I truly love this cookie and so does Bubba ~ it's my favorite ginger cookie. It’s spicy, loaded with plenty of molasses, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and allspice, but not too spicy or overwhelming. The spices fuse and trigger your taste buds, popping that unique gingery molasses flavor.
As bananas ripen to their prime squishiness ~ when they are barely yellow ~ but streaked with black and brown, even solid black, that’s the time to make banana bread.
It’s the molasses here that keeps these cookies fresh and chewy for days, with the generous amount of peppery ginger giving them their tang, and the nice compliment of cardamom adding its zesty, spicy herbal flavor to the cookies.
It goes by sanwin makin in Myanmar. It's a traditional favorite sweet cake there that's full of flavor, and very moist ~ a one-bowl cake; meaning, wet and dry ingredients are mixed together in one bowl.
I’m a fan of the good taste and texture of semolina bread and was intrigued when I saw Thomas Keller on his Milk Street PBS show making this cake. I just happen to have the The Complete Milk Street TV Show Cookbook but evidently cruised on by this recipe.
The English word "cookie" is derived from the Dutch word "koekie" meaning little cake.
Dutch
bakers used to test oven temperatures on small amounts of batter so
that they wound not waste the entire cake mix if the temperature wasn't
right. It wasn't long before they discovered that these tiny pieces of
cooked batter were actually quite tasty.
Modern
Christmas cookies can trace their history to recipes from Medieval
Europe biscuits ~ when many of the ingredients we use now, such as
ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, almonds and dried fruit were introduced
into the west.
By the 16th century, Christmas biscuits were popular across Europe. Not until the 17th century, when the Dutch brought them here, did we see the early examples of Christmas cookies in the United States. Gingerbread cookies were among the popular early American cookies.
I for one, am thrilled this practice carried on, as cookies are my favorite sweet treat!
Cookie Monster busy baking his cookies!
In 1976, Sesame Street included National Cookie Day on its calendar for the first time on November 26. The Cookie Monster also proclaimed his own National Cookie Day in the 1980 book The Sesame Street Dictionary.
Then in 1987, Matt Nader of the Blue Chip Cookie Company out of San Francisco created Cookie Day, celebrating it on today, December 4th.
There is a cookie out there for everyone, and here’s a perfect buttery cookie to add to your Christmas cookie repertoire!
I’ve made thumbprint cookies for many years, and was intrigued when I came across this recipe in the Chicago Tribune for Brown Butter Thumbprints.
I love that the usual thumbprints are kicked up a notch by using browned butter. Browning butter adds a new dimension to an already good kitchen staple. It’s an easy way to change-up a recipe. And the aroma as they’re baking, is magnificent.
Browned butter gives the cookie a nutty caramel flavor that is a perfect complement to blackberry jam. Choose the jam of your liking, we like blackberry, apricot or is fine also.
A little cardamom goes a long way; I added one-half teaspoon to the mix; however, if cardamom is new to you, go easy with it, and use a little less for a background note. It has a distinctive, spicy flavor, maybe a little citrusy, I think it’s great in baked goods and learned about baking with it many years ago from my Swedish MIL.
Allow for additional time when making these, as the butter will have to freeze for a short time. Then, later, the cookies will have to be refrigerated for a while before baking.
Give this one a go, bet you'll really like it!
Yield: About 30 cookiesAuthor: Pam
Brown Butter Thumbprints
Here's a perfect buttery cookie to add to your Christmas cookie repertoire!
ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup superfine sugar*
Gold sanding sugar, optional
1 large egg
⅓ to ⅔ cup seedless jam
Frosting, optional
instructions:
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Melt butter in a small skillet or saucepan over medium heat.
Cook, swirling the pan, until brown flecks appear and the butter smells nutty, about 7 minutes.
Pour into a heatproof bowl.
Freeze, stirring occasionally, until the butter is spreadable, about 35 to 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk flour, baking powder, cardamom and salt in a medium bowl, set aside.
Beat the browned butter and ½ cup sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Beat in the egg until combined.
Reduce the mixer speed until the dough comes together.
Roll dough into 1” balls, then roll in the remaining ¼ cup sugar, or gold sanding sugar.
Arrange about 1½” apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Using the tip of your thumb, make a small indentation in the center of each cookie, without going through bottom of dough; pinching together any large cracks.
Refrigerate until firm, 20 to 30 minutes.
While refrigerating:
Preheat oven to 375°.
Fill each indentation with ½ to 1 teaspoons jam.
Bake until cookies are set and lightly browned on the bottom, about 25 minutes.
Let cool completely on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before carefully transferring to wire racks.
Decorate with frosting, if desired. Add a drop of red or green food coloring to white frosting, if you like variety.
It was a warm summertime day, didn't matter! I cranked up the oven because there were hungry mouths here salivating for a sweet treat!
It all started when Bill and I saw that the farmers’ market still had a plethora of peaches…
I got the peaches, tossed them with sugar and spice, spread them in a baking dish, dropped spoonfuls of dough over the top and baked it up. Easy as pie!
Simply put, a cobbler is a casserole of baked, syrupy sweet fruit with some sort of pastry topping.
To the peaches and sugar, I added a touch of cardamom for its distinctive sweet and savory taste. You know the spice, it’s a longtime staple that Swedish bakers use in a lot of confectionaires, like my Swedish MIL did.
Next, I stirred in small amount cinnamon along with a splash of lemon juice to balance the sweetness of the mixture.
But ~ the secret to this great tasting cobbler is all about the orange zest in the biscuit topping. It’s a surprising aromatic addition that will make everyone at your dinner table smile.
This cobbler delivers a crisp and tender crust with sweet jammy fruit underneath. Serve it with a scoop of ice cream or dollop of whipped cream, or not, serve it warm or room temperature, whichever you like.
Drop-dead delicious, for sure ~ it’s probably the best reason to turn on the oven in the summer! Enjoy!
Yield: 8 servingsAuthor: Pam
Peachy Keen Cobbler
This cobbler bakes up into a crisp and tender crust with sweet jammy fruit underneath.
INGREDIENTS:
For the filling:
1/2 cup Splenda (or sugar)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
8 cups sliced peaches, about 10-12 medium-sized peaches
For the topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup Splenda (or sugar)
2 teaspoons orange zest
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 heaping teaspoon salt
1/4 teasppon baking soda
3 tablespoons cold butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 375°.
In a large bowl, mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and cardamom.
Add peaches and lemon juice, toss well to combine.
Transfer to an 11x7-inches baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, whisk the first six topping ingredients; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add buttermilk, stir just until moistened.
Drop dough by tablespoonfuls over peaches in baking dish.
Bake 25-30 minutes or until topping is golden brown.
We all really like peaches here, some more than others, but we all are hooked on this cake!
This is a scrumptious summer dessert starring fresh peaches!
Peaches have been “iffy” here this summer. Most of them not ripe, and when they do ripen up, they’re rotten. Thankfully, our favorite farmers’ market had a huge supply of Michigan peaches. They looked near perfect ~ I couldn’t resist them ~ fragrant, ripe and drip-down-your-chin juicy. Just what this cake called for!
The simple streusel topping is spiced with fragrant cinnamon and cardamom. It’s equally good for breakfast, brunch, a snack or dessert. Finish it off with a scoop of ice cream or a swirl of whipped cream, or just eat it plain, like we do.
It’s a moist cake filled with little chunks of sweet peaches!
Enjoy!
Yield: 1 large or 3 mini loavesAuthor: Pam
Peach Cake with Cinnamon Streusel Topping
This is a delicious, moist and sweet cake!
prep time: 20 MINScook time: 30 MINStotal time: 50 mins
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs
2-3/4 cups flour
1 -1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1-1/2 cups diced fresh peaches
Streusel Topping
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon water
INSTRUCTIONS
For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Grease and flour three - 3x5x2-inch or one - 9x5-inc loaf pan(s).
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat together the sugar and oil. Add vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition.
In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat until well combined. Stir in diced peaches. Spread the batter into prepared loaf pans.
Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean; about 25-30 minutes for small loaves and about 55-60 minutes for large pan. Allow to set for 10 minutes before removing from pan. Let cool completely before slicing.
For Cinnamon Streusel Topping:
Cream softened butter well, add remaining ingredients. With a fork or pastry blender, combine until crumbly.
I love mustard but, ketchup is an American icon for hamburgers and French fries!
Years ago, Dad not only had the garden at home but after his retirement, he started the first community garden in Louisville and had a garden plot there as well. The amount of tomatoes he raised was amazing.
Mom canned a lot of tomatoes, made tomato juice and then she made ketchup. Bubba reminded me of how much he likes homemade ketchup and that I haven’t made it in a long while. So, yesterday I made ketchup. The aroma of it cooking is unbelievable, very spicy and good.
This is sweet, tangy and spicy and it takes time for it to cook down. It’s easy but, it’s definitely not for an impatient cook because it takes time! I ended up with close to 3 pints of ketchup from this recipe.
I let it cook down until it was very thick, mainly because Bill likes it thick, not “runny” like Mom made it. If you don’t want it so thick, cook a shorter period of time and you will have a higher yield. Another good thing is that you know exactly what is in it, no preservatives!
If you like ketchup, you should really try the homemade kind! Add more sugar if you like it sweeter, more vinegar for a bite and then start in with the spices until it suits your taste. Add more red pepper flakes if you like some heat with it. Experiment!
Waiting to be skinned and chopped
Cooking with the spice bundle
Strained and cooking down ~ dark, rich color from the spices
Ummm, mmmm!!!
My Homemade Ketchup
Ingredients:
½ bushel canning tomatoes, about 30 pounds
3 large onions, cut into large chunks
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons allspice
2 tablespoons onion powder
3 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
2 teaspoons ground coriander
10 garlic cloves
6 cinnamon sticks
5 tablespoons peppercorns
3 tablespoons mustard seeds
2 tablespoons celery seeds
Method:
Wash, peel and chop tomatoes.
Add to a very large heavy pot and bring to a boil.
Add onions, vinegar and sugars.
Lower heat to a simmer.
Stir in next 9 ingredients. Mix well.
Cut a square of cheesecloth.
Place on the cheesecloth the garlic cloves, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, mustard seeds and celery seeds.
Tie into a bundle, drop into tomato mixture.
Stir it all well.
Cook for about 1-2 hours until it is about half of what you started with, stirring frequently.
Remove cheesecloth bundle, set aside.
Carefully put tomato mixture through a sieve into a large bowl.
Return strained mixture and cheesecloth bundle to pot.
Continue to simmer, stirring very frequently so as not to burn.
This could take another 30 minutes to an hour, depending on heat level and how thick you like it.
Cook until it reaches the desired consistency.
Pour into sterilized jars.
Cool.
Cover with a tight fitting lid and refrigerate.
It’s lick-your-lips delicious!
Visit my friend, Linda’s blog, My Kind of Cooking, for the prize winning recipe at the fair and for a chance to win her great cookbook!
Cardamom was a new spice to me when my MIL added it to her coffee cake batter --- it was the incredible aroma that got my attention. She was a first generation Swede so she came by using cardamom as naturally as her mother and Aunt Ida.
Cardamom pods
Cardamom seeds
Ground cardamom
India is cardamom’s native country with the green pod being used extensively in cooking there instead of ground cardamom. It has a unique savory, slightly sweet spicy flavor and approximately 8 to 16 seeds are encased in a pod. Cardamom loses its natural oils quickly, so only ground what you need for the recipe. Next to saffron, it is one of the most expensive spices; therefore, you do not want to buy ground cardamom and let it set in the cabinet.
Buy whole green cardamom pods or seeds and grind your own for the freshest taste. If you purchase the pods, smash them on a cutting board to crack them open. Gather the seeds and grind them in a spice grinder. You won't believe the the slightly pungent aroma after a couple of seconds grinding!
The seeds can also be crushed between two spoons. A tablespoon of pods yields about 2 teaspoons of ground cardamom.
Cardamom Braid
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water
½ cup sugar
¾ cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
½ teaspoon salt
½ to 1 teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds or ground cardamom
4 ½ cups bread flour
¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 beaten egg for glaze
Coarse sugar or 1 teaspoon granulated sugar for sprinkling (optional)
Method:
Mix yeast, warm water and 1/2 teaspoon sugar until yeast dissolves. Set aside.
Heat milk in a saucepan over low heat until small bubbles appear along the edges. Cool to about 120F. Add beaten eggs, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, salt, cardamom and 3 cups flour. Beat well. Add butter; beat well. Add yeast mixture. Add remaining 11/2 cups flour in three additions, mixing well after each addition, until dough has a soft to medium consistency.
Knead on a lightly floured surface or with a mixer fitted with dough hooks until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding as little additional flour as possible.
Place dough in an oiled bowl, turning to coat top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled, 1 to 2 hours. Punch down dough and let rise again until almost doubled, about 1 hour.
Place dough on a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope. Braid 3 ropes together to form a loaf. Repeat with remaining 3 ropes. Place loaves on a greased baking sheet or in greased 81/2 x 41/2-inch loaf pans. Cover with a cloth and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Brush loaves with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar, if desired. Bake 25 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped on bottom. Invert from pan and cool on wire rack.
