I recently asked another karate mom if she had any cookie recipes she enjoyed making for the holidays. I have a couple of favorites, but am getting bored. I do want to teach the boys more cooking, and what better way than with sugar? Anyway, karatemom brought six cookbooks into the lounge the very next day and pointed out her favorites. She told me the nuances of each recipe, a couple of which included the spice cardamom. I had never even heard of it, but she told me it was pricey and that the container she bought years ago is still half full. I won't tell you how many years because she cringed when mentioning it, and I realized I have a large container of pumpkin pie spice that is roughly the same age, so who am I to talk?
**As an aside, why do companies sell spices one needs in quantities less than one teaspoon in containers so big? Why don't they only sell them small? Cooks tell us to use fresh spices, then we buy them and can never use them up in the time frame when they are considered "fresh". So we leave them in our cabinets for years taking one little eighth of a teaspoon each time praying that the flavor is still there because it cost us a weeks pay. Just saying.**
Back to the lounge at the dojo... I grabbed a dull pencil and franticly started copying. In two hours I was able to copy six recipes. This weekend I was able to make two of those. And I have to say that karatemom is also the angel of cookies. She was absolutely right when it comes to cookie recipes. And cardamom is the scent of heaven! I am in love with this spice and am hoping that someone, somewhere has put it in a candle or a homemade soap so that I can smell it all day, every day. If you have heard of such thing, pass on the phone number so that I can order a case. Until then, enjoy new cookie recipe #1. I recommend making a double batch 'cuz half of them won't even get the chance to cool.
Browned Butter Cardamom Cookies
1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp ground cardamom (can go up to 3/4 if you love this spice like me)
2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup powdered sugar
Melt butter in a 2 quart heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly and watching closely until butter just begins to turn golden brown (5-8 minutes). Immediately remove from heat, pour in bowl and refrigerate until cool (30 minutes).
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine cooled butter and sugar in large bowl; beat at medium speed until well mixed. Add egg yolk, vanilla and cardamom. Continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; beat while gradually adding flour, until mixture is no longer crumbly and forms a dough.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place one inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies puff and just start to turn light golden brown (cookies will have cracks).
Immediately remove from cookie sheets. Cool one minute. Roll cookies in powdered sugar while warm and again while cool. Store between sheets of waxed paper in loosely covered container.
linking this!
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