Heat Up Valentine's Day

Chocolate is certain to arouse the passions. Even more so if it has a hint of spice. So on Valentine's Day, heat things up with these Chocolate Chile Cookies.


Intrigued by the combination of chocolate and chile? You may also want to check out this Chocolate Fondue for Two with Strawberries.

Chocolate Chile Cookies
Printable Recipe

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 ½ cups cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon chile de arbol
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
12 ounces (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ¾ cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, chile de arbol, and salt in a medium bowl. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium until creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time until thoroughly combined and then beat in the vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until the dough comes together, stopping the mixer once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Transfer the dough to a work surface, bring together into a ball, and cut into quarters. Form each portion into a ball and then flatten into a disc. Wrap each disc separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 15 minutes or freeze for up to 1 month. (Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator and let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out a disc of dough to 1/8 to 3/16-inch thick. Cut into desired shapes and arrange the shapes about half an inch apart on parchment-lined baking trays. Gather the scraps, knead once or twice, and roll, cut, and arrange on baking trays in the same manner. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until firm. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.

Make more cookies with the remaining discs of dough in the same manner.

Makes approximately 120 2-inch cookies. Inspired by the flavors of Mexican chocolate and based on a recipe from a fabulous but now defunct restaurant I worked at while I was in culinary school. The chef was very secretive and refused to share the recipe, but as soon as she turned her back, the pastry chef snuck it to me. I believe the original version called for black pepper in addition to the chile de arbol but didn't include any vanilla. Chile de arbol can be found at Mexican markets. If you can't find it, cayenne pepper is a good substitute.

Hello,

I have but a moment and a simple treat to share with you today…


Nutmeg Sugar Cookies
Printable Recipe

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ¼ cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, ½ teaspoon of the nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and 1 cup of the sugar on medium until creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time until thoroughly combined and then beat in the vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until the dough comes together, stopping the mixer once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Whisk together the remaining ¼ cup of sugar and ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg in a medium bowl. Scoop the dough by the tablespoonful, roll each scoop of dough in the sugar mixture to coat, and arrange the scoops of dough 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking trays. Flatten each scoop of dough with the bottom of a cup. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.

Makes about 45 cookies. Also good with cinnamon in place of the nutmeg. Cookies keep for several days in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry place.

Chocolate Sand Cookies

Here's a recipe for a cookie that's fantastic to bake and give. These cookies are named for their unique sandy texture. Package them with loose leaf tea for a lovely gift.


Chocolate Sand Cookies
Printable Recipe

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
6 ounces (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk, at room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Whisk together the flour, ¼ cup of the cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and 1/3 cup of the powdered sugar on medium until creamy. Add the milk and vanilla and mix on low until blended. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until the dough comes together, stopping the mixer once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Scoop the dough by the tablespoonful onto parchment-lined baking trays, roll each scoop of dough into a ball, and arrange the balls about an inch apart. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until the edges are firm. Transfer cookies to a rack and let cool for about half an hour, or until barely warm. Sift together the remaining 2/3 cup of powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder. Roll each cookie in the powdered sugar mixture to coat.

Makes 32 to 34 cookies. Cookies keep for several days in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry place. Perfect with a cup of Earl Grey tea.

Bergamot Orange Dreams

Here’s what I made with what was left of my precious Bergamot orange. Taste one of these delicious two-bite cookies, and you’ll see they’re exactly like a dream—they melt, and then they’re gone.


Bergamot Orange Dreams
Printable Recipe

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
6 ounces (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon grated Bergamot orange zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed Bergamot orange juice

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and 1/3 cup of the powdered sugar on medium until creamy. Add the orange zest and juice and mix on low until blended. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until the dough comes together, stopping the mixer once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Scoop the dough by the tablespoonful onto parchment-lined baking trays, roll each scoop of dough into a ball, and arrange the balls about an inch apart. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until lightly browned on the bottom but still pale on top. Transfer cookies to a rack and let cool for about half an hour, or until barely warm. Roll each cookie in the remaining 2/3 cup of powdered sugar to coat.

Makes 32 to 34 cookies. Use lemons or limes if Bergamot oranges are unavailable. Cookies keep for several days in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry place. Perfect with a cup of Earl Grey tea.

Sesame

It was a typical conversation—one about food and cooking of course—when Mother posed the question “What organism is a sesame anyway?” Hmmm, thought provoking indeed. Where do those little seeds that grace the top of so many bagels and burger buns come from? Could they originate from a tree, shrub, or grass? And while we’re on the subject, why do people always say “open sesame”? Hmmm…

But what’s really important about sesame seeds isn’t that they come from a plant that looks rather like a weed or that they were first domesticated in India, it’s that they’re tasty and delicious (especially toasted). The sesame crunch candy that I keep in a bowl on my dining table made me think of making cookies loaded with sesame seeds.


Sesame Cookies
Printable Recipe

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup toasted sesame seeds
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

Whisk together the flour, sesame seeds, and salt in a medium bowl. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium until creamy. Add the egg and sesame oil and mix on low until blended. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until the dough comes together, stopping the mixer once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper and roll into a 2-inch log. Refrigerate for about 2 hours, or until firm.

Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Unwrap the dough and cut into 3/8-inch slices. Arrange the slices about an inch apart on parchment-lined baking trays. Bake for about 18 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.

Makes about 30 cookies. Cookies keep for several days in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry place. The log of dough, or portions of it, may be frozen for up to 1 month tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. Perfect with a cup of green tea.

The Cookie Debate

There’s a contentious debate going on here about what the best variety of cookie is. The husband doesn’t play favorites (it’s not normal, I know), but he’s quick to say what he dislikes. He doesn’t much care for shortbread, thinks meringue cookies like these are too sweet, and is downright intolerant of chunky cookies, especially if they contain raisins or nuts. I, however, think all cookies are worth appreciating, be they soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies, crisp and crunchy biscotti, cakey and tender madeleines, rich and dense lemon bars, or light and delicate tuiles. While I don’t discriminate against any cookies (OK, I admit I’m with the hubby on the raisin-hate—let’s just say that my grandparents fed me my entire life’s allotment of raisins when I was a kid), I do have a favorite cookie type: sandy and crumbly. Give me a shortbread or spritz cookie, and I’m a happy camper. Even better if it’s dipped in chocolate. Care to join the debate?


Ganache Filled Spritz Cookies
Printable Recipe

2 ounces heavy cream
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
6 ounces (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 ounces sugar
1 ½ ounces powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 ¼ ounces eggs, at room temperature
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
9 ounces cake flour, sifted

Bring the cream to a bare simmer in a small, heavy saucepan. Place the chocolate into a medium bowl, add the hot cream, and whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 375˚F. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter, sugar, powdered sugar, and salt on medium until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix on low until blended. Add the flour and mix on low until the dough comes together, stopping the mixer once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a cookie press and press cookies about an inch apart onto parchment-lined baking trays. Bake for 17 to 18 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges. Transfer cookies to a rack and let cool to room temperature.

Spread a scant teaspoon of the ganache onto the bottom of one of the cookies and sandwich together with another cookie. Sandwich together the remaining cookies with the remaining ganache in the same manner.


Makes about 20 sandwich cookies. If you don’t have a cookie press, simply use a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe cookies onto the baking trays in decorative shapes. Cookies keep for several days in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry place.

Varietea

Are you the sort of person who needs variety, or do you find a favorite and stick with it? Personally, I fit into the former category. I get bored easily, I have a limited attention span, and I need to mix it up. I CRAVE. ENDLESS. VARIETY. Witness my tea assortment:
1. White
2. Sencha
3. Genmaicha
4. Matcha


5. Pi Lo Chun
6. Yunnan Green
7. Gunpowder
8. Monkey Picked Tieguanyin
9. Silk Oolong Formosa
10. Green Dragon Oolong
11. Oriental Beauty
12. Heaven Mist
13. Keemun Black
14. Lapsang Souchong
15. Darjeeling
16. Assam
17. Jasmine
18. Dragon Pearl
19. Jasmine Blossom
20. Bergamot
21. Lychee
22. Rose
23. Strawberry
24. Original Russian Tea

Why, you may ask, would a person be so obsessed with variety that she needs 24 different teas in her cupboard? Well, perhaps for the same reason other women need dozens of pairs of impractical high heel shoes. A pair to match every dress, a tea to match every dish. You know what they say about variety.


Matcha Meringue Kisses
Printable Recipe

2 ounces powdered sugar
2 tablespoons matcha tea
2 ounces egg whites, at room temperature
2 ounces sugar

Preheat the oven to 175ºF. Sift together the powdered sugar and matcha. In a mixer fitted with a whip attachment, whip the egg whites on medium to soft peaks. With the motor running on high, gradually add the sugar. Continue to whip on high to stiff peaks. Gently fold the matcha mixture into the meringue. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip and pipe 1 ¼-inch kisses about an inch apart onto a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake for an hour to an hour and 15 minutes, or until dry. Transfer kisses to a rack to cool.


Makes about 3 dozen. Kisses keep for several days in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry place.

Just Because

I baked cookies today, just because. I baked cookies, but I didn’t make dinner. How about that for priorities!

Pecan Cookies
Printable Recipe

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups chopped pecans
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk together the flour, pecans, and salt in a medium bowl. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and brown sugar on medium until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix on low until blended. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until the dough comes together, stopping the mixer once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper and roll into a 2-inch log.


Refrigerate for about 2 hours, or until firm.

Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Unwrap the dough and cut into 3/8-inch slices. Arrange the slices about an inch apart on parchment-lined baking trays. Bake for about 18 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.

Makes about 30 cookies. Also delicious with almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts. For more flavor, toast the nuts first, but be sure to let them cool completely before chopping. Pulsing the nuts in a food processor is the easiest way to chop them. For chocolate cookies, substitute ¼ cup cocoa powder for ¼ cup of the flour. Cookies keep for several days in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry place. The log of dough, or portions of it, may be frozen for up to 1 month tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.