This has been another busy week. Working in the kitchen, babysitting our family's dogs, all leading to the weekend crescendo of a Jack and Jill party on Saturday night to celebrate my upcoming wedding to my fiancé Jessica, the love of my life. A little drink and partying with some family and friends is definitely in order!
For the next recipe I decided on the walnut shortbread cookies. With having a lot on my plate this week (no pun intended), I needed something quick and easy to make, preferably with some sugar. I don't get to practice my baking nearly enough.
These cookies will also serve a dual purpose as a garnish for the next recipe that I will tackle, the maple and mascarpone cheesecake, hopefully in the next few days, provided that I don't have a hangover on Sunday morning.
These cookies are a favorite of Mario's son, Leo. It's easy to understand why. They have a rich and intense walnut flavor that leaves your house smelling like grandma made them.
I started by toasting some walnuts in the oven until golden brown.
While that's working, I cream the butter and both sugars.
Don't forget to scrape down that bowl.
Once the walnuts are toasted and cooled, they get pulsed finely in a food processor and added with the other dry ingredients, then mixed with the creamed butter mixture until a soft dough forms.
Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill. Mario recommends 30 minutes in the refrigerator, but I put mine in the freezer for about 40 minutes. I didn't want the dough to be frozen or rock hard, I just knew that with my refrigerator it would need longer and that this method would expedite the process much faster. But when you are doing it, take your time. Be deliberate in everything that you do. If after 30 minutes it still doesn't seem firm enough, then give it a little more time. Again, certain parts of these recipes are merely a guide and they don't factor in your own personal home equipment.
Next, I cut the dough in half and roll each half to a 1/2 inch thickness and cut the shapes. Whatever scrap was left over was rerolled and then recut with the cookie-cutter. In the suggestions for this recipe, Mario does say that doing this may make those rerolled cookies a little tougher than the others. But I didn't notice, and they tasted just great to me. I feel that it is also important to mention that as far as cookie dough goes, this dough does seem a little bit dry compared to the standard chocolate chip cookie dough recipe that you may be used to.
Finally, we pan up the cookies dust them with a little bit of confectioners' sugar and bake them in the oven for about 15 minutes
Once these cooled, I enjoyed them with a nice hot cup of black tea. I don't normally eat tea cookies, but I can see these becoming my go-to cookie recipe for many years to come. They are by far the best cookie that I have ever eaten in my life.
I love the buttery richness of a good homemade cookie. I love the aroma that permeates every square inch of the house after you are done baking them. I love that I can actually pronounce all of the ingredients that are in them. I just love them!
Until next time...
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