Tea and Cookies (13 page)

4.
Bake until the dough is set, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Spread the sieved preserves over the dough in the pan. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Using a pizza wheel, cut the chilled dough into ¼-inch-thick strips. Arrange the strips in an overlapping diagonal lattice pattern on the preserves, trimming and piecing the strips together as needed. Return to the oven and bake until the dough is very lightly browned and the preserves about 1 inch away from the center of the pan are bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes.

5.
Let cool completely in the pan on a wire cake rack. Run a sharp knife around the inside edge of the pan to release the cookie from the sides. Lift up on the handles to remove from the pan in one piece. Peel away the foil. Using a thin, sharp knife, cut into 25 squares. (The cookies are best if stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day before serving. They will keep for up to 5 days, stored in the same manner.)

NOTE:
To toast hazelnuts, spread the nuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven until the skins are cracked and the nut flesh is golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Wrap the nuts in a clean kitchen towel and let stand until cool enough to handle. Using the towel, rub the skins off the nuts. Don’t worry about removing every last shred of skin.

Maple Pecan Squares

MAKES
2½ DOZEN
BARS

Pecan pie is a popular dessert, to be sure, but with corn syrup as the main sweetener, it can easily cross over the line from the merely sugary to the annoyingly cloying. These nutty cookies, which clearly are inspired by pecan pie, are sweetened with pure maple syrup, which makes a big difference. Supermarket-brand maple-flavored pancake syrup—artificially flavored corn syrup and not the real thing—is a barely acceptable substitute.

CRUST

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, at room temperature, plus more for the pan

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

FILLING

¾ cup maple syrup, preferably Grade B (see Note)

¾ cup packed light brown sugar, rubbed through a sieve to remove lumps

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups (8 ounces) chopped pecans

1.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly butter a 13 × 9-inch (quarter-sheet) rimmed baking sheet.

2.
To make the crust, pulse the flour, granulated sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture begins to clump together. Press the dough firmly and evenly into the baking sheet. Pierce the dough well with a fork.

3.
Bake until the crust is lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven.

4.
To make the filling, whisk the maple syrup, brown sugar, eggs, butter, and vanilla until the sugar dissolves. Sprinkle the pecans evenly over the crust, and pour the filling on top. Return to the oven and bake until the filling is set, about 25 minutes.

5.
Let cool completely in the pan on a wire cake rack.

6.
Cut into 30 bars and serve. (The cookies can be made up to 3 days ahead, stored at room temperature in an airtight container.)

NOTE:
The main criterion for grading maple syrup is depth of flavor, and not quality. While Grade A has the most delicate flavor, the full, rich taste of Grade B maple syrup is better for baking. You’ll find it at natural food stores and many “club” markets, such as Trader Joe’s. If you must use Grade A, expect a gentler maple flavor, or perhaps add ¼ teaspoon maple flavor extract to the filling.

Elegant Cookies for Teatime

F
or a special occasion, you may want to serve cookies that take a little more attention than usual—cookies with a certain sophistication and finesse. These cookies have been cut, sandwiched, or otherwise molded into delightful shapes with equally delightful flavors.

Alfajores

MAKES ABOUT
20
COOKIES

A few years ago, during one of my holiday cooking classes, an Argentine-born student (whose name I unfortunately never got) told me about
alfajores,
meltingly tender cookies sandwiched with rich dulce de leche. The next time she attended class, she brought me the recipe. The cornstarch in the dough gives the cookies their amazing delicate texture. I can’t recommend
alfajores
highly enough. The creamy aroma and flavor of Formosa Milk oolong is sensational with the caramel-like dulce de leche.

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, beaten together

2/3 cup store-bought dulce de leche (see Note)

Confectioners’ sugar for garnish (optional)

1.
Sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt together. Cream the butter and granulated sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until the mixture is very light in color and texture, about 2 minutes. Do not overbeat. Gradually beat in the egg mixture. Gradually stir in the flour mixture to make a soft dough.

2.
Divide the dough in half and shape each portion into a thick disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap or wax paper. Refrigerate until chilled and firm enough to roll out, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. (If the dough is very chilled and hard, let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling out.)

3.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

4.
Unwrap one portion of dough and place on a lightly floured work surface. Dust the top with flour and roll out 1/8 inch thick. Using a 2¼-inch-wide heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out hearts of dough and transfer them to a baking sheet, placing 1 inch apart. Gather up the scraps and roll out until all of the dough has been cut out. Repeat with the other portion of dough.

5.
Bake, switching the position of the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking, until cookies look set and dry, but are not browned at all, 12 to 14 minutes.

6.
Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire cake racks and let cool completely.

7.
For each cookie, dollop about 1 teaspoon of the dulce de leche onto the flat side of a cookie, then top with a second cookie, flat sides facing. Press gently to make the two cookies adhere. (The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days.) Just before serving, sift confectioners’ sugar, if using, over the tops of the cookies.

NOTE:
Dulce de leche can be purchased in cans or jars at Latino groceries and many supermarkets and specialty food stores. You can buy authentic Argentinean dulce de leche online from www.amigofoods.com. Leftover dulce de leche can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 2 weeks. It is great stirred into hot tea instead of milk and sugar.

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Earl Grey Ganache

MAKES ABOUT
2½ DOZEN
COOKIES

For tea lovers who also have a passion for chocolate, these cookies will be heaven-sent. Rounds of chocolate sugar cookies are joined with Earl Grey tea ganache, which adds the citruslike taste and perfume of bergamot orange to the filling. Milk chocolate is used in the ganache, as bittersweet chocolate could overpower the tea. Rather than being rolled and cut out, the cookie dough here is formed into a log, refrigerated, and sliced into rounds, so allow time for the dough to chill. It goes without saying that Earl Grey is the perfect tea to serve with these treats.

CHOCOLATE SUGAR COOKIES

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa power

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup packed light brown sugar

EARL GREY GANACHE

¾ cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon Earl Grey tea leaves

4 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped

1.
To make the cookies, sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt together. Cream the butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until the butter is creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in the granulated and brown sugars until the mixture is light in color and texture, about 3 minutes. Gradually stir in the flour mixture to make a soft dough.

2.
Divide the dough into thirds. Wrap each portion of dough in wax paper to make a log about 5½ inches long and 1½ inches in diameter. Twist the ends closed. Refrigerate until the dough is chilled and firm enough to cut and hold its shape, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. (If the dough is chilled until it is very hard, let it stand to soften slightly for about 10 minutes before slicing, or the cookie slices could crack.)