Cookie Hive Reviews--Part 1

#37 Trios (2007)

Trios, just before baking.

These thumbprint cookies, arranged in threes, were the most colorful of those we baked during our daylong cookie extravaganza (see December 20 post). We filled the holes with a trio of apricot, currant and raspberry jams, each one a festive ornament. My niece and sister-in-law liked using the end of a wooden spoon to poke the holes in the dough balls. The technique gave a uniform and professional effect.

As instructions go for thumbprints, these were a bit high-maintenance. The dough wanted to be chilled before rolling into balls and again after forming and filling each cookie with jam. I think one or both chills can be eliminated because the dough seemed plenty firm to hold up to rolling and poking.

The recipe is here.

Angela melts the chocolate in the double
boiler and spreads it on the dough (right).

#38 Mocha Toffee Bars (1987)

Besides the cashews and chocolate, the best part of this recipe is the "What's in these?" question everyone asks after taking their first bite. The flavor is coffee.

My daughter (former barista) worked on these cookies, and couldn't imagine using the instant espresso powder called for in the recipe. She brewed a fresh shot of espresso for the dough layer. She also took the advice in the recipe notes and used bittersweet chocolate to give these cookies a very sophisticated flavor profile.

The dough might have needed a bit of extra cooking, or a bit higher temperature, but we changed the temp on the oven so often that day, all I can say for sure is that everything baked at somewhere between 325⁰ and 375⁰.

If you want 4 dozen substantial and flavorful cookies in a relatively short time, these fill the bill. Just get out the next recipe to use up the leftover egg white.


The recipe is here and here (halfway down the page).

After applying almonds, Jill and Mara
delight in the Speculaas hot from the oven.

#39 Speculaas, or St. Nicolas Cookies (1971)

A Scandinavian cookie with a delicate spice combo, here is another cookie that does not give up its secrets readily. They require all the flavorings of a standard spice cookie (cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg), and also aniseed and dark rum. You have the option of adding ginger OR ground white pepper! I doubt my guests went for the white pepper version, but I am tempted to try it.

Easy to roll out in rectangles, these cookies with slivered almonds on top are surprisingly lovely on a plate. Simple and unpretentious, their name is Dutch for "biscuit."

They are halfway between soft and crunchy, maybe a bit chewy--likely pleasing to any cookie texture preference. I'd like to try them in different shapes--thinner rectangles or diamonds would be just as easy and would change up that old cookie shape, all right. Diverging from the standard rectangle is probably some inexcusable cultural faux pas, but I don't care. I didn't grow up with them.

The recipe is here and here (1/3- 1/2 way down the page).

More to come ...