Friday, October 29, 2010

Twelve Weeks of Christmas Cookies: Week Five

I thought I was going to go in a different direction this week, but I guess I just haven't got spices out of my system.  Okay, I lie... I forgot a key ingredient from the store on what I was going to make (don't you hate that!) so I fell back on another idea I had planned for the future.  I didn't lie totally though, I really don't have spices out of my system.  I have only truly begun to appreciate them in the last year or so while broadening my horizons with cooking and baking.  What better way to feature a spice in it's own cookie.  Not a common spice in baking, but I've read it is a common spice in Indian cooking and used in Nordic countries.  The cookie itself is super simple to make with just a few ingredients. I bring you this week Cardamom Cookies....

Glazed Cardamom Cookies



Cookie Ingredients
125g unsalted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 heaped tsp ground cardamom
1 cup flour

Glaze
1 cup icing/confectioners sugar
1-2 Tbsp hot water
1/8 cup shortening
8-10 drops food colouring (optional)

Place butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy.  Sift cardamom and flour over sugar and butter mixture and stir until combined.  Place dough between non stick paper and roll out to about 0.5cm thickness.  Cut out dough with cookie cutter shapes of your choice and re-roll dough scraps.  Again cut out with cookie cutters and repeat until all dough is gone.  Bake in oven @ 350F for 10-12 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool.  To make the glaze, place all ingredients in a bowl and beat until smooth. Brush glaze onto each cookie and decorate with cachous or sprinkles.  The glaze of course is optional, the cookies are perfectly tasty on their own! Makes 15-20 cookies.




Make sure you see what everyone else has made for Week Five:

6 comments:

  1. I absolutely love cardamom, so these spice cookies would be good for me. I like the way you decorated the stars, those blue dragees add a really nice touch.

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  2. That always happens to me- forgetting an ingredient while shopping and generally its the key one! I love the use of cardamom in these cookies!! I'm such a spice girl too and only the in the past couple years starting using this spice more in baking! Great cookies!! :)

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  3. Your cookies are so pretty! and so is ur plate! lol

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  4. I've been seeing a lot of recipes that call for cardamom and for some reason I don't have any in my spice cabinet... It's going on the grocery list and this recipe is going on my "to do" list! :-) Thanks!

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  5. I have cardamon in my cupboard and this recipe looks like a good way to use it!

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  6. I love cardamom and they look so pretty Di.

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