I wanted to show you all this pie I made from scratch today :,)
you need to have 3 drinks with you at all times:
drink one: water. this one's water. can't beat the og
drink two: fun drink. this is a drink with colors or perhaps bubbles in it.
drink three: substance drink. on weekdays this is usually a caffeine drink. for the agonies. on weekends it may be an alcohol drink instead. also for the agonies. sometimes you can combine fun drink and substance drink into one. not always though
“[...] a combination of shortbread and jam thumbprint cookies, made all the more interesting by the addition of tea - something different for a cookie exchange, or package them with a fancy cup and extra tea as a gift.” - ~mystery book~, p. 227
Sugar cookies are a staple of the holiday season. Whether decorated with frosting, cut into festive shapes, or sprinkled with powdered sugar, they are the go-to cookie for gifting!
When I first decided to try this version of sugar cookie, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But, I figured I’d give them a shot since it uses my favourite tea. In the end? Best. Decision. EVER! I’ve made them for myself and friends in past holiday seasons and I constantly get asked for the recipe and/or when I’ll be making more (the answer is always December, guys).
Like the Soul Cakes marking the overlap of four different holidays at the end of October, these cookies offer a twist on the traditional treats served this time of year.
Consider baking them with the Cranberry Banana Muffins to really spice up the holiday season!
EDIT: Now with extra tips!
(This recipe is an adaptation from a cookbook my grandmother has tucked away. However, I don’t have the title of the book and I can’t find her copy anymore so it’s of ~mystery origin~.)
Prep: 5 mins Cook: 45 mins Total: 50 mins
Ingredients*:
1 cup (227 g) butter, softened
⅔ cup (138 g) granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. (5 mL) vanilla extractñ
2 ½ cups (313 g) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. (6 g) Earl Grey tea leaves
¼ tsp. (0.5 g) kosher salt
½ cup (320 g) apricot jam or marmalade**
*Makes enough for about 3 dozen cookies.
** Be careful when selecting your brand of jam (both for these cookies and in general). Ingredients on labels are listed from greatest amount to least - so try to pick one that has apricots as the first ingredient instead of sugar!
First, preheat the oven to convection bake at 325℉ (160℃) [or 350℉ (177℃) if using a conventional oven].
Then, in a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light (top-left).
Beat in the egg and vanilla (top-right).
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, tea, and salt.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until just combined.
Roll the cookies into 1 tbsp. (about 1-inch or 2.5 cm) balls and place them on two large, parchment-lined baking sheets.
TIP: To get all of the cookies a uniform size, I level off a 1 tbsp. measuring spoon with dough, then roll them.
Dip the end of a wooden spoon about ⅜ th of an inch (1 cm) in diameter into flour and make indentations in the center of each cookie.
Fill each indentation with a generous ¼ tsp. of jam or marmalade.
Convection bake in the oven for 16 - 18 minutes [or the same amount of time, rotating the pan halfway through, if using a conventional oven], or until they start to turn a light golden.
Remove from oven and let cool on wire racks.
Overall, I would give these cookies a 5/5. The mild sweetness from the earl grey mixed with the sweetness of the jam produces such a unique flavour without being overwhelming. Not to mention that snacking on them creates this holiday/Christmas-y vibe that’s hard to describe.
As mentioned in the intro, I’ve made these for my friends in the past and they’re a massive hit. Because they look so different from traditional holiday sugar cookies but fit so well with the season, they become a really unique treat to give to friends and family!
“The most common variety of elven rations, this vegetarian trail food is made up primarily of dried fruits, but regional variations can include seeds, nuts, legumes, and beyond.” - Heroes’ Feast, p. 57
The best way to describe Quith-Pa from Heroes’ Feast is as a fruit truffle instead of a chocolate one. Packed with refreshing, fruity sweetness, toasty flavours, and no added sugar, it’s a great snack or dessert for those looking to try something new!
Additionally, they're small enough that you can easily pack them into a mini tupperware container and bring them with you for easy snacking on the go!
See below for my notes on the results and for some helpful tips and tricks when making this yourself! Get Heroes’ Feast here: https://dnd.wizards.com/heroes-feast
Prep: 10 mins Cook: 1h Total: 1h 10 mins
Ingredients (makes 12 ish):
1 orange
6 ounces (1 cup) (170 g) dried apricots, coarsely chopped
¾ cup (70 g) unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted*
¾ tsp. (4 ml) pure vanilla extract
Kosher salt
* To toast the coconut: spread out the coconut in an even layer in a large, flat-bottom pan on medium-low heat. Stir frequently until almost all of the coconut has reached a toasty golden brown colour, about 8-10 mins.
Using a microplane, grate the orange peel to yield 1 ½ tsp. (8 g, about half the rind of a large navel orange) of finely grated zest. Squeeze the orange to yield 1 ½ tbsp. (15 ml) of juice.
In a full-size or mini food processor, combine the apricots, ½ cup (25 g) of the toasted coconut, the orange zest and juice, vanilla, and a tiny pinch of salt.
Process until the mixture is very finely chopped, uniform, and cohesive, pulsing and stopping to scrape down the sides of the work as necessary.
Put the remaining ½ cup coconut in a wide, shallow bowl.
Roll scant 1-tablespoon (~18 g) portions of the apricot mixture into 1-inch balls, gently pressing as you roll to help them cohere (you should have 15 or 16 balls).
Working with three or four balls at a time, roll them in the remaining coconut, pressing them gently to help the coconut adhere.
Place the balls on a plate and rest them (to firm up and dry out slightly) for 45 minutes.
The balls will keep, stored in an airtight container at room temperature, for about 3 days.
TIP: They will be incredibly sticky while forming them. I recommend pressing the mixture together with your fingers to create the shape of a ball and then gently rolling them between your fingers (not your palms!) to finish shaping them.
You may need to brush off any mixture clinging to your hands a couple times while rolling it into a ball because the remaining stickiness from your hands will cause formed balls to break.
NOTE: If rolling them in a deeper, smaller bowl like I was, you may only be able to work with one or two at a time.
Overall, I would give this recipe a 4/5. Although the taste is great and they make a fantastic sweet snack for anyone trying to avoid added sugar, I feel like the effort/dishes to yield is a little low. Definitely at least double the recipe if you plan on making these yourself.
BONUS picture that didn’t make the cover photo:
“On Halloween night, the Great Pumpkin rises from his pumpkin patch and flies through the air with his bag of toys to [give to] all the children.” - Linus, It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!
Happy Halloween everyone! I’ve been a huge fan of Charlie Brown for as long as I can remember. Every year, my family watches the specials on TV and I must have read each volume in my grandmother’s massive collection at least three times.
So, when I saw this tumblr post late last year, I knew exactly what I wanted to make for Halloween this year… but with a twist! After some trial and error, I’ve found a way to add cinnamon/pumpkin spice sugar to these rolls while avoiding a massive pocket of it.
So, grab your fall-themed drink of choice and check out below for how to make a batch of these delicious pull-apart dinner rolls for yourself! The great pumpkin may just pay you a visit for your troubles…
(Based on the post by Chef John from All Recipes and the tumblr post linked above.)
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Canadian Cooking Gremlin™ | Cooking through Heroes' Feast and other stuff | Sideblog of @Letuce369
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