Bon Appetit Desserts (154 page)

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted natural pistachios (about 4 ounces), chopped

1 cup dried cranberries

3⅓ cups sifted cake flour (sifted, then measured)

1⅔ cups sifted unbleached all purpose flour (sifted, then measured)

Additional powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 3 heavy large rimmed baking sheets. Using electric mixer, beat butter and powdered sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and salt, then pistachios and cranberries. Using spatula, stir in both flours (do not overmix dough).

Shape dough by generous tablespoonfuls into football-shape ovals. Place on prepared sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until bottoms just begin to color, about 16 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets 10 minutes before coating.

Pour generous amount of additional powdered sugar into medium bowl. Working with 5 or 6 warm cookies at a time, add cookies to bowl of sugar; gently turn to coat thickly. Transfer cookies to sheet of waxed paper. Let cool. Return cookies to bowl of sugar and gently turn to coat again; cool completely.

DO AHEAD
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Cookies can be made 4 days ahead. Store in airtight containers at room temperature.

Pfeffernüsse

These spicy cookies get their name from the German word for “peppernuts,” or black pepper. They are popular holiday treats in many European countries.
Makes about 2½ dozen

2¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour

½ teaspoon crushed aniseed

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon (scant) ground cloves

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

¾ cup (packed) dark brown sugar

¼ cup mild-flavored (light) molasses

1 large egg

2 cups (about) powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 heavy large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Whisk flour, aniseed, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, allspice, cloves, and pepper in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and molasses in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, then stir in flour mixture.

DO AHEAD
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Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover with plastic and chill.

Using 1 tablespoon for each cookie, roll dough into balls. Place balls on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake until golden brown on bottom and just firm to touch, about 14 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to racks and cool cookies on sheets 5 minutes.

Place powdered sugar in brown paper bag. While still warm, drop 3 cookies into bag; close bag and shake gently to coat cookies with sugar. Transfer sugar-coated cookies to racks. Repeat with remaining cookies. Serve warm or at room temperature.

DO AHEAD
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Can be made ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days, or freeze up to 1 week.

Chewy Ginger Cookies

These soft, chewy cookies have a double dose of ginger: Ground ginger lays the flavor foundation, while crystallized ginger makes the cookies a little punchier and chewier.
Makes about 2 dozen

2⅓ cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¾ cup (packed) dark brown sugar

6 tablespoons non-hydrogenated solid vegetable shortening, room temperature

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup mild-flavored (light) molasses

1 large egg

½ cup chopped crystallized ginger

Additional sugar

Whisk flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, and cloves in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar, shortening, butter, and sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Add molasses and egg and beat until blended. Add flour mixture and mix just until blended. Mix in crystallized ginger. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 heavy large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Spoon additional sugar in thick layer onto small plate. Using 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie, form dough into balls using hands, then roll in sugar to coat completely. Place balls on prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until cracked on top but still soft to touch, about 14 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute. Carefully transfer cookies to racks and cool completely.

DO AHEAD
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Cookies can be made 5 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Vanilla Shortbread Cookies

European butter adds extra flavor to the already incredible crumbly richness of this classic shortbread. For more information on European butter, see page 4. Swapping the baking sheets between the higher and lower racks halfway through baking allows the cookies to brown evenly.
Makes about 3 dozen

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

¾ cup powdered sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted European-style butter, room temperature

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sift flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture in 3 additions, mixing until just blended each time. Gather dough into ball; divide in half. Roll each half into 6-inch-long log; wrap each log in plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours.

DO AHEAD
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Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F.

Cut each log crosswise into ⅓-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices on 2 heavy large rimmed baking sheets, spacing ½ inch apart (cookies will spread very little). Bake cookies 9 minutes. Switch baking sheets on racks and bake just until cookies turn golden brown at edges, about 9 minutes longer. Cool cookies on sheets 1 minute. Using thin metal spatula, transfer cookies to racks and cool.

DO AHEAD
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Cookies can be made 3 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Almond Shortbread

This tender shortbread is made the traditional way: as one large cookie that’s cut into wedges after baking. It’s important to cut the shortbread into wedges while it’s still warm; cooled shortbread is crisp and will break into pieces.
Makes 8

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

¼ cup (packed) golden brown sugar

¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

¾ cup unbleached all purpose flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

¼ cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place 9-inch-diameter metal pie pan in freezer to chill. Combine butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in processor. Blend until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add flour and cornstarch. Using on/off turns, process until dough clumps together. Press dough evenly onto bottom of chilled pie pan. Sprinkle almonds over and press lightly into dough to adhere. Freeze until chilled, about 5 minutes.

Bake shortbread until edges are golden brown, about 22 minutes. Cut warm shortbread (still in pan) into 8 wedges. Transfer pan to rack and cool shortbread completely in pan.

DO AHEAD
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Cookies can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Brown Butter-Pecan Shortbread

Brown butter (often called
beurre noisette,
or hazelnut butter, for its color) is unsalted butter that has been cooked for a few minutes over medium heat, just until the milk solids at the bottom of the pan turn golden brown. It lends a wonderfully complex, nutty flavor to this tender shortbread cookie.
Makes 32