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

[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?