Peace and Love in the Kitchen

adapted from Mrs. Larkin via Food52.com

makes 2 dozen large or 4 dozen small

I love community cookbooks, the books that are put together by churches, schools, camps, and charities to raise money.  Thumbing through them is like being on a treasure hunt.  You sift through recipes using condensed soup, lard, or msg and then you happen upon Squirrel Brunswick Stew from Mrs. Louis Christian (River Road Recipes) or Helen Frady’s perfectly simple apple cake (Camp Longhorn Cookbook). It makes your day.

The internet has redefined the concept of the community cookbook. When you want to find out what real people cook, there are plenty of places to go looking.  One of my favorite sites is Food52.com. Through weekly contests, members are invited to submit recipes.  The editors select their top picks and then ask the members to test and then vote for their favorite.  The winning recipe gets published in Food 52′s annual cookbook.

Like the classic community cookbook, Food52 believes in the old fashioned notion that home cooks are the best cooks, and they promote the value of cooking at home.

“Because:

• If you cook, your family will eat dinner together.
• If you cook, you will naturally have a more sustainable household.
• If you cook, you’ll set a lifelong example for your children.
• If you cook, you’ll understand what goes into food and will eat more healthily.
• If you cook, you’ll make your home an important place in your life.
• If you cook, you’ll make others happy.
• If you cook, people will remember you.”
• Read more: http://www.food52.com/blog/about_food52#ixzz0xU6k9h36

This recipe won “Your Best Chewy Sugar Cookie” award. It was submitted by Mrs. Larkin.  She has created a cookie with layers of flavor and texture by using three different types of sugar:  white, light brown, and coarse.  The white sugar makes them sweet.  The light brown gives them a slight caramel flavor, and the course sugar on the outside makes them crunchy.  Mrs. Larkin suggests making them small and leaving them in balls to keep a chewy middle.  I highly recommend these. They really are the best chewy sugar cookies.

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

4 tsp vanilla

2 large eggs

3 cups all purpose unbleached flour

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 cups coarse sugar (Turbinado or Demerara)

1. PREP:  Preheat oven to 375.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat mat.
2. MIX INGREDIENTS IN ONE LARGE BOWL:  Beat butter, white and light brown sugar together for 1 minute.  Add vanilla and beat for 1 minute.  Add eggs and beat for 1 minute.  Add flour, salt, and baking soda.  Beat for 1 minute.  Scrape sides of bowl and beat 1 minute more.
3. ROLL DOUGH BALLS IN COARSE SUGAR AND BAKE:  Place coarse sugar in a small bowl.  Using an ice cream scoop, scoop balls of dough.  Use a 1 1/2 inch diameter ice cream scoop to form cookies. Roll each ball of dough in the bowl of coarse sugar so that it is covered on all sides.  Place dough balls on cookie sheet leaving 1 – 1 1/2 inches space.  Bake until edges are golden and centers are still a bit soft, about 8-10 minutes. 

Note:  If using a dark non-stick baking sheet, reduce oven temperature to 350.

Peace and love from my kitchen to yours,

Waverly

Tags:

• COOKIES
• cooking with children
• treats

1 comment

http://www.peaceandloveinthekitchen.com/2010/08/the-best-chewy-sugar-cookies

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