Uncategorized - Cathy's Designer Cookies

Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Oh! That Holiday Magic!

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Let it Snow!

Holiday decorating classes are in full swing this time of year. As I (frantically) prepare for several weekend classes I have one thing to say regarding preparations for the holidays. “Do-Ahead!”

Check recipes twice; Shop Early; Buy extra ingredients; Make dough ahead of time and freeze; Bake the cookies early; Make icing ahead and refrigerate; Call freinds for help (they will love you for it) and plan for extra munching treats!

The more that you can prepare in advance the more you can enjoy your friends and family during this joyous time of year.

Enjoy the Magic of Christmas!

Cathy

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Flour; "What's Best"?

Wednesday, August 12th, 2009

“What’s the best flour to use”? Is a question I am often asked. I say, “Depends on what you are baking”.
Flour is the backbone and structure of your baked goods. It is a binding and an absorbing agent. It affects the quality of your baked goods. It adds flavor and nutritional value to the baked product. That’s a lot for humble, little ‘ol flour to do.

“All Purpose Flour” is just what the name suggests; this flour can be used successfully in a variety of baked goods. It is a mixture of soft wheat flour and hard wheat flour and gluten flour. (Gluten adds protein). I have used “unbleached all purpose flour” for many years. I like this type because it has less chemical treatments. For most home cookie bakers this is the flour I recommend. I like to buy organic flour when I can find it. (I just feel good about using anything organic.)

Do not be tempted to use cake flour for your cookie baking. Cake flour is extra fine, soft milled flour (low gluten) and your recipe measurements will be off. (If all you have is cake flour, substitute 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour for each cup of all purpose flour your recipe calls for.)

I look for “low protein content flour” for cookie baking. (9.2 or lower) This will help produce a tender cookie.
For bread baking you want high protein flour. (14.5 or higher.) Since you want to develop the gluten in bread, you need this extra protein in your flour.

All flour has a shelf life. The expiration date should be printed on the package. If you buy a large quantity of flour on sale, you can freeze the extra. Be sure it’s wrapped well and placed in a freezer bag. Flour can keep 5 to 6 months in the freezer.

So, why have I said all of this??? Just to say it’s okay to use a good quality all purpose flour. Most home bakers will be very satisfied with the results.

Happy Baking!

Tags: cookie shapes, Cookie tips and Techniques, dough freezes, Flour, homemade cookies, room temperature ingredients
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Packaging your Treats

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

It does seem a little early to be discussing packaging and the how-to’s of wrapping your cookies for gift-giving. But, I like to share this information in the summer. This way, as you are out shopping you can keep an eye open for tins, boxes and baskets on sale that you can store away and use when gift giving season rolls around. Funny thing, the holidays come exactly the same time every year yet we are some how ’surpised‘ to see how fast they arrive. Nothing is worse than making some beautiful cookies and having nothing to deliver them in. I shop/buy year round for unusual containers, tins of all kinds, pretty boxes and totes to place my cookies in. Even the most humble homemade treats look fabulous in a lovely tin or little hat box. It’s like getting two gifts. #1, the cookies or treats you made and #2, the tin or container they arrive in. Many people re-use the containers to store items or pass it on to a friend.

Keeping the cookies fresh is really important. I always package cookies in airtight containers. Because home bakers do not use any type of preservatives, most cookies will last 4 to 7 days without loosing quality. After this, most cookies or baked goods start to dry out or become stale. The exception are highly spiced cookies like my gingerbread cookies. These cookies will last several weeks if kept in an airtight container.

It is important to keep crisp cookies together and soft cookies, (like chocolate chip cookies) in a different container. Do not mix the two types of cookies. The crisp cookies will absorb moisture from the soft cookies making both cookies taste less than perfect. If I am going to ship two different types of cookies together, I’ll place each type of cookie in different air tight containers. Then place the two types in the same box and ship it off. I know the cookies will taste great when they arrive. It is fine to place your cookies in large zip-lock type bags. Squeeze as much air out of the bag as you can before you seal it. I like to wrap decorated cookies in their own little cellophane bags and hand tie the bags with a pretty ribbon. This way, each cookie looks like a little “gift“. You can purchase these bags at party stores and hobby stores.

Happy Baking!

Tags: homemade cookies, shipping and packaging, special occasions
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Decorating Party!

Monday, July 27th, 2009

As I’m getting ready to teach a cookie decorating class this week, I started thinking about all the different steps needed to make a class fun and successful.

The same preparation steps I use to teach a class are the same steps you would use to bake and decorate cookies with your kids.

First, make your cookie dough and chill for several hours. While the cookie dough is chilling, decide what cookie cutters you want to use. I like to make cookies similar in size so they will bake evenly. If you really must have a ‘giant butterfly’ cookie then bake this cookie on a baking sheet all by itself. You will be much happier with the results. Remember always use parchment or a Silpat liner on your baking sheets. (Plan on 3 to 4 cookies for each child to decorate.)

Once your cookies have been baked and cooled, it’s time to make the icing.

I would limit your icing colors to five or less. Make several double batches of royal icing and place it in a covered bowl to keep it from drying out.

Take some of the white icing and place it in a medium size bowl. Place a very small amount of color gel or color paste into the icing and mix well.

Pour the colored icing into a quart size freezer zip lock bag. Or place it directly into a prepared pastry bag fitted with a #3 or #4 tip. You can also place small amounts of the colored icing into pint size zip lock bags. Nip a small hole in one of the points and use this as your pastry bag.
Seal the bag(s) well. Repeat with the other colors you make.

If using pastry bags, keep the tips moist by placing them in a tall glass with a damp paper towel in the bottom of the glass.

You are now ready to start your cookie party! Be sure you get out all the sprinkles, jimmies and other candies in the cabinets. Most of all , have fun by turning a dull summer afternoon into ‘arts and crafts time’ that you can munch! Yum!

Royal icing: 1 lb powdered sugar, scant ½ cup water, 5 tbls. meringue powder, 1/8 tea. real vanilla. Beat all ingredients until smooth. Keep covered.

Happy Baking!
-Cathy

Tags: chilling cookie dough, cookie class, cookie decorating party, cookie shapes, Cookie tips and Techniques, homemade cookies, ideas, jimmies, rainy day activities, royal icing, sugar cookies
Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Baking Sheets: The Key

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

I know, I know. What could be more boring than a discussion about cookie baking sheets?
I taught a cookie decorating class last night and question came up about baking sheets. “Why couldn’t I just use my moms’ old thin baking sheets?” was one question. I understand perfectly well, why you would not want to toss out an old baking sheet. It’s still good, right? If it’s like the baking sheets I grew up with, it probably was thin, light weight and would warp after about 4 minutes in a hot oven.

I like to use very heavy gauge aluminum baking sheets. There are several good quality manufactures of baking sheets. Several are commercial quality. I prefer shiny aluminum to dark coated sheets. Even though they might be a bit expensive, I consider them an investment. These baking sheets will last forever.

Baking on a good quality baking sheet is a joy. Cookies bake evenly, because the heavy sheet transfers the heat to the whole pan. No ‘hot’ spots. Cookies bake to a golden brown.
Plus I use these baking sheets under casseroles, pies, cobblers and anything else that might bubble or spill over in the oven. Even roasting vegetables or potatoes is easier. The result……I almost never have to clean my oven! I do have a self-cleaning oven but why turn it on and heat up the kitchen to 500 degrees for several hours? Yikes! Think of the energy you save!
One more trick is to line the sheet with parchment paper. I use this under my cookies and don’t have to wash the baking sheet. Yea! Less dishes to wash!

I recommend you invest in at least 4 high quality baking sheets. The sheets must cool down between batches of cookies. Do not place chilled cut out cookies on a hot-from-the-oven baking sheet. The butter in the cookies will start to melt and your cookies will loose their shape.

Happy Baking!
Cathy

Tags: chilling cookie dough, heavy baking sheets/pans, homemade cookies
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Ruthie's Molasses/Ginger Cookies

Monday, July 13th, 2009

Anyone who recently watched a Food Network (don’t you just love the Food Network?!) show this week, saw one of my favorite hosts give a recipe for ginger cookies. Well……………. my mom’s recipe for Molasses/Ginger Cookies is about 70 years old. She was making these cookie way before I was born. So I’m guessing it was around before Ina’s recipe. But, no problem. They are both delicious! (I really prefer my mom’s recipe.) I was surprised to see how similar the recipes were.

If you only try one recipe this summer, try this one. It’s very easy. No fancy equipment needed.

I can remember making these cookies when I was very young, maybe 5 or 6 years old? My job was to roll the balls of cookie dough in sugar. Then mom would place the sugar-coated balls on a cookie sheet and pop them into the oven. The smell of the spices would fill the kitchen! Somehow, my brothers and little sister would end up in the kitchen from what ever part of the house they were playing in. Just in time for a taste! Hummmmm? Wonder why? Bake just one batch of these cookies and you will understand!

So here goes! I promised this recipe to you back in January! Trust me, these cookies taste wonderful any time of the year!

Ruthie’s Molasses/Ginger Cookies:

In a large mixing bowl, combine 3/4 cup of canola oil or vegetable oil. Add1 cup, (packed) dark brown sugar, 1/4 cup molasses, 1 large egg. Beat all until well combined.

Add: 2 cups all purpose flour,2 teaspoons baking soda,1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger (or ground ginger works well) 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix well. Chill dough 2 hours or freeze the well wrapped dough until ready to use.

To bake: Set oven at 350 degrees

Take well chilled dough and form into 1 inch size balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar to coat. ( I place about a cup of sugar in a medium size bowl and place 5 or 6 balls in the bowl and swirl them around to coat.) Place the coated balls on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake tray for 8 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees. The cookies should just be “set” and the cookies will ‘crack’ on top where the sugar is. Yummmmmm!

Make approx. 24 cookies

Happy Baking!

(Thanks mom for the memories!)

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Oh! That Holiday Magic!

Packaging your Treats

Ruthie's Molasses/Ginger Cookies

Blog Archives

Categories