|
Baking Corner
| Regional
Foods | Cooking
Articles
|
Hints & Tips
| Culinary
Dictionary
|
Newspaper
Columns
I slightly adapted this wonderful Classic Lace Cookies from Fine Cooking
Magazine, April/May 2001. These cookies are named after the lace-like
holes that form as they bake. These exquisite cookies are
very fragile and delicate, and are well worth the time it takes to make
them, even thought they are actually easy-to-make.
More favorite
Cookie Recipes and
Secrets To Making Perfect Cookies. Also learn
How To Have A Successful Holiday Cookie Exchange or Cookie Swap.
Classic Lace Cookies Recipe
Recipe Type:
Cookies,
Christmas Cookie
Yields: 25 to 30 cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients:
2 ounces almonds (to yield 1/2 cup ground almonds)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup firmly-packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated
sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/3 cup all-purpose
flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Position two oven racks in the middle and upper third of your oven. Line
two (2) cookie sheets with parchment paper or use the Silicone Baking Mats to prevent the cookies from sticking. I personally recommend that you use the
Silicone Baking Mats as nothing sticks to them.
In a food processor, grind almonds finely; measure out 1/2 cup and set aside.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, heat the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and corn syrup until the butter
melts and the sugar dissolves, stirring often. Increase the heat to medium high and, stirring constantly, bring the mixture JUST to a boil. Immediately
remove the pan from the heat and stir in the flour and salt until incorporated. Stir in the ground almonds and vanilla extract.
Drop the batter by the teaspoon, 3-inches apart, on the prepared cookie sheets (about 1/2 dozen cookies per cookie
sheet). Prepare all your pans of cookies at this time even though you are only going to bake 1 or 2 sheets at a time.
Bake the cookies until evenly light brown, approximately 8 to 10 minutes until the cookies spread, become thin, and
take on a deep golden color. After 5 minutes into the baking time, switch the baking sheets from top to bottom and back to front to promote even
baking. The cookies won't begin to spread until approximately 6 minutes into the baking time.
Line wire cooling racks with plastic wrap. When cookies are done baking, remove the cookies from the oven and, as soon as
they're firm enough to lift off the baking sheet (which will take just a few minutes), use a wide spatula to transfer them to the prepared cooling
racks to cool completely. Allowing the cookies to cool slightly on the cookie sheet will also cause them to flatten out more. If the cookies
become too cold and hard to remove from the baking sheet without shattering them, replace the pan in the oven to soften the cookies again.
Bake the remaining cookies; the batter will have firmed up a bit, but that is fine.
Store the flat cookies between sheets of parchment paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid.
Makes approximately 25 to 30 cookies.
|
Mold warm lace cookies into different shapes:
Because these cookies are so thin
and still pliable while warm, lace cookies can be shaped in all
kinds of ways. Little tubes, made from rolling the warm cookie
around a dowel or wooden spoon handle are a great and interesting way to serve these cookies.
To do this, carefully remove the
warm cookies from the baking sheet and drape over a small dowel
or wooden spoon handle. As soon as the cookies cool enough to
become rigid, remove them from the mold. They will now hold
their shape. |
Variation Ideas:
- Add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract for an
almond flavor.
- Add 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest or
orange zest.
- Replace the ground almonds with ground
hazelnuts.
- Dissolve 1 teaspoon instant coffee
with the sugar.
- Mix in 3 tablespoons very finely diced
crystallized ginger.
- Melt semi-sweet chocolate and spread
thinly over the flat side of the baked and cooled cookies.
| 
