Hot Cookie - the Archive

The Gourmet Cookie Book was a Christmas gift from my children. No doubt many others received this gift, or remember many of these recipes, which were all published in Gourmet Magazine between 1941 and 2009. Not all of these recipes could possibly be my favorites, but I am eager to find a few to add to my repertoire. And perhaps to learn a thing or two about cookie recipes. Because I am "of a certain age," having cashed in on the most lenient senior discounts, I feel I'd better test these recipes quickly so as to derive the most years of enjoyment once I have found my top ten.  So, I'll make a commitment to test one a week for the next year.   OK, yes, this kind of thing has been done before. With deep respects paid to Julie and Julia, I do not plan to duplicate their effort. I have no grand relationship with Gourmet Magazine or the authors of these recipes, although I did have a subscription for a while, until my life hit a busy patch.  Rather, I do love the idea...

Amaretti fresh from the oven. The editors of The Gourmet Cookie Book selected a light almond cookie as their favorite of those published in 1941.  The book contains one from each year, 1941-2009, the duration of the Magazine's publication.  This one has a recipe nearly identical to an amaretti recipe I have, the main exception being that my amaretti have no flour, so are celiac-friendly. Amaretti are best eaten as soon as they emerge from the oven - crisp on the outside, and chewy with the egg-white and almond paste mixture on the inside. The macaroon recipe, in contrast, says these are best a few days later, kept in a sealed container. I made the sacrifice and taste-tested these at two intervals. Right off the parchment, the macaroons have the same texture as amaretti, and the flour might extend the recipe a bit farther, as almond paste is the most expensive ingredient. Two days later, they are very chewy, the same consistency throughout, and the last bits in my mouth...