Another Scarring Baking Experience
My daughter, Melissa is a gem, a real jewel. Through thick, thin and thinner, she has always been supportive of her Mother. I must admit, however, that her finest buoy-up-Mom time may have been during the past two months.
We’re talking Baking.
Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table recipe book. Photo: Elise, Simply Recipes.
When I joined this French Fridays with Dorie group, more than a year ago, everyone who sits at my table was licking his chops. If only for the Garlic/Lemon Chicken in the Pot shown on the book cover, they would have been happy. But they’ve also enjoyed many other dishes, including Spinach and Bacon Quiche, Roasted Rhubarb and Pissaladière, It is true, however, that in this cookbook, the focus is more on cooking than baking.
That’s why my call to Melissa, saying I had also joined the new Tuesday with Dorie Baking with Julia group was met with silence (This, I know, is when she counts to 10 and takes 3 deep breaths.) In my family it’s acknowledged by everyone but me, that I am not much of a baker. I attribute my poor baking results to living in the high-altitude. Who the hell can bake bread and make cookies at 9000 feet? The fact that I was going to blog about my baking? Not good, she felt, but supported my enthusiasm, misplaced as it might be.
Simply put, my family does not ever judge my Tuesday with Dorie baked goods with gold stars, accolades, or empty platitudes. They talk ‘scars’. Each week my oven and I do battle and, often, the oven wins. To say I’ve become a ‘marked woman’ is not an understatement.
COCOA SABLÉS, my square version.
Which brings me to the recipe for this week’s FFWD. It’s baking. We’re making Cocoa Sablés, the French version of a shortbread cookie.
Girl Scout Shortbread Cookie Photo by justfoodstuff.wordpress.com
Sablé means sandy and correctly describes the slightly crumbly texture of the pastry. It’s much different from my traditional butter cookie memory. Remember the Girl Scout cookie made in the shape of the trefoil emblem? Shortbread à la Americana.
Sablés are sometimes called a Breton Biscuit because they originated in Normandy. Although they are not chocolate, Dorie channeled pastry wizard Pierre Hermé and came up with this week’s version. The verdict? This is a two-scar cookie and produced my best burn yet. A real winner!
Slice and bake, it’s as simple as that. Before baking the cookies, the dough must be chilled, of course, for at least three hours or days in the refrigerator, or two months in the freezer. The addition of 1/3 cup of Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder provides a deep intense chocolate flavor which was a bit too bitter for me. As Dorie suggested, I rolled half the cookies in sugar, creating sparkle edging and a bit more of the sweetness I needed.
Flour, Sugar, Salt, Unsweetened Cocoa and Vanilla. Ready to roll, meaning round.
Creating sparkle edging with a coating of sugar
This tiny taste treat goes well with espresso, milk, or homemade French vanilla ice cream. Join other Doristas who turned pastry chef this week at http://www.frenchfridayswithdorie.com/ Although we’d rather have you buy the book, you can find this week’s recipe at http://www.pastrycraftseattle.com/blog/2010/12/05/cocoa-sables/.
Join me next week for a non-scarring and, thankfully, cold experience. Crab and grapefruit salad.
I’m looking forward to next week. Need something light after these cookies 🙂
Kudos for actually making the cocoa version! I punked out and made the classic vanilla. Also, in my family, I’m known more for baking than cooking so I was met with hesitation when I told them about ffwD!
Looks great, burns, scars and all. I love the history lesson, too. I having some baking issues as well, but also through BWJ I am working my way through my issues! Well done!
Peggy, I cannot get on your Site. Any suggestions. Mary
Good job! Yes, I’m looking forward to something a bit lighter after these. I know this cookie must be a ‘fave’ of Dories ’cause she puts it in all her books!
Your cookies look fantastic, Mary. I am not really sure how/why the altitude affects baking, but I know there are some tips to counter the effect. I know that adding or removing flour is part of it. I’m a huge fan of the Girl Scout Trefoils. Those don’t last very long around me.
I burnt my shoulder on the cookie sheet when I was bending down near the counter! These things were dangerous (but worth it)!
Kara, Please don’t be offended to know this made me happy although I am not an unkind woman. I would have to work very hard to have a shoulder burn. That’s impressive. Mary
It looks like in this round of “Mary vs. Altitude” that Mary won.
These were fine; but if I am going to eat shortbread, it ought to be in the form of a pecan sandy…
These were great – easy, chocolate & delicious! It doesn’t get much better than that!
Mary, Lovely cookies! I have more burn marks on my hands and forearms than I’d care to think about…a baking hazard!
Glad they turned out well, even for a non-baker. Kudos for you for continuing to try to bake, despite the altitude complications and multitude of burns. Your cookies look great!
No recipe is perfected until there is a good burn mark to show for it. These look great–I’ll need about 300 for the Ice Cream Social next month!
I love your post today. Your daughter sounds like a star. It’s kind of funny because my mother was not much of a baker either and I recall a few ”cakes” which could have put a window out. Maybe she just needed a more supportive daughter 🙂
Rose, I wish I’d known your Mother. We would have bonded, for sure. Mary
If this comment works I will jump for joy because I’ve been trying to comment on your blog after every FFWD & TWD and it never works. I think the whole captcha code thing is lost on me. I’m sorry you got burned, but your cookies look like they turned out great! It’s been really fun reading your blog. Fingers crossed that this works!
Maggie, Thank you for being persistent. About three weeks ago I had some comment issues and linking to my Site issues but “my people” talked to “Goggles’ people” who talked to “Word Press people” who talked to “Go Daddy people” who talked to God, and everything got resolved………….until the next time! Yeah, that “we want to know you’re a real person” thing is sometimes confusing.
Oh, I’m sorry about your scar…but glad you enjoyed these cookies 🙂
I hope the cookies were scar-worthy, Mary. I actually have a 2-inch burn scar on my forearm from the souffle last week. Somehow, my arm and the edge of the baking sheet met. Oops.
I enjoyed your post and your guts to do what challenges you. Sorry about your latest burn though. You might need silicon gloves to save your skin.
I think you are doing pretty great with the equipment you have in your rental kitchen, Mary. Your cookies look so good. So sorry about your burn. It looks like you and I have that in common. I was nursing one a few weeks ago. I preferred mine with sugar because I also needed that little extra sweet, but I think the salt version would be good as well.