Thumble Bumble: Shortbread is My Favorite

My mother, on more than one occasion, has gotten her fingers all twisted up in the beaters of an electric mixer. I don't remember the details of each incident, but I do remember thinking that it would be a)extremely painful and b)extremely difficult to do. After last night, I have a much deeper appreciation of the reality/logistics of a AND b. Whilst scraping down the sides of my mixing bowl with a rubber spatula, my beaters somehow caught the flappy end of the scraper and VERY RAPIDLY traveled up the shaft of the tool (tee hee) to my dough covered fingers. I kind of knocked the whole operation over which immediately unplugged my mixer (this is the one benefit to the very stupid/precarious location of electrical outlets in my kitchen) and then grabbed my hand and did a Peter Griffin-style-soothing-gasp of air through my back molars until the pain subsided. I did not yell obscenities or even shed a tear - just went back to the very important business of thumbprinting.

It's good to know that aside from my bubble butt, superstraight hair, generally good ear, and an appreciation of Neil Young, I have also inherited from my parents the ability to disregard an injury and remain calm. It's true. I once saw my mom cut off the tip of her pinkie finger, look at it quizzically and then ask my brother for hockey tape. Similarly, I witnessed my dad using his cordless drill to install a light fixture pause and ask me "do you smell something burn-y?" and then subsequently realize he had drilled his own finger. SICK. His reaction? "Cool! My flesh is all twisted."

Twisted indeed.

Anyway I powered through to make a few dozen of what I can safely call my all-time favorite cookies: Thumbprints. My mom was not so big on MAKING shortbread, but she always brought me Lorna Doones when she gave blood and would often put them in my lunch. Such a good lady. My mom. Not Lorna. This shortbread cookie cuts a little bit of the richness by plopping some jam in the middle. JAM.

THUMBPRINTS - makes 3-4 dozen, adapted from The Joy of Baking
2 sticks softened unsalted butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tsp. good vanilla
2 eggs separated
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
many toasted, crushed nuts (I like pecans)
1 cup good quality raspberry jam

Cream together butter and sugars until light and add in egg yolks one at a time. Pour in vanilla and mix. Sift together salt and flour. Add to wet ingredients one cup at a time. Mix until incorporated but do not overbeat. Try not to mangle your own hand.

Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

Reserve egg whites and beat slightly.

Roll dough into cheez puff sized balls, dip in egg wash and roll in crushed nuts. Place them on a cookie sheet and make a depression with your thumb in the center. Carefully fill the depression with jam and bake at 350 for about 12 minutes.

Receive compliments graciously.

Rave - Macaroons Are Easy

Much like watching Puppy Bowl V on Animal Planet, automatic bill payment, and the 1977 hit single by The Commodores, macaroons are easy. Like, ridiculously easy.

Ian decided he wanted some last night so my piefinger was called upon. I used Ina Garten's recipe, but we were amazed to find that pretty much every macaroon recipe out there involves just three or four ingredients. And, unlike most of the things I bake, it can be easily adapted for your vegan friends and relations because you can use coconut milk and (update from my sister) dates! I also found a couple vegan recipes that use a mashed banana but I don't know...doesn't really seem like a macaroon to me. Maybe a new thing. A Nanaroon.

Basic Macaroons - From Ina Garten
1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1 14 oz bag of flaked coconut
1 tsp. good vanilla or almond extract (I grated in the zest of one orange for added interest)
2 egg whites
1/4 tsp salt


Take yer condensed milk and mix well with yer bag of coconut.
Splash in vanilla and zest and mix.
In a separate bowl whip egg whites with salt until medium stiff.
Fold whipped whites into the coconut, milk, and extract mixture.

Drop balls of dough onto parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake in a 325 oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

These are so chewy and good with just a slight meringue puff at the bottom. Dip in melted chocolate if you like. This is especially good if you add the orange zest.

*The image above is from this recipe.