COOKBOOKS WITH PANACHE
Tartine
By Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson
For those not lucky enough to live
near San Francisco-based Tartine Bakery comes Tartine (Chronicle
Books, 2006, $35) by co-owners and master bakers Elisabeth
Prueitt and Chad Robertson – featuring heavenly recipes for
both luscious desserts and savory treats. Below is the recipe
for a holiday favorite.
Soft Glazed Gingerbread
Yield: 12 to 20 cookies, depending on size of cutters |
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INGREDIENTS
Dough
All-purpose flour 3 3/4 cups/18 1/2 ozs/525 g
Cocoa powder 1 tablespoon/15 ml
Ground ginger 4 teaspoons/20 ml
Ground cloves 1 1/2 teaspoons/7 ml
Ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons/10 ml
Baking soda 1/2 teaspoon/2 ml
Salt 1 teaspoon/5 ml
Black pepper, freshly ground 1 1/4 teaspoons/6 ml
Unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup/8 ozs/225 g
Granulated sugar 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons/6 ozs/170 g
Large egg 1
Blackstrap or other dark molasses 1/2 cup/5 1/2 ozs/155 g
Light corn syrup 2 tablespoons/30 ml
Glaze
Confectioners' sugar 1 cup/4 ozs/115 g
Water 2 tablespoons/30 ml |
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Soft Glazed Gingerbread. |
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Several years ago during the holidays, I experimented with different
thicknesses of gingerbread dough and patterned rolling pins and cookie
molds. I found that the dough I was using made a perfect soft cookie
with some adjustments to the butter and sugar, and the addition of a
little extra molasses and corn syrup. The dough also kept the impression
from an antique pin I had, and when it was glazed and cut into rectangles,
the resulting cookies looked like tiles, with the glaze settling into
the grooves and turning white from the crystallization of the sugar.
Originally, I used what is called a thread glaze, meaning that
sugar and water are cooked together to the thread stage, cooled
slightly, and then brushed on. The brushing action made the sugar
crystallize and set. A simple water icing, confectioners' sugar
and water mixed together to a thin brushing consistency, is easier
and works just as well. The glaze seals in the moisture in the
cookie and gives it a perfect amount of extra sweetness.
To make the dough, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cloves,
cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Set aside. Using
a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high
speed until creamy. Slowly add the granulated sugar and mix on medium speed
until the mixture is completely smooth and soft. Stop the mixer and scrape
down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the egg and
mix well.
Add the molasses and corn syrup and beat until incorporated. Stop the mixer
again and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture and beat
on low speed until a dough forms that pulls away from the sides of the bowl
and all the ingredients are well incorporated. Remove the dough from the bowl,
flatten it on a large piece of plastic wrap into a rectangle about 1 inch thick,
cover the dough with the plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or
a nonstick liner.
Unwrap the dough and place on a floured work surface. If using a plaque with
a design, roll out the dough 1/3 inch thick, lightly dust the top with flour,
press your cookie molds over the dough, and then cut out the shapes with a
small knife and place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch
apart. Alternatively, using the mold as a guide, cut around it with a small
knife, flip the mold over so the design is facing you, and place the dough
over it, pressing it into the design. Unmold the shapes onto the prepared baking
sheet, leaving about 1 inch between them.
If using a patterned rolling pin, lightly dust the lined baking sheet with
flour and transfer the dough to the pan. Lightly dust the top of the dough
with flour and roll it into a rectangle about 1/3 inch thick with a plain pin.
Then, using the patterned pin, roll over the dough with enough pressure to
ensure a clear impression of the design. Trim the sides with a small knife.
It is not necessary to cut into smaller sizes before baking.
Bake the cookies until lightly golden along the sides but still soft to the
touch in the centers, 7 to 15 minutes. The timing will depending on the size
of the individual cookies, or if you have made a single large patterned piece
that will be cut after baking.
While the cookies are baking, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together
the confectioners' sugar and water until smooth.
When the cookies are ready, remove from the oven and let cool on the pan on
a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Then, while the cookies are still warm, using
even strokes, brush a light coat of glaze on the top of each cookie, evenly
covering it. Let the cookies cool completely. When the glaze dries, it should
leave a shiny, opaque finish. If you have used a patterned pin to make a single
large plaque, cut into the desired sizes with a small, very sharp knife. At
the bakery, we cut them into 3-by-4-inch rectangles, but 1 1/2 by 4 inches
makes a nice smaller size. The cookies will keep in an airtight container in
a cool place for about 2 weeks. They do not freeze well, however, as glaze
becomes watery when they are thawed.
Icing Variation: If you want to make the traditional thread glaze for finishing
the cookies, heat 1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces/300 g) sugar and 1 cup (8 fluid
ounces/230 ml) water over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Then
increase the heat to medium and cook without stirring until the mixture registers
225° to 230°F on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat and let
the syrup cool to 180°F. Brush the syrup over the cooled cookies with a
clean, dry natural-bristle pastry brush, brushing quickly back and forth to
encourage sugar crystals to form. Once the crystallization begins, the glaze
will continue to turn opaque over the next hour or so. Store as directed above.
Kitchen Notes: Sift the confectioners' sugar before combining it with the water to ensure a smooth glaze. If you are using a pin or cookie forms with a carved design, make sure to flour the top of the dough so that it doesn't stick in the crevices of the design. As long as the flour is lightly and evenly distributed, it will disappear from the surface during baking. The patterned pin and cookie plaques are often sold as springerle molds or pins, after the Scandinavian cookie traditionally made with them.
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| Excerpted from Tartine (Chronicle
Books).
Photo by France Ruffenach. |
