The Holiday Cookie Calendar
By Jennifer Bain
The Star's holiday cookie calendar is one of the most beloved features of the newspaper — a march of daily cookie recipes during December. In the spirit of the festive season, Toronto Star food editor Jennifer Bain has pulled together 32 of her favourite recipes from the calendar's wildly popular first years. Fancy, simple, trendy or traditional, the recipes cater to every taste. Happy baking!
The Best of the Holiday Cookie Calendar is available as a FREE download to Star Dispatches subscribers on Friday, December 7th. But you can download a free preview now! Please see the link below.
When you subscribe to Star Dispatches, you'll receive new eRead titles, for only $1/week. That's only $1 per week, with a minimum subscription period of 1 month, to explore news and features from a new and unique perspective. Single copies of Star Dispatches eReads can be purchased for $2.99 at starstore.ca or itunes.ca/stardispatches
By Jennifer Bain
The Star's holiday cookie calendar is one of the most beloved features of the newspaper — a march of daily cookie recipes during December. In the spirit of the festive season, Toronto Star food editor Jennifer Bain has pulled together 32 of her favourite recipes from the calendar's wildly popular first years. Fancy, simple, trendy or traditional, the recipes cater to every taste. Happy baking!
The Best of the Holiday Cookie Calendar is available as a FREE download to Star Dispatches subscribers on Friday, December 7th. But you can download a free preview now! Please see the link below.
When you subscribe to Star Dispatches, you'll receive new eRead titles, for only $1/week. That's only $1 per week, with a minimum subscription period of 1 month, to explore news and features from a new and unique perspective. Single copies of Star Dispatches eReads can be purchased for $2.99 at starstore.ca or itunes.ca/stardispatches
Excerpt:
The Holiday Cookie Calendar
Piparkoogid (Estonian gingersnaps)
For most of my life, the holiday season was synonymous
with Grandma Vellend’s piparkoogid, the Estonian spin on
gingersnaps. Every time the aroma of these cookies fills my
house, I’m reminded of a very special lady who loved Christmas.
ingredients:
3-1/2 cups (875 mL) all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
1 tsp (5 mL) ginger
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cloves
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (250 mL) sugar
1 large egg
2/3 cup (160 mL) fancy grade molasses
In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, spices and
salt; set aside. In stand mixer with paddle, mix butter and sugar
on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat until fluffy on medium high,
about 2 minutes. On low speed, add egg, mixing until combined.
Slowly add molasses. Slowly add dry ingredients until combined.
Divide dough in four, 1-inch (2.5-cm) thick squares. Wrap in plastic wrap;
refrigerate for 2 hours.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll dough on wellfloured work surface until 1/8-inch (0.3 cm) thick. Cut 3-inch
(7.5-cm) rounds or shapes of your choice, and place ¾-inch (2
cm) apart on trays. (Use metal spatula to transfer cookies.) Bring 11
together and reroll scraps. Bake on top and middle racks of 350F
(180C) oven 14 minutes until nicely browned, switching trays
halfway through baking time as quickly as possible to maintain
steady oven temperature. Cool; store in airtight container for up
to 1 month.
Makes 64 cookies.
For most of my life, the holiday season was synonymous
with Grandma Vellend’s piparkoogid, the Estonian spin on
gingersnaps. Every time the aroma of these cookies fills my
house, I’m reminded of a very special lady who loved Christmas.
ingredients:
3-1/2 cups (875 mL) all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
1 tsp (5 mL) ginger
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cloves
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (250 mL) sugar
1 large egg
2/3 cup (160 mL) fancy grade molasses
In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, spices and
salt; set aside. In stand mixer with paddle, mix butter and sugar
on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat until fluffy on medium high,
about 2 minutes. On low speed, add egg, mixing until combined.
Slowly add molasses. Slowly add dry ingredients until combined.
Divide dough in four, 1-inch (2.5-cm) thick squares. Wrap in plastic wrap;
refrigerate for 2 hours.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll dough on wellfloured work surface until 1/8-inch (0.3 cm) thick. Cut 3-inch
(7.5-cm) rounds or shapes of your choice, and place ¾-inch (2
cm) apart on trays. (Use metal spatula to transfer cookies.) Bring 11
together and reroll scraps. Bake on top and middle racks of 350F
(180C) oven 14 minutes until nicely browned, switching trays
halfway through baking time as quickly as possible to maintain
steady oven temperature. Cool; store in airtight container for up
to 1 month.
Makes 64 cookies.
