The Cookie Trials, Part I-forget-which

[darkemeralds]

This may be the one. A tentative OMGsquee for the latest test of the chocolate-filled shortbread pillows--now tentatively named Pandoras. (My mom came up with that. I like it.)

The secret ingredient: Italian hazelnut paste.

Holy moley that stuff is good. It's hazelnuts, ground between steel rollers to the smooth, liquid consistency of heavy cream. The flavor is dark and deep. I mixed a tablespoon of it with two tablespoons of melted Belgian milk chocolate, and used the result (kind of an uber-Nutella) to fill my test cookie.

I got the dough just right this time by adding an extra handful of rice flour, and rolling it a tiny bit thicker than last time. The result was crisp and golden, and sturdy without being tough. The filling didn't shrink or seep out or burn during baking, and it had enough body not to moosh out messily when I cut into the finished cookie.

Yes, cookie. I just made one. I ate it or I'd post a picture. It was delicious.

Comments

[lyr]

You are making me hungry. And envious. Envious and hungry, I tell you!

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

I guess my work here is done, huh?

[str8ontilmornin.livejournal.com]

A simple ingredient that's packed with flavor and depth. Will there some at our upcoming get together? Please, please?

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

That is definitely the plan!

What do you think: cookies and wine? Cookies and scotch? (Bit wintry for the time of year, maybe...) The classic, cookies and coffee? I'm vacillating.

[str8ontilmornin.livejournal.com]

I think it calls for a tasting. We'll pair up each sip of beverage with a small bite and see what springs forth.

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

What a tremendous idea! I will go to work on that!

[str8ontilmornin.livejournal.com]

Capitol! Capitol!

[communicator.livejournal.com]

What a good idea. My sister used to be married to an Italian and I can tell you that hazelnut/chocolate is a favourite ingredient (sample size=1).

Anyway, it must be good if you ate it before you could photo it. Sigh, just have to make another batch.

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

There's a chocolate called Ice Cubes (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2164/2048911693_9c6bfb27b8.jpg) that I loved as a kid. They came in a bucket, and if you could find them at all--which wasn't always easy--you'd find them in the freezer case, because they were very soft and melty, and tasted wonderful cold. There was something magical about the way the chocolate would just melt away in your mouth, and I used to fantasize about someday being able to buy a whole bucket of them. I could never find any other chocolate that had that melty quality or that special flavor.

It took living in Europe for me to figure out that they were just gianduia--secret ingredient, hazelnut paste--and not very good gianduia at that. But I still love the flavor combination of chocolate and hazelnuts.

[serenity-valley.livejournal.com]

Good god, woman. You couldn't wait to post this a little closer to our visit? Because srsly, two weeks? I have to wait two weeks to try these Nuggets O'Fabulosity??? Are you trying to kill me?

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

Heh. Well, malice aforethought wasn't in it, really. I'm wondering what else I can serve you guys, because I know you're not a drinker and as I recall you don't do coffee, and as yummy as these Pandoras promise to be, a plate of cookies is hardly enough by itself.

Hm. Iced herbal tea of some kind? Any thoughts?

[serenity-valley.livejournal.com]

I'm a tea person, most definitely, hot or iced, I'm good either way. Iced herbal tea would be lovely.

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

So shall it be. I can do a good English cuppa, a gai wan of wu long, or some kind of tisane--you'll have to give me a clue if the last, because I'm not much of an herbal tea drinker myself.

I'm sure we'll have a lovely time! I just got a look at my back yard and it's so far beyond pitiful that we'll probably have to sit indoors or on the front porch.

Guests=motivation, huh?

[tehomet.livejournal.com]

Now I want cookies, damn it.

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

You have. A Cookie Monster. Icon. OMG. Hee!