Kitchen Resolutions

I don't like to make New Year Resolutions - I think that if you want to make changes to your life, start now! Don't wait until the 1st of January! But I suppose it's symbolic - a new year, a fresh start; wipe the slate clean and start all over. I don't have any 'personal' resolutions to share - not because I feel particularly private, but I don't have any (I make them year round, eh?). The trips to the gym continue as planned, mental self-improvement is always on the agenda, the quest to find the perfect fork plods on - but I do have a few "Kitchen Resolutions":

1) No dirty dishes in the sink overnight and start unloading/drying more consistently.
I know I'll make exceptions for this - who wants to clean up after a party?

2) Continue daily sweep.
After the 'Infestation 2009', I brush my small kitchen tile space religiously.

3) Push the boundaries of my baking - let's try a stretch of 12 new recipes. No past repeats.

4) Buy what you will eat. Don't buy for what you might eat.

5) Unless something breaks, no new kitchen gadgets.
Exception: Kitchen Aid Food Processor...Daisy's getting a sibling!

I think that's a pretty good start. I should print this out and tape it on my fridge. Tomorrow. Heh.
I should note that as an amendment to Resolution #5 - I will still accept kitchen gadget gifts! I was gifted a lovely and heavy-duty non-stick mini Madeleine pan for Christmas! Lovely! It's definitely something I have hesitated to buy for myself in the past, but have always wanted. So hooray! Thanks to Maple Pecan for the gift, and J for the suggestion!

Instead of typical sponge Madeleines, I made hazelnut shortbread.
And it was deeelicious.
Hazelnuts are something I always have in the freezer. Unfortunately, they are unpeeled so I have to plan long in advance before using them in a recipe. They must be toasted and peeled, something that can take quite a while - not to mention potentially disastrous!
My method: pour hazelnuts in a shallow frying pan and gently toast over LOW HEAT. Shake the pan/stir nuts often to avoid spot burning. You can toss out burnt nuts, but the smell will linger for-e-ver. Once the skins have started to crack and peel, pour the nuts in a small bowl lined with a kitchen towel and start peelin' by kneading the hazelnuts in the towel. The friction caused by the hazelnuts and towel fibre should be able to take off a significant amount of peel. I like to do some by hand once they have cooled or return them to the pan for a second round of toasting.



















I'm not sure if you can tell the colour difference in the two pictures. If you can - the colour difference can be attributed to two extra minutes in the oven. Granted, these little guys are small and two minutes do make quite a difference. No discernible difference in taste, though!
Once cooled, the 'top' sides were dipped in chocolate. The recipe called for 1/2 cup of ground hazelnuts and it really made an impact! Highly recommend this simple and easy recipe.

Boozy Currant Cookies

I saw my photos of these cookies in my head before I baked them. Good sign? Bad sign? (that I'm thinking how to construct my shots even before baking...that's definitely on the whole counting your wheels before your sheep, or whatever that saying is) Anyway, don't they look terrific? I call the first picture, "Nooo! Not my crumbies!" Ah, but they're too delicious, Mr. Cookie. You'll have to let me nibble at them.

I also think it's almost time for the official blog launch. I've got a good amount of content up, but now it's to tweak the last bits of code I'm struggling with. I've widened the posting space a bit, but now I'm trying to get rid of that divider line up top and bottom.

So the cookie in question is c/o Martha Stewart (of course), the Cookie of the Month, July 2007. I was going through my back issues and archiving when this particular recipe caught my eye They're actually called Rum-Raisin Shortbread (who can resist??!!), it actually calls for currants instead. Results? Good! But they didn't soak up quite as much rum as expected, but I didn't want the taste of rum to be overwhelming, anyway.

Rum-Raisin Shortbread
(c/o Martha Stewart)
Makes about 4 1/2 dozen

1/2 cup dark rum
1 cup dried currants
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
1 teaspoon coarse salt


Combine rum and currants, cover and let stand at room temperature overnight. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of rum.
Beat butter, sugar, and orange zest together with a mixer until creamy and smooth. Add vanilla, reserved rum, and beat until combined.
Reduce speed to low and add flour, coconut, salt and beat for 3 minutes or so.
Add currants in by hand.
Form dough into 2 logs, each about 1 1/2" in diameter, wrap in parchment and chill until firm.
*I took a 7-8" section of waxed paper, blopped half of the batter down one end and rolled/molded it into a log and rolled it up. Repeat with other half of batter.

Preheat oven to 325F, remove parchment and slice logs into 1/4"-thick rounds and space about 1" apart on a baking sheet. Bake until pale golden, about 20 minutes (mine took about 30 min), let cool.


I could barely wait and I was snapping away while the cookies were still piping hot and barely holding together. I was trying to catch the last of the daylight!