My cookie jar(s) are full right now. So the eating of said cookies must occur before more baking is to take place. I think the only thing that gets me through December is the food group "sugar", yarn, yarn and more yarn and the fact that Idol returns in January. I am serious. And this heatwave we are having is nice. But snow. Please.
From left to right pictured above: Speculoos, Nigella Lawson's Christmas Chocolate Cookie (recipe here) and finally, from Rose Levy Beranbaum's Christmas Cookies cookbook, Three Nut Finger cookies. Yum. Yum. Yum.
Santa surprised me early this year: Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery cookbook arrived. (Conveniently right after Cyber Monday!) This is no Marion Cunningham baking book. Think beautiful coffee table picture book with some of the most incredible food photography this side of the Mason Dixon. I'm having trouble keeping my hands off it. It humbles and awes. I plan to study, bake and read and re-read for months to come. I thought it fitting to begin my Cookie-palooza with the book's Speculoos. Tomorrow is The Feast of St. Nicholas! The day is traditionally celebrated with this lovely, slightly spiced shortbread cookie in many countries. (Most notably the Netherlands.) For me, I celebrated by baking these speculoos for my initiation into all things Bouchon.
I followed the directions for the cookie to the "T". Weights are given in grams. It is highly recommended you weigh all ingredients. I will abide.
Christmas. Baking. Bliss.
That Nigella is amazing.
Then the other day, a favorite little site, The Purl Bee, posted these festive Snowflower Ornaments. I grabbed my crochet hook about five minutes after reading about them. So far I've made one a night. They are large! (As you can see on our four foot tall Christmas Tree!) Dr. Thyme asked if they were coasters? He is so funny, that husband of mine.
Now I am off to get in a few miles of running. Then back home for a few (more) cookies!
Yup, the flour is flying around here too! I love Christmas cookies - a bit too much, alas. The Bouchon Bakery book looks excellent - I'll have to take a look, if for no other reason just to drool over the pictures!
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed! The cookies AND the ornaments look fabulous! I was thinking of you the other day, Kelly, because I finally picked up my knitting needles again and joined Ravelry. It's always inspiring to stop by your blog and see what you've been knitting (or crocheting, in this case). :)
ReplyDeleteI've never had Speculoos and I must confess I had to Wikipedia them...are they traditionally made in molds? I love the tradition of St. Nick's Eve and these would be so supercute! So then I also had to look for cookie molds and found these http://houseonthehill.net/cookie-molds/ and now I'm all inspired!
ReplyDeleteI also peeked at Bouchon Bakery on amazon...holy delicious decadence! Four Eclair recipes?? If the photos are as gorgeous as you say they are, I don't think I could take my eyes off of those! Now if only they were all vegan... ;)
Cheers!
Hi All! My apologies in being absent. There has been a crisis once again-- though one involving my best friend of thirty years. I am back home and in the kitchen healing now. I appreciate the notes so much. Jeanne--so happy you are giving knitting a go once again! I took an entire canvas bag of knitting projects when I left town. Such comfort. And P.P.--you are right -- the Bouchon book is amazing. I adore it. Many thanks again! I will be back to normal here shortly.
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