't get enough recognition. Often overshadowed by fancier, more buttery cookies with chips and nuts, the graham cracker is sadly shooed into a dark corner of the cookie world. Maybe it should be renamed a graham cookie or just a really damn good honey and cinnamon crisp. And let's rethink the dull shapes for a moment... perhaps if they didn't come in such banal slabs, and instead in endearing shapes and cutouts, they'd fall back into favor.

I felt like a kid making these cookies, cutting the dough out into shapes of my favorite animals, pigs and owls. (I love pigs for their loyalty and owls for their wisdom...so they say.) What a lighthearted and comforting way to send out the old year and welcome the new. And a kitchen that smells of sweet butter and cinnamon to boot!

Happy 2008 to everyone.



Graham Crackers
makes about 3 dozen cutouts

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tsp honey

1. Combine the flours, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, both sugars and honey until light and pale in color, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the dry ingredients and blend well for the dough to come together. With your hands, form into a ball.

2. Between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper, roll out the dough to about 1/8" thickness. Use cookie cutters to make desired shapes, or a pizza cutter to cut out rectangles for a traditional graham cracker shape. Carefully transfer cutouts onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment or Silpat.

3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the cookies. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 350F.

4. Remove the cookie sheets from the refrigerator and with a fork, gently poke a few holes in each cutout. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until they are a golden brown. Remove, and cool completely on the baking sheets.

matcha cream

In response to my previous post on the TKO's and my homemade matcha (green tea) cream filling, I've had a couple requests for the recipe. It's very simple.

Matcha Cream Filling:
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 oz. white chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 tsp matcha powder

1. For the Filling: In a small pan, bring the cream to a boil. Remove from heat and add the chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute, then whisk to melt the chocolate until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, and let stand for 6 hours to thicken up.

2. Stir in the matcha powder under there are no more streaks, and everything is well blended.

tko's (thomas keller oreos)

I kind of really love Oreo's. Eating them now reminds me of many an afternoon watching Hallmark after-school specials, backpack tossed asunder, with a glass of OJ (damn that lactose intolerant thing!). There's something about the Oreo, not quite fully "chocolate-y", more muddy and black, and a bit gritty, but paired with that chalky vanilla cream, has made a name for itself. When I came across this recipe in John Scharffenberger's The Essence of Chocolate, I decided I had to recreate it. The cookies are available only at Keller's Bouchon Bakery.


This is the perfect sandwich cookie. Who can resist a grown-up version of the Oreo, with no grittiness, artificial sugars and flavors, and preservatives? The filling is so simple and rich, I found myself licking the bowls and the piping bags (shhh!). It's altogether a versatile recipe; you can add any flavorings you want to the cream. I made a second version of the TKO, with a matcha cream filling. I think I shall name it the CRO, the Curiously Ravenous Oreo. Haha, how clever of me...

Matcha cream-filled Oreos

I prefer to use a smaller cookie cutter with these cookies, as the resulting cookie becomes the perfect bitesize morsel. Not only delicious, they are beautiful, and a great gift-giving cookie for the holidays!



TKO's
from The Essence of Chocolate
makes about 3 dozen sandwich cookies

Cookie:
1 1/2 cups plus 3 Tbsp all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
15 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 3/4" cubes, at room temperature

Filling:
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 oz. white chocolate, chopped

1. For the Filling: In a small pan, bring the cream to a boil. Remove from heat and add the chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute, then whisk to melt the chocolate until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, and let stand for 6 hours to thicken up.

2. For the Cookies: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, and mix on low speed. With the mixer running, add the butter, a piece at a time. The mixture will be dry and sandy at first, but over 2 minutes, will form pebble-sie pieces that start to cling together. Stop the mixer and transfer the dough to your board.

3. Preheat oven to 350F. Seperate dough into 2 pieces. Roll each piece of dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper to 1/8" inch thick. Using a fluted cutter, cut into rounds. Scraps can be pieced together and rolled out again. Place 1/2" apart on baking sheets lined with Silpat liners or parchment paper.

4. Bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating halfway through baking. Remove and cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Cool completely.


5. To Assemble: Lightly whip the white chocolate cream to aerate and fluff up. Transfer filling to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4" plain tip. Pipe about 1 1/2 tsp in the center of half the cookies. Top with another cookie to sandwich. Gently press down until the cream comes to the edges.

6. Cookies can be stored in a container for up to 3 days. Loosely cover.

oatmeal scotchies

My mom used to make me oatmeal cookies with butterscotch chips from the recipe on the back of the Nestle Tollhouse Butterscotch chips bag. Of course, she'd throw in everything from the kitchen pantry, from raisins to chopped walnuts and peanuts. This no doubt, wasn't quite so appealing to a younger, not so health conscious, sugar-loving me, who'd pick out all the raisins and whatnot and only eat the sweet chips and cookie scraps.

In keeping with tradition, my recipe is based off the Nestle recipe as well. I love thinner cookies, with crisp edges and a chewy center, so to the batter, I added 2 Tablespoons of light corn syrup and 2 Tablespoons of milk, and a small handful of toasted almonds for crunch. Additionally, I only added about 2 cups of oats, instead of the called for 3 cups. The result is a light, thin cookie, that very much resembles a lace cookie. Still chewy and savory full of oats, this cookie begs for a tall glass of milk.

beijing style pastries

Every time we return from a trip to Beijing, we bring back a shoebox filled with pastries and delicacies. (We always cross our fingers at customs.) These are all typical, traditional Beijing-style pastries that are popular throughout northern China too. Though many more Chinese have developed a taste for Western style pastries, I still crave these delicate cakes and snacks, made with very traditional asian ingredients. They are often characterized by a flaky crust, with fillings of red and mung bean pastes, taro, chestnut, sesame, salted duck egg yolks, lotus paste, dates, and all sorts of nuts. These are also typical fillings for yuè bǐng, or moon cakes.

From top right, clockwise-
Niu she bing- "cow's tongue pastries," one of my favorites because of its sweet and salty filling; some variations with ground peanuts. Aptly named due to its shape.

Jiang mi tiao- small, fried glutinous rice crullers, coated in a light sugar glaze. Crunchy, these are insanely addictive, and one of my mom's vices.

Honeycomb cakes. Chewy, dense teacakes, flavored with honey, and oftentimes almonds.

Zao ni yuan bing- date paste filled pastries, with a cookie crust.

These pastries are lighter in fat, cholesterol, and sugars than their Western counterparts. They remind me of holidays when I was a little girl, when such pastries were a treat and a real delicacy. Today, they're sold in supermarkets and traditional pastry shops, by the kilo, all over Beijing and China.

a suitcase full of pocky

It's good to be back on U.S. soil and I'm especially ecstatic about having attained a rather large supply of Pocky loot! I feel like a richer woman indeed.

Pocky, thin biscuit sticks that originated in Japan, has worked its way into mainstream American snack culture too. They're extremely popular all over China, Hong Kong and Taiwan as well. Perfectly straight, lightly sweetened biscuits, Pocky are super fun to eat. Why oh why must they come in such small packages! I doubt you'd find them anytime soon on the shelves at Costco, but a girl can dream... It's what's on the outside that counts. This is nowhere more true than it is on Pocky. There's a sheer plethora of flavors. (One of my favorite is Gentlemen's Pocky, for the more distinguished palate.) Only a dozen or so are available in the U.S. for retail sale. But I was able to procure some new flavors while in China.

From left to right-
milk - not quite white chocolate; strong dairy taste
caramel - with hints of almond and hazelnut
shrimp - tastes like Asian shrimp crackers
milk coffee - like a latte!
sweet corn - better than popcorn

I really can't say it enough, but I had a wonderful trip. And yes, it was more than one day long (see previous post). Many of the dishes I'll write about this month will be dedicated to my grandfather, the true chef and one of the greatest influences in my life, and not just culinary. More so than ever this time, I found myself to be more and more like him, to have the same habits, preferences, and eccentricities for food. He truly lives to cook, to cook for his loved ones, to reap the joy of seeing a stuffed mouth, to hear chopsticks clanging on bowls, to hear the eager requests for second helpings. This is what he holds dear. And me, likewise.

zucchini cheddar madeleines

Madeleines, for me, epitomize everything that is good and right about the biscuit. It is 1) highly dunkable, preferably in a steaming cup of coffee or tea, 2) the most perfect texture, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, 3) so delicious and buttery with just the right amount of sweetness, and 4) elegantly shaped with scalloped ridges to soak up the aforementioned coffee or tea.

But what about a savory madeleine? Can it be done?

Why, yes! These madeleines are soft and porous on the inside, with the same crisp exterior, made even better with the addition of cheddar cheese. I added grated zucchini for flavor and texture. Have these as a dipping agent for soups, a side to salads, or just to munch on, warm straight from the oven. Of course, you can use any type of cheese you like, gruyere, parmesan, roquefort...along with any type of grated vegetable- try butternut squash or shredded carrot. Savory madeleines are the newest thing, I'm telling you first...


Zucchini Cheddar Madeleines
makes 24

3 zucchini, medium, shredded
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp salt
1 small onion, diced
1 cup flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
4-5 large eggs (more for a fluffier biscuit)
2 Tbsp milk
1 heaping cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 clove garlic, minced fine
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Grease and flour 2 madeleine pans (standard, not mini size).

2. In a large bowl, toss zucchini with salt, and let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse the salt off with water, and in batches, use your hands to squeeze out any moisture.

3. In a skillet, heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil, and saute the onion until lightly browned. Let cool.

4. In a bowl, mix together flour and baking powder. In another bowl, whisk eggs, milk, remaining olive oil, cheddar, garlic, basil and pepper together until blended. Gently fold in zucchini and onion, then the flour mixture. Be careful not to overmix, as you are aiming for a tender batter.


5. Spoon the batter into the madeleine pans, to the rim of each. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden and puffy. Cool for 10 mintues, and invert pans to loosen. Serve warm.

Give me more!

a story of a craving

Well, I surely didn't whip butter for nothing (see previous post). Mr.S had a hankering for homemade chocolate chip cookies. I gladly belted my apron and turned up the heat. (It gave me a chance to test out a new recipe I have from a book I received as a Christmas present, Sherry Yard's Secrets of Baking.)

They were, eh..just ok. I prefer my cookies to spread out more when baking, producing a thinner chewier cookie with crisp round edges. These stayed mounded. The flavor was good; I'd give it a 7. The dough was on the dry side, which explains why the cookie did not fan out while baking. I would probably not make these again, as I'm picky about my choc chip cookies.

On another note, we had dumplings for dinner, which is another craving we commonly are afflicted with. Chicken with vegetable. Not as good as my mom and dad's. But still delicious.