Synopses & Reviews
Honey Pecan Squares
Makes one 9 x 13 x 2-inch pan, about twenty-four 2-inch squares
This is a rich and easy recipe given to me by Jayne Sutton of Darien, Connecticut. I'm proud to say that Jayne has been coming to my classes for more than 20 years, recently bringing her daughter Leslie, too.
Ingredients
"Cookie Dough "2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
2 large eggs
"Filling "12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter 3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed 3 tablespoons dark honey Pinch salt 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream 3 cups pecan halves or a mixture of halves and pieces
One 9 x 13 x 2-inch pan, buttered and lined with buttered parchment or foil
Instructions
1. For the dough, combine the flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times to mix. Cut the butter into about sixteen pieces and add to the work bowl. Continue pulsing until the butter is finely worked into the dough and the mixture is a fine powder again. Add the eggs; continue pulsing until the dough forms a ball.
2. Place the dough on a floured surface. Roll into a roughly 9 X 13-inch rectangle. Fold the dough in half (to make it easier to handle) and transfer it to the prepared pan. Unfold the dough and press it out evenly over the bottom of the pan. Use the back of a spoon to smooth it if necessary. With your fingertips, press the dough about an inch up the sides of the pan all the way around. Chill the dough while you prepare the filling.
3. Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350degrees.
4. For the filling, combine the butter, brown sugar, honey, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally with a metal spoon. Pour in the cream and allow the mixture to boil up once. Remove from the heat and stir in the pecans. Let cool for about 15 minutes, then pour over the chilled crust. With the point of a spoon, spread the pecans evenly over the dough. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pastry is baked through and the filling is bubbling.
5. Place on a rack until completely cooled.
6. Transfer the pastry to a cutting board and slide a long knife or spatula under it to loosen the paper or foil, then pull it away. Trim the edges, use a ruler to mark, then cut the pastry into 2-inch squares.
7. For up to several days, store the squares in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover. Freeze for longer storage.
Loaded with Chips Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes about 35 cookies
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (one 12-ounce bag) semisweet chocolate chips
3 ounces (about 3/4 cup) coarsely chopped walnut or pecan pieces, optional
2 or 3 cookie sheets or jelly roll pans covered with parchment or foil
Instructions
1. Set the racks in the upper and lowerthirds of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.
2. In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda; stir well to mix.
3. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until combined, then beat in the egg and vanilla, beating until smooth. Don't overbeat.
4. Remove the bowl from the mixer and with a large rubber spatula stir in the flour mixture. Stir in the chips and the optional nuts.
5. Drop teaspoonfuls of the dough 2 or 3 inches apart on the prepared pans.
6. Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are deep gold and firm.
7. Slide the papers off the pans onto racks.
8. After the cookies have cooled, detach them from the paper and store them between sheets of parchment or wax paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover.
Variation
"Chocolate Chunk Cookies": Instead of chocolate chips, use 12 ounces of dark, milk, or white chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces. Or try combining two kinds of chips or chunks in the same batch of cookies.
Synopsis
One of America's most talented bakers, Nick Malgieri presents an unparalleled collection of everyone's favorite treat: cookies. With more than four hundred recipes from around the world,
Cookies Unlimited is one book that truly lives up to its name, offering delectable cookies both familiar and unusual, American and foreign, easy and elaborate. Malgieri's bar cookies, drop cookies, refrigerator cookies, piped cookies, biscotti , fried cookies, and sandwich cookies are just some of the many temptations in this comprehensive treasury.
More than a recipe book, Cookies Unlimited is an indispensable teaching tool, guiding the home baker through every step in the cookiemaking process. Malgieri clearly and carefully describes fundamental techniques as well as advanced baking skills; from whipping up simple chocolate chip refrigerator cookies to piping perfect meringues to building a stunning gingerbread house, every technique is explained. Each chapter includes both easy cookies and elaborate ones, ensuring that bakers of all experience levels will find Cookies Unlimited useful and accessible. Malgieri's recipes are flawless, his stories and tips are enlightening, and the results are spectacular.
Beautifully illustrated with four-color photographs and instructional line drawings, Cookies Unlimited is an inspiring resource for every baker and cookie lover. Whether you are baking for the holidays, filling the family cookie jar, or even trying your hand at making cookies for the first time, this is the only book you'll ever need. There are few things in life better than home-baked cookies, so indulge and enjoy!
About the Author
Nick Malgieri is the author of seven books, including A Baker's Tour, Perfect Cakes, Chocolate, and the James Beard Award-winning How to Bake. He is directo