Cookies and Fans

Ingredients

• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp (255 grams, 2 1/4 sticks) salted butter, cold (room temperature if you're using a handheld mixer), cut into 1/2 inch pieces (see note)
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (55 grams) light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups (325 grams) all-purpose flour (see Tip)
• 6 ounces (170 grams) semi-sweet or bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped (not too fine; you want chunks, not little shards)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• Demerara sugar, for rolling
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer, beat the butter, both sugars and vanilla on medium-high till it’s super light and fluffy (3 to 5 minutes for a stand mixer; 6 to 8 for a hand mixer). Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl and, with the mixer on low, slowly add the flour, followed by the chocolate chunks, and mix just to blend. If necessary, knead the dough with your hands to make sure the flour is totally incorporated. At this point, the dough should be smooth and feel like Play-Doh with no pockets of flour.
2. Divide the dough in half, placing each half on a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic over so that it covers the dough to protect your hands from getting all sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a log shape; rolling it on the counter will help you smooth it out, but don’t worry about getting it totally perfect. (Don't be afraid to make them compact. Shortbread is supposed to be dense. That's part of why it's so good.) Each half should form a 6-inch log, 2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Chill until totally firm, about 2 hours.
3. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the outside of the logs with the beaten egg and roll them in the demerara sugar.
4. Using a serrated knife, carefully slice each log into 1/2 inch thick rounds (if you hit a chocolate chunk, slowly saw back and forth through the chocolate). If the cookies break or fall apart, just press them back together — the dough is very forgiving. Place them on the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart (they won’t spread much). Sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake until the edges are just beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating them all.

Notes

• The cookie dough can be made ahead and stored, tightly wrapped in plastic, up to 1 week in the refrigerator, or 1 month in the freezer. Cookies can be baked and stored in plastic wrap or an airtight container for 5 days.

Ingredients

• For the buttered pecans:
  • 1 and 1/4 cup pecan halves, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• For the butter pecan cookies:
  • 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, melted until browned
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
  • 16 pecan halves, for decoration, optional

Directions

For the buttered pecans:

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in chopped pecans and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Set aside until needed.

For the butter pecan cookies:

1. In a large bowl combine flour, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda; whisk well to combine then set aside until needed.
2. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Continue to cook the butter. swirling the pan occasionally. Keep a close eye here. The top of the butter should become foamy. And you should hear tiny popping noises. The butter will develop into a rich amber color, with tiny brown bits at the bottom. And it will have a slightly nutty aroma. Once the butter reaches this stage, remove from heat immediately and pour into a large mixing bowl.
3. Add both sugars into the mixing bowl and whisk well to combine.
4. Add in vanilla. Beat in eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating until eggs are just combined.
5. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour, stirring until just combined. Fold in the buttered pecans.
6. Cover bowl and refrigerate for 4 hours.

To bake:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (F). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Using a large cookie scoop, divide the dough into 3-tablespoon sized balls and place onto prepared baking sheets, leaving about 3 inches between each ball of dough for spreading.
3. Firmly press a pecan half on top of each ball of cookie dough.
4. Bake, one tray at a time, in a preheated oven for 10 to 11 minutes. If any edges spread out while baking, use a spatula and gently press them back in as soon as you remove the cookies from the oven.
5. Sprinkle warm cookies with granulated sugar.
6. Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a cooling rack.

Notes

• Cookies will stay "fresh" for 3 days when stored in an airtight container.
• Cookie dough will keep in the fridge for 48 hours. Alternatively, you may scoop and freeze the cookie dough for up to 2 months. You will need to add an extra minute or two to the bake time if baking frozen dough.
• You can make smaller sized cookies, but you'll need to decrease the bake time by a minute or two.
• For decoration, you may sprinkle granulated sugar on the cookies right when they come out of the oven.

Ingredients

• For the cookies:
  • 1 cup plus 2 tbsp (230 grams) granulated sugar
  • 12 tbsp (170 grams, 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp (3 grams) kosher salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp peppermint extract
  • 1 1/2 cups (187 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup (63 grams) unsweetened cocoa, preferably Dutch-process
• For the coating:
  • 8 to 12 candy canes
  • 16 ounces (500 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
  • 1/4 to 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil

Directions

To make the cookies:

1. In the bowl of a mixer, cream sugar and butter together until very fluffy, at least 3 minutes. Add salt, egg, peppermint extract and 1 tbsp water, and mix until smooth. Mix or sift flour and cocoa together, then add to bowl and mix until combined. The dough will be very stiff (it can be made 1 or 2 days ahead and kept refrigerated).
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Using your hands, break off pieces of dough the size of walnuts (about 2 tsp) and roll into balls. Place 3 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or nonstick liners. Rubber band a piece of parchment over the flat bottom of a glass. Flatten each ball into a round, 1/8-inch thick.
3. Bake about 15 minutes, until cookies are flattened, firm and beginning to crisp. Remove from cookie sheets and let cool on wire racks.

To make the coating:

1. Pulverize candy canes into a mix of pink candy-cane dust and striped red-and-white bits. Set aside in a cool place.
2. To coat the cookies, temper the chocolate in the microwave. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of each extract and the coconut oil. Taste and add more peppermint extract if needed. Keep chocolate warm and fluid by zapping as needed in the microwave.

To coat the cookies:

1. Working 1 cookie at a time, with gloved hand, dip the top of the cookie into the chocolate and let excess drip off. Place the cookies on parchment to cool. After about 8 minutes, start checking to see if the chocolate has set. Touch the center with a finger; when chocolate is firm, almost cool, and only a faint mark remains, sprinkle tops evenly with candy cane dust and bits. (If you do it too soon, the candy cane bits will begin to melt.)
2. Store in the refrigerator in airtight containers, in layers separated by parchment paper.

Ingredients

• 2 limes
• 1 1/2 cups (190 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup (60 grams) fine cornmeal (stick to fine)
• 2/3 cup (130 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 cup (225 grams) cold, unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1/2 cup (60 grams) confectioners’ sugar

Directions

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grate 2 tsp zest from the limes. Add to a food processor.
2. Add flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt and pulse once or twice to combine. Add butter and pulse until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Pulse a few more times until some of the crumbs start to come together, but don’t overprocess the dough. It should be somewhat crumbly and not form a ball.
3. Press the dough into an even layer in an ungreased, fluted 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom or in a 9-inch pie pan. Prick the dough all over with a toothpick. Bake until golden brown, about 40 to 50 minutes.
4. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Using a butter knife, cut the shortbread into 12 wedges while still warm.
5. Make the glaze: Halve the zested lime and squeeze 1 tbsp juice into a small bowl. Whisk in confectioners’ sugar and, if you like, more lime juice to taste. (More lime juice will make the glaze thinner and more tart, while less lime juice yields a thicker, sweeter and opaque glaze.) Drizzle glaze over the cooled shortbread, then zest the second lime over the icing before it sets. (Use a citrus zester, if you have one, or a regular zester, if you don’t.)

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