Tuesday, April 26, 2011

TWD: Cornmeal Shortbread Cookies

This week's Tuesdays With Dorie selection of Cornmeal Shortbread Cookies (page 130 of Dorie Greenspan's: BAKING From My Home to Yours) was made by Valerie of Une Gamine dans la Cuisine.



Now I'm a BIG fan of thick, crumbly Scottish shortbread (think Walkers), so I was a little disappointed in these cookies. They were a little too thin and a little too sweet, so they just didn't "taste" like shortbread. And those little buggers spread like crazy. For the second batch I even pre-cut the squares and chilled the dough before baking, but I still got the same mis-shaped results. Yes, I know I'm whining.



If these cookies had been called sugar cornmeal cookies or sweet butter-cornmeal crisps, I would have raved about their taste and the surprisingly pleasant texture that the cornmeal adds, but I was fixated on the traditional and my mind couldn't cope with this different spin on shortbread. I know, I know, the problem is with me and not the cookies.



But one thing I simply loved about this recipe was the awesome tip about rolling out the dough in a zip-lock bag. No mess, no fuss, and best of all no clean-up.

Simply genius. Thanks Dorie.





And thank you, Valerie. Your selection really was tasty.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

TWD: A Tourtely Apple Tart

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection of A Tourtely Apple Tart (page 306 & 307 of Dorie Greenspans' Baking From My Home to Yours) was made by Jeanette of The Whimsical Cupcake.



I halved the recipe and made four mini tarts. Isn't he cute?

I had a little trouble adjusting the baking time and temperature for my mini portions, but even with their crispy brown edges the tarts tasted great. They could have been a little sweeter and a little juicer, but not too bad for my first attempt at Dorie's Tourtely Apple Tart.

Thanks Jeanette