Spiced sable rounds with eggnog glaze

Today’s cookies are a proof that there’s still kindness in the world – people who will do something nice for someone else even though they live on the other side of the planet.

I bookmarked one recipe last January already thinking of making it for the holidays. But when I reached for it on my del.icio.us a couple of weeks ago the link no longer worked... Google showed me someone on Flickr who had made those cookies and I asked her if she had the recipe posted somewhere – she didn’t, but was kind enough to send it to me by email. Isn’t that sweet?

Anastasia, thank you for sending me this great recipe – the cookies turned out delicious! I wish I could send some your way.

xoxo

Spiced sable rounds with eggnog glaze

Cookie dough:

• 1 ¼ cups (282g) unsalted butter, cold and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup + 1 ½ tablespoons (218g) caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• finely grated zest of 2 lemons
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• 4 cups + 4 tablespoons (600g) all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Glaze:

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon brandy
• 1 tablespoon dark rum - I used white
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
• 2 cups + 2 ½ tablespoons (300g) icing sugar, sifted
• freshly ground nutmeg, for scattering

Beat butter and sugar in an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine. Add lemon zest, spices, flour and baking powder and mix until just combined. Divide dough in four equal parts and form each one into a log that is a little more than 3.5cm (1 ½ in) thick. Wrap well in baking paper and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 180°C; line two large baking sheets with baking paper.

Unwrap one of the dough logs (keep the others in the fridge) and slice it into 6mm (¼-in) rounds. Place onto prepared baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes or until just golden – mine needed 15 minutes for staying in the fridge for 24 hours.

Repeat with the remaining logs.

Make the glaze: whisk egg, brandy, rum and vanilla paste (if using a vanilla bean, scrape the seeds with the back of a knife and add to the bowl) in an electric mixer for 5 minutes or until pale and fluffy. Add the sugar and whisk until thick and pale.

Spread icing over warm cookies then scatter with a little nutmeg and cool on a wire rack. Let glaze set completely before storing the cookies.

Cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 90 – I halved the recipe and got 48

Rum and raisin pillows

There are movies I want to watch again right after they end – they’re so good I feel like staying in the movie theater, waiting for the next session, and the other after that.

It doesn’t happen much, but I felt that way last Saturday and would’ve probably bought another ticket for “500 Days of Summer” hadn’t my sister been with me. :)

I’m gonna be honest with you: I don’t like raisins. But these cookies were so cute I had to make them anyway – they’re pillows, after all. :)

After trying them I felt like making other recipes with raisins – immediately. And that doesn’t happen much, either. :D

Rum and raisin pillows
from DH mag #34

• 200g unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup + ½ tablespoon (73g) caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• ½ cup (120ml) maple syrup
• 3 ¼ cups (455g) self rising flour
• Rum and raisin filling:
• 1 1/3 cups (205g) raisins
• ¼ cup (60ml) dark rum – I used white rum
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F; line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
Make the rum filling: place the raisins, rum and sugar in a bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.

Place the butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 8-10 minutes or until pale and creamy. Add the egg and beat until well combined. Add the maple syrup and flour and beat in slow speed until just combined. Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Roll out the dough between two sheets of non-stick baking paper* to 5mm thick. Cut eighteen 12x5cm (5x2in) rectangles from the dough. Place 2 teaspoons of the rum and raisin filling in the center of each rectangle and fold to enclose – carefully not to tear the dough; I removed the excess rum from the filling because I thought the liquid might soften the dough.

Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Place the pillows onto prepared baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden – mine needed 18 minutes.
Let cool in the sheets.

* can’t find non-stick baking paper here, so I used lightly floured regular baking paper

Makes 18 – I halved the recipe and still got 16