by Darci Hannah
Bradley’s Signature Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F, place rack in middle position.
Prep time: 40 minutes. Cook time: 50 minutes.
Makes one 9x9 pan of cookies.
For the dough:
1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons salted butter (Irish butter is
recommended, but not necessary)
2 tablespoons low-fat milk (I use 2%)
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
For the topping:
6 ounces milk chocolate (may use dark chocolate if you
prefer)
To brown the butter: Prepare an ice-water bath with a medium metal bowl set inside. Put butter in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. The butter will start to foam and turn brown. Continue stirring and cooking until the butter turns a nice deep golden brown. Be careful not to cook the butter too far or it will burn. Remove butter mixture from heat and pour into bowl in the ice-water bath. Whisk in milk. Using a rubber spatula, stir continuously while scraping sides. The brown butter will start to thicken. When butter is thick and stiff, remove from ice-water bath and set aside. Allow butter to rest 15 to 20 minutes until it reaches room temperature.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat brown butter until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in powdered sugar and vanilla. Reduce speed and beat in flour.
Line 9x9 pan with parchment paper. Press dough evenly in the bottom of the pan. Using a knife, score dough, creating even lines every 2¼ inches (to make 16 square cookies). Using a fork, prick dough twice on every square.
Bake in preheated 300-degree oven for 50 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from heat and let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Using parchment paper, remove from pan and cut score marks with knife. Place on cooling rack and cool completely.
When cookies are completely cooled, make the chocolate drizzle. Break chocolate into chunks and place in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir well. If chocolate isn’t melted, repeat. Dip a fork into the melted chocolate and drizzle over each cookie. Create your own drizzle pattern, or you can dip part of the cookie into the chocolate if you prefer. Let cool on wire rack. Enjoy!
Note: If you don’t want chocolate on your shortbread cookies, try dusting them with powdered sugar before serving.
Bradley’s Amazing Turtle-Topped Shortbread Cookies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, place rack in middle position.
Prep time: 40 minutes. Chill time: 2 hours. Cook time: 20 minutes.
Makes 48 cookies.
For the shortbread:
¾ cup (1½ sticks) salted butter, at room temperature
½ cup powdered sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cold water
For the caramel:
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
2 cups light brown sugar
¼ cup Ole Smoky Salted Caramel Whiskey (you can use
regular whiskey if you can’t find this)
1¼ cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the topping:
½ cup toasted pecans, chopped
12 ounces quality dark chocolate (you can use milk
chocolate if you prefer)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking pan with butter. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and powdered sugar together. Add flour and the tablespoon of water and mix well. Press dough in the bottom of the pan. Prick all over with a fork, then put into the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool.
Place pecans on a cookie sheet and bake in the 350-degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
To make the caramel, place butter, brown sugar, whiskey, and whipping cream in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring regularly. Reduce heat and let the mixture bubble for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check temperature with a candy thermometer. You want it to reach 240 degrees. I like to use the firm ball method by dropping little bits of the mixture into ice water. The caramel should form a firm ball. Once the firm ball stage has been reached, remove caramel from heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour caramel over shortbread base and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Once caramel is firm, break chocolate into chunks and place in a microwave-safe bowl with the butter. Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Pour over caramel, making sure all the caramel has been covered. Sprinkle with chopped, toasted pecans. Cool until chocolate has set. Remove entire cookie to a cutting board. Using a warm knife (dip blade into hot water), slice into 1½-inch squares. Enjoy!
Felicity’s Fabulous Sugar Cookies
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, place rack in the middle position.
Prep time: 20 minutes. Chill time: 20 minutes. Cook time: 12–15 minutes.
For the dough:
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
½ cup vegetable shortening
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
Two types of frosting:
Butter Cream Frosting:
This one tastes amazing but won’t have a glossy icing look.
½ cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 or more tablespoons whole milk
Gel food coloring (in desired colors)
Decorator Icing:
6 cups powdered sugar
¼–½ cup whole milk
¼ cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Gel food coloring (in desired colors)
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the sugar and vegetable shortening. Add the egg and the 3 tablespoons of milk and mix well. Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix well. Remove dough from mixing bowl and place on floured surface. Roll into a ball and cover in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Remove dough from refrigerator and place on a floured surface. Cut dough in half. Set one half aside. Roll out dough until it is ¼ inch thick. Using your favorite Christmas cookie cutters, cut out desired shapes and place on parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake in 375-degree oven for 12–15 minutes, or until edges just begin to turn light brown. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire cooling rack.
Butter Cream Frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and powdered sugar until fluffy. Add milk slowly, one tablespoon at a time, until the frosting is the right spreading consistency. Divide frosting into smaller bowls and color with gel food coloring. Frost and decorate cookies as desired. These cookies taste delicious the moment they are frosted. Enjoy!
Decorator Icing: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the sugar and ¼ cup of milk. Beat until smooth. Add the corn syrup and vanilla extract and mix well.
For this method, you will need a thicker, outlining icing and a thinner flood icing. The outlining icing should be the consistency of toothpaste and will be piped around the shape of the cookie. Remove half of the thicker icing from the bowl and color with gel food coloring as desired. Put into piping bags.
Add more milk as needed to the other half of the icing to make the thinner flood icing. This should be the consistency of corn syrup. When this icing is ready, divide into separate bowls and color as desired. Outline the cookies with the outlining icing, then pipe in the flood icing. Have fun and be creative. Once cookies are decorated, place on wax paper until icing is completely dry. Enjoy!
Felicity’s Figgy Bars with Hard-Sauce Glaze
These cookies are reminiscent of an English steamed pudding.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, place rack in middle position.
Prep time:
25 minutes. Cook time: 20–25 minutes per pan.
Makes 96 bar cookies.
For the Bars:
10 ounces dried black figs (scant 2 cups)
1 cup water
2 cups quick-cooking oats, uncooked
1½ cups brown sugar
⅔ cup dark molasses
6 tablespoons butter
2 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup toasted wheat germ
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange peel
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
Non-stick cooking spray
Hard-Sauce Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
⅓ cup brandy
2 tablespoons warm water
While oven is preheating to 350 degrees, spray two 13x9-inch pans with non-stick cooking spray. Line both pans with parchment, extending parchment 2 inches up the sides of pans.
In large saucepan, combine figs and water. Heat over high heat until water boils. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in oats. Place warm mixture in mixing bowl and stir in sugar, molasses, and butter until well-blended. Next, stir in eggs. Add flour, wheat germ, pumpkin pie spice, orange peel, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir until batter is well-blended. Divide mixture evenly between the two pans.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes.
While the pans are cooling, make the glaze. Place powdered sugar in a small bowl. Stir in brandy and water until blended.
Using parchment paper, remove the warm pastry and place on a cutting board or a firm surface. Brush each generously with the hard-sauce glaze and cool completely.
Cut each rectangle into 4 even lengthwise strips. Then cut each strip into 6 rectangles. Cut each rectangle on a diagonal to make 2 triangles. Enjoy!
Lindsey’s Scrumptious Giant Gingerbread Muffins
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. (Heat will be reduced to 375 degrees F.)
Prep time: 25 minutes. Cook time: 16–20 minutes.
Makes 8 giant muffins or 12 regular-sized muffins.
Ingredients:
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup (one stick) butter, melted and cooled
½ cup molasses
1 large egg
½ cup applesauce
1 rounded teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
½ cup whole milk
Sugar to sprinkle on top before baking
1 tablespoon melted butter, or non-stick cooking spray
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine both sugars, butter, molasses, egg, and applesauce. Mix until well-blended. Add in fresh ginger and stir until blended.
Gently stir in dry ingredients a little at a time, adding the whole milk between additions. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
Generously grease muffin cups using melted butter or cooking spray. Pour batter into muffin cups and sprinkle tops with extra sugar. This will give a crispy top to the muffins while baking. Place muffins in a 400-degree oven and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and continue baking for 6–8 minutes longer, being careful not to overbake. Larger muffins will take longer. When muffin tops are crisp but springy, remove from oven and cool. Enjoy!
For more recipes, baking tips, and information on the Beacon Bakeshop Mystery Series, please visit: www.dar-cihannah.com
