White Chocolate, Macadamia Nut, Cranberry Cookies

Guest post by Shannon of Bakergirl Creations
As I write this, I can see the snow swirling up.  Isn’t that fun?  Rain seldom goes anyway but down, thanks to gravity.  But snow, with its delicate ice crystal formation goes round and round and round.  The joy in this moment is sitting here with a perfect cup of tea and an incredibly tasty, fresh from the oven white chocolate macadamia nut and cranberry cookie.

In the last week I have baked more than 200 cookies.  That’s a lot.  In fact, that is three cookie exchanges worth of cookies, plus a few random batches that got made for the freezer,.  That’s right, three.  The first was hosted by Jackie, and had several foodies and food bloggers in attendance.  It was a lovely afternoon.  We only had to bring two dozen, and then took two or three from each person there, leaving with two dozen new cookies.  There I made espresso, chocolate dipped shortbread snowflake cookies.  Then there was my book club cookie exchange, this one required six dozen cookies.  The twist with this cookie exchange was really it was a “goodie” exchange so I made chocolate dipped almond clusters – a take on Almond Roca.  Finally, the cookies for this post came from a work cookie exchange – now that’s a lot of cookies.

The base of this cookie is from Dorie Greenspan’s, Baking from My Home to Yours.  I like the texture, but like to mix up the additions: chocolate, nut and other goodie options.  I’ve made it with Toblerone chunks, Smarties and now white chocolate, macadamia nuts and cranberries.  While white chocolate and macadamia nut is not new, I thought adding the cranberries would be a nice festive touch.
These are a breeze to make.  The key, as in for most cookies is to make sure the butter really is at room temperature.  If not, it’s really hard to really fluff or whip up the butter.

Ingredients

2 cups AP flour

1 tsp salt

½ tsp baking soda

8 oz unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup white sugar

2/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

2/3 cup dried cranberries

1 cup chopped white chocolate

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 F
Sift together flour, salt and baking soda into bowl.
In a stand mixer, whisk butter for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy.  Add sugars and whisk for 2 minutes until fully incorporated.  Add vanilla and eggs, one at time, beating for one minute after each is added to thoroughly incorporate.  Be sure to scrape down the sides, so all that goodness gets mixed in as well.
Add dry ingredients in three stages.  Do not over mix.  Then fold in cranberries, nuts and chocolate.
Using a melon baller, mine is about 1 ½ Tbsp, scoop batter onto a cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are turning golden and the center is no longer doughy.  Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes to cool and get a little more solid.  Place on cookie rack to fully cool.
Makes about 45 cookies.

Check out The Well Tempered Chocolatier, Bakergirl Creations, Chef Luisa, other ladies and myself on ‘The Express: Holiday Edition’!

Recipes below!

(*embedded video to come as soon as I can get my hands on it…)

Recipes (click to download PDF):

Alfajores and Chocolate Crackles (from Chef Luisa)

Espresso Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Snowflake Cookies (as shown in photo above; recipe from Bakergirl Creations)

Holiday Oat Bars (recipe from Robyn)

Almond Crescents and Cinnamon Pinwheel Cookies (from Sheri)

Brown Sugar Shotbread Fingers (from Louise)

Homemade Oreo Cookies (from Jackie)

Fall is upon us here in the Pacific Northwest.  We have nothing to complain about.  Our summer has been memorably wonderful.  But the air has turned.  There is a chill in the morning and in the evenings.  It gets dark now around 8:00 pm or so.   Much of the garden’s bounty is ready to be harvested: tomatoes, carrots, beets, tomatoes, potatoes, onions and leaks in a month or so.  It’s this time of year that often excites me in the kitchen.

With the cool of the evenings we are turning to warmer and a little heartier of foods – the nature of autumn right? Last weekend I stewed up some Pumpkin and Shrimp Bisque and wanted to serve some delicious warm bread with it. I was going to make a foccacia, however it was a two day recipe and I wasn’t that organized. So I looked through some of my favourite blogs and remembered that Annie at Annie’s Eats has a honey yeast dinner roll she swears by. Looking at the recipe I tweaked it a little. Moved it to whole wheat, and added a little savoury to the sweetness. To play with the sweet and savoury of the bisque. They were great! The recipe resulted in 12 buns, too many for us. But I am sure you could freeze them once they had cooled from the oven.

I highly recommend these! EASY and super, super tasty! Happy baking.

Honey Yeast Rolls
Ingredients:
1 package instant yeast
1 cup warm water (105°-115° F)
¼ cup honey
3 tbsp. canola oil
1 ¼ tsp. salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 cups whole wheat bread flour
(2 tbsp water just in case)
vegetable cooking spray
1 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp each coarse salt, cracked black pepper, sesame seeds and poppy seeds

Directions:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the yeast and warm water.

2. Add the honey, oil, salt, and egg and mix well.

3. Add 3 cups of the flour and mix until the dough comes together in a sticky mass.

4. With the mixer on low speed, add the remaining 1 cup flour and mix until it is incorporated into the dough.  At this point, you might need to add a little water if it is too dry.

5. Switch to the dough hook, and continue kneading on low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.

6. Form the dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat.

7. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it doubles in bulk, about 2 hours. I find the microwave is a great place to do this.

8. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 30 seconds.

9. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

10. Punch the dough down and divide into 12 equal portions.

11. Shape each portion into a ball and place into a round, lightly greased baking dish, spacing evenly. You may need to need to use two 9” round cake pans if you don’t have anything larger.

12. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 40 minutes.

13. Meanwhile, in a small ramekin combine the salt, sesame seeds, poppy seeds and pepper, set aside.

14. Preheat oven to 400°

15. Mix together the melted butter and honey, and brush lightly over the tops of the rolls.

16. Sprinkle the seed and spice mixture on top of buns just before placing in the oven.

17. Bake at 400° for 13-15 minutes or until lightly browned.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Source: adapted from Annie’s Eats

Guest post from Bakergirl Creations

Everyone, meet Shannon of Bakergirl Creations. Shannon, meet everyone!

Shannon is the latest interviewee of my Chewing The Fat foodie interview series, not only because she’s a food blogger (about sweet, sugary, delicious baking) but also because she will be doing some guest blogging here, and I wanted to introduce her first. So all you sweet-tooth people (and those who are truly terrified of baking), get ready for some recipes and ideas on this culinary art from the lovely Shannon in the coming weeks.

Tell us about yourself. My name is Shannon Sterling.  I work for The University of British Columbia as a Student Development Officer.  My role has me supporting and working with students who are engaged in their academic and co-curricular communities.  My work really focuses on leadership development and training as well as transition programming and support for new university students.  When I get home, I am a self-professed foodie.  I love to read recipes, surf blogs, garden and dream up random creations that take their inspiration from many places and people.  Add to the mix a love of reading and a new indulgence of golf and I’m pretty busy – not that I’m complaining!

Is there a certain food or dish that reminds you of home?
There are lots!  My mom was an avid cook and baker.  Some of my first memories are of me sitting on the counter watching her make batches and batches of whatever it was that struck her fancy.  If it came to a meal I would say my mom’s slow baked spareribs might top the list.  They were the “go to” meal when we had company.  It was also something we always did together, so there are great memories there.  They were sweet, savory and full of garlicky goodness.  They don’t make it onto our table very often because they aren’t the healthiest of proteins, but every once in a while a great treat.  If it was baked goods, hands down it would be my mom’s carrot cake.  Super moist.  Raisins, nuts, carrots and cream cheese icing to die for.  It is the one recipe she says is a “family secret” not be shared…

What is the ideal Shannon meal?
That’s a very difficult question.  It totally depends.  Are we going for ease?  Comfort? Indulgence?  If I’m cooking, and this is my ideal meal, it would have to start with a nice big cool class (or two) of Pinot Grigot or Pinot Gris.  I love puttering around the kitchen with a glass of wine in hand.  It feels so civilized.  The meal itself, I suppose would have to include a big fresh salad with homemade dressing, probably a spinach, feta and apple salad with bacon vinaigrette… seriously so good.  Mushroom risotto with lots of ooeey gooey cheese is something I make often and with ease, not to mention it is filling and has all those tasty meaty mushrooms in it.  The protein would have to be campfire cooked steak.  Whenever we go camping we only cook over the campfire (provided there are no campfire bans!) and the steaks are always amazing, there is just nothing like that on a gas grill in my humble opinion.  Finally, what meal would be complete without a dessert?  And pie is my favourite to make and to eat.  Pies of any variety are sweet and yet savory with the perfect flaky buttery crust. Fresh blueberries are on the brain right now, so I might say a blueberry pie, ala mode of course!

What are you having for dinner (or dessert) tonight?
Dinner tonight has to be easy and relatively heat free because we are amidst a heat wave right now.  I think it will be a chicken and Soba Noodle chili lime salad.  We have company
coming so I want it to be easy and stress free.  More time chatting, less time in the hot kitchen.  Dessert is going to be homemade chocolate ice cream with blackberries on top.

Is there one food that gives you the heebie jeebies?
As a kid I was pretty adventurous and willing to eat just about anything.   I love to try new foods and to incorporate them into my home cooking.  The only thing that I can remember actively turning down was chicken feet!  There is just something about the look if it that makes my skin crawl, sorry to those good friends who swear they are so good, I just can’t go there!    Though I am apparently really missing out, so maybe one day I will take the plunge and try my first chicken foot…maybe!

What do you say to people who don’t like baking because it’s too ‘by the book’?
I would say, no you don’t!  I am a self-professed poor recipe follower.  I read recipe books like novels.  I never tire of them, they inspire.  Yes, baking is more of a science, measuring  is certainly important to the makeup and chemistry of the piece.  However, you can modify and personalize as you become comfortable.  Everyone has to start somewhere.  Think about elementary school, you didn’t just freehand your alphabet the first time did you?  No, you probably traced a whole bunch of your ABC’s.  Baking is like that, the recipes are dotted lines or your training wheels and then once you get the hang of it you can start personalizing and making it your own.

What are you plans as guest blogger here?
I want to share my love and passion for food and for the process of creating memorable meals.  I also love connecting stories to recipes.  I hope that I hear from readers or other fellow bloggers what it is they are making, why they love it and what inspires them to create and experiment in the kitchen.