Ugly Cookies

  Just a short post to instruct those of you who may be interested in the art of decorating ugly cookies!    Actually, what I attempted was icing sugar cookies with royal icing. In my defense, this was the first time I had every used royal icing. So here's hoping the next go round looks a bit less scary.
  I 'm sure several of you are asking the burning question, "What is royal icing?" Well, I'll tell you. Royal icing is made from powdered sugar, egg whites or meringue powder, water and extracts. It is the kind of icing that sets up hard and smooth. I have always used butter cream in the past. I thought it would be an adventure.  Oh boy, what an adventure!
  It all started because I taught a kid's cookie class at Williams's Sonoma. So I was in the mood for making sugar cookies. And, I found these adorable owl and squirrel cookie cutters. They were just screaming.... Must make cookies! Must make cookies!!
  I managed to get some great advice from a fellow WS employee about using royal icing. So, I decided to use  the pipe and flood method. Which is pretty much how it sounds. First you pipe icing around the edge of the cookie. Then you flood the middle with icing. Great in theory. But, the actual process is quite tricky. And you must certainly have a steady hand. I need more practice.
  This making royal icing and using royal icing is complicated. There are all different ways to ice the cookie. You can pipe and flood. You can use a wet on dry method to layer icing (which is what I attempted with the eyes). You can use wet on wet method which is beyond me. right now. You can go mad trying to make absolutely perfect cookies.
  What I've learned is you must be patient. And you must plan ahead. And I have learned that I need a whole lot more practice. I mean a lot. So, If you want a slightly off, funky colored sugar cookie, I'm your gal!
  Believe me, I will try again. Because, I also purchased cat, pumpkin and bat cookie cutters. It's going to be a frustrating Halloween season. I can feel it!

Let's just be clear.... Those are squirrels...not dinosaurs.

In Search of the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

  From a young age I had clear preferences when it came to cookies, much to my mother's dismay. I did not like peanut butter cookies, oatmeal cookies with raisins, coconut macaroons or chocolate chip cookies with nuts. Of course, my mother loved all of these. When she attempted to bake any one of these I would give her a very hard time. Some things never leave a person. The fact that my mother was never allowed to bake the cookies she wanted has never left her.
  Fast forward thirty years....Certainly my palette is much broader. I like the peanut butter cookie. I make a mean variation of the oatmeal raisin cookie that contains five spices. I will tolerate coconut macaroons, although they are not my favorite. But one thing that has not changed - Chocolate chip cookies WITHOUT nuts are still my absolute favorite!
  If you read my previous post about chocolate chip cookies with cayenne pepper and peanuts you must realize that I do eat nuts in cookies now. But, if you want a deliciously soothing cookie, there is none better than a warm chocolate chip cookie! Period. End of story.
  I believe I have found the perfect cookie recipe. It is the basic cookie recipe from the peanut -cayenne cookies. Here it is:

The Ingredients:

6 TBSP unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup AP flour
1 cup chocolate chips

To Make:
  
Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a mixing bowl cream together  butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add egg and vanilla extract. Mix until well blended. Add baking soda, and salt. Slowly add flour until well blended. Fold in chocolate chips with a spatula.

Using a small cookie scoop, drop the dough on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for about 9 minutes.

Makes about 3 dozen smallish cookies.

  This is my favorite. I believe it makes the perfect cookie. But it may not be yours. A week or so ago, I stumbled upon an article that highlights the science of the chocolate chip cookie. It discusses what happens when you use different amounts of ingredients or different ingredients entirely. It even had  comparison pictures. I like pictures. Pictures are helpful. Here is the site:

The Secret to Baking the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

Check this out. If you are on a quest for the holy grail of chocolate chip cookies this will help. Cause there is nothing better in this world than a warm chocolate chip cookie.... without nuts.

Some like it hot!! Cayenne Peanut Chocolate Chip Cookies

  One of my greatest pleasures is experimenting in the kitchen. I find coming up with new recipes to be a thrilling adventure. I know, I know it sounds a bit over the top. But all you need to do is witness my unbridled excitement when an experiment turns out to be a delicious keeper to understand this fully. It's true. I'm a nerd. I've been one for a long time. There's no turning back now.
  Here's where these cookies come into play. I was thinking, which I do a lot, about Jeni's ice cream. In particular, a flavor that combined peanuts and cayenne pepper. And since I was also craving chocolate chip cookies....Well, you know where this is going...Cayenne Peanut Chocolate Chip Cookies.
  Let me just say, these cookies do have some heat but interestingly it comes on toward the end. I think they are very tasty but I would use a small scoop when baking. A cookie that is too large might be a bit overwhelming.

In a mixing bowl cream together 3/4 cup brown sugar and 6 TBSP butter.

Add 1 large egg and 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Blend until creamy.

Add 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1 cup flour. Mix until combined.

Use a spatula to mix in 1/2 cup chopped peanuts and 1 cup chocolate chips.

Use a small sized scoop to place them on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 9 minutes at 375.

Let cookies rest on the cookie sheet for several minutes. Then move the to a wire rack to cool completely.

The Ingredients:

6 TBSP unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup AP flour
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1 cup chocolate chips

To Make:
  
Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a mixing bowl cream together  butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add egg and vanilla extract. Mix until well blended. Add baking soda, cayenne pepper and salt. Slowly add flour until well blended. Fold in peanuts and chocolate chips with a spatula.

Using a small cookie scoop, drop the dough on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for about 9 minutes.

Makes about 3 dozen smallish cookies.