Samoa Bark
from bakersroyale.com
If you are not a fan of the Girl Scout Samoa cookie, read no further for these are reminiscent of my favorite GS cookie.
My caramel did not turn out the way I think it should have: One- it was gritty looking though it had good flavor. Maybe the sugar was not dissolved completely. Two- It never hardened. Maybe there was a mistake in the ratios; I'll have to do some research. I did substitute (something I usually do not do on a first run) half & half for the heavy cream for that is what I had on hand and did not want to make a run to the store.
Aside from the caramel mishap, this is an easy, fun and really tasty treat that can be made anytime you have a craving for those Samoa cookies that are unavailable but once a year.
Success meter (1-3): 2
Sablés
from Baking by Dorie Greenspan
These are not only awesome but super easy!
When will I ever learn what I recommend to others: always read your recipes thoroughly before-hand. I was hoping to get more done today. However this recipe calls for your eggs and butter to be at room temperature (which is the norm for baking unless otherwise noted). No big deal... maybe half hour tops to wait. Reading further - dough needs to chill at least three hours - great... already it is four o'clock.
This is one of those cookie doughs you want to handle little as possible so when you bite into the cookie it will be melt-in-your-mouth goodness. I had a new cookie cutter that I was anxious to use so I rolled the dough into a log as instructed, cut it into just under 1/2-inch thick then used a cookie cutter to make a pretty shape. Not only do I recommend not using a cookie cutter for the above reason, but they do not hold their definitive shape very well. After trying both shapes I really liked the plain sliced cookie for it seemed to have a better texture and are less time consuming to make.
Success meter (1-3): 3
Hastskor
Recipe from my friend Christine
The name hastskor translates to horseshoes, the shape of this crisp cardamom flavored cookie. While these are labor intensive to make, they are so worth it.
This has been a tradition for the cookie tin for as long as I can remember. It has to be one of the best cookies around and one of which my sister would rather fill her tin completely with and forgo all other treats.
I was happy the cookies turned out this year for I had to make a few modifications. My Lyle's Golden Syrup (both cans) developed some sort of chemical reaction and there was a dark nastiness along the lid and rim which gave the syrup a metallic taste. The good news is, if you do not have Lyle's Golden Syrup in your area, honey works just as well. I also did not have enough all-purpose flour and had to use a bit of bread flour.
Success meter (1-3): 3
