Cookaholics Bulletin Board

It's that time of year again, but I was having a hard time getting into the mood to make all that dough this year...maybe because of the weather (I still have to harvest my lemongrass!). Two nights ago I thought that maybe what I needed was to BAKE something, to get myself motivated, to I made some favorites of mine, as well as the lady who helped me bake last season: Chocolate Chip Coconut Macaroons. And this time I added something to it - 1/4 c cocoa nibs. Hard to imagine improving upon this recipe, but this may have done it! It added some crunchy/chewiness to them, and I think the fact that it necessitated chewing them for longer improved them.

Anyone else use nibs in anything? I just happened to have a jar on my counter, which is what gave me this idea, not that I reach for them on a regular basis.

I got 14 recipes made and in the freezer today - about 1100 cookies worth. Should get the rest done tomorrow, so those macaroons got me moving, even though I gave away most of them!

You are amazing Dave! I don't do a fraction of that. Not sure what I will put on the list this year. I usually just bake the week before Christmas to lead myself not into temptation.

Mary

Glad to hear you got your mojo working. Also your big convection oven, mixer and scoops. Twiddling with a recipe can remind us that we're doing something creative, not just churning out volume from habit.

I'm ready but my baking partner and I can't come up with a date. I'm going to start with fig cookies. They take a while to make and I might as well get them done.
fitzie

Well, I've made my list, but that's as far as I've gotten.

Coal Cookies
Linzer Cookies (some raspberry, some apricot)
Triple Ginger Biscotti
Hazelnut Balls
Eggnog Snickerdoodles
Xmas Meringue Kisses
Peppermint Pinwheels

Plus, hot chocolate mix and fresh marshmallows.

I got 15 more recipes done today (5 habanero gingersnaps - the ones I always make the most of), plus a few experiments in the shortbread department, making just a quarter recipe (2 oz. butters worth, or about 8 cookies each). A couple I got ideas for in books or magazines (the coriander seed and the durum flour SB), or by something I saw in my pantry (the besan flour). I baked those already, but am letting them rest a couple days, since SB is always better later. I'll let you know if I will be repeating any of them.

I saw a recipe using 100% durum flour, so I used the WW atta flour I had on hand, and had no trouble with it holding together. The one I tried with the besan (chickpea) flour I made with 1/3 besan, since I figured it may be too crumbly using all besan. If it tastes good, I'll try 50% next time, and see if I can increase it even more. I am not doing this for health reasons (imagine all that butter!) so much, but to see if there are any of the flavors in these other ingredients that will be good in cookies, for a change.

Kris is doing the cookies, all of them since I've been travelling too much to help out. This year's include "cashew puffies", a cakey cashew cookie which actually gets better if it sits a couple weeks. So, perfect for mailing.

I made two pans of Ina Garten's outrageous brownies. My husband's partners count on getting them this time of year. Made some rugelach for our pediatrician (note: my kids are now adults), and some gingerbread cookies (for me and family...I love them ). Sent some sugar cookies to my niece and nephew (Thank goodness for the freezer. I love making dough and keeping some in the freezer for "emergencies"like last minute realizations that I need to make more cookies). Dave, I don't know how you make so many!
Nancy

I finished the freezer cookies today. All I have left are the ones I do just before baking, and refrigerate overnight - CC, snickerdoodles, CC oatmeal snickerdoodles, and pine nut. All these get rolled into balls - what I really need help with!

I made more of those rolled barley cookies this season, since they were such a hit last season. Didn't make the rolled rye, though they were also delicious, but more like a candy, since the rye flakes didn't absorb as much as the oats or barley, and the sugar/butter/flour mix sort of ran away from the cookies, making sort of a toffee like, crunchy layer.

Of the shortbreads the durum flour one was the best, IMO, though a friend that tried the coriander one really liked it. They get better as they age, but I had to try them, even though they weren't even 24 hrs old!

I made all the biscotti today - Bonnie's Espresso, Anise Almond, Almond, and Chocolate Almond. need to repeat the espresso ones since i used almonds instead of hazelnuts which I prefer.
Also made 2 batches of pennie's caramel (one cut and wrapped) and 3 of Marilyn's toffe. I have a few wicked blisters on my hand from where I splashed hot toffee onto myself.