I wanted to like making these cookies. I wanted to enjoy how delicate and perfect they are, the care and precision it takes to colour and roll them. But really? Fuck these cookies.
Don't get me wrong-- they're delicious. Crispy and sweet, and with a subtle holiday theme. But somewhere along the way, maybe between work, Christmas, parenting, and catching up on season 3 of Community, I lost my baking patience. Cookies blackened, fingers burnt, and stencils sogged (it's a word, okay?).
I didn't end up making the full batch-- my fingers grew tired of piping, prepping, stenciling, and then finally rolling up hot dough. I would like to try them again, though. Just on a day I'm feeling more determined.
8 large egg whites
2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of coarse salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and
cooled
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Red food colouring
Preheat oven 400 degrees. Combine egg
whites and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk
attachment; beat on medium until foamy. Reduce speed to low. Add flour and
salt; mix until just combined. Add butter, cream, and vanilla; beat until
combined.
Transfer 1 cup batter to a small bowl; set
remaining batter aside. Stir in red colouring until desired colour is reached.
Transfer tinted batter to a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip.
Secure end of pastry bag with rubber band; set aside.
Place a 3-by-6-inch rectangle (cut out a
stencil to use as a guide) on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat baking mat.
Spoon a heaping tablespoon of plain batter into the rectangle; spread with a
small offset spatula. Repeat. Pipe diagonal tinted stripes onto each rectangle.
Bake cookies until pale golden, 6 to 8 minutes.
Immediately loosen edges with a spatula,
and flip cookie over. Starting from one long side, roll cookie into a stick.
Place seam side down, on a clean work surface; let cool until set. Quickly
repeat with second cookie.
Repeat process, tinting and baking 2 or 3
cookies at a time.
These look SO good!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ariel! They were good, but such a pain and I just wasn't in the mood. I'm hoping someone more patient can give them a go! (And maybe pass along some pointers :))
ReplyDeleteLooks delicious. Would love for you to share your pictures with us over at foodepix.com.
ReplyDeleteHow cute! I love these! :)
ReplyDeleteHaha! I love your opening paragraph. That's exactly how I feel halfway through any fiddly baking. Fuck this, if people want iced cupcakes they can just slap the icing on with a knife.
ReplyDeleteThe cookies look absolutely gorgeous though :)
When I saw these in the Martha Cookie Book, I wanted to try them, too! Alas, I haven't yet. Yours look gorgeous! I have a tendency to need to be alone when I bake something with so much work involved. Not easy to do with 3 kids and a husband! Maybe next year.
ReplyDeleteWait, are these baked 2-3 cookies AT A TIME?
ReplyDeleteWell that's just silly.
Thanks for making me spit tea on my monitor when I burst out laughing at the "fuck these cookies" part. You owe me a tissue.
These are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWow they look amazing! I understand what you felt, sometimes we just don't feel like it. At least you have an amazing creation to share!
ReplyDeleteI had the same reaction the one time I made them. Never again. Even on a good day they take too much time and patience to make.
ReplyDeleteI remember making them in pastry school ... no thanks!
ReplyDelete