purewellnessamy

Does anyone else immediately think of  ”4/20 brownie” when they read “Baking Wednesday?”  Is it just me?  I was never a pothead, but I just know that if I were playing the word association game and someone said “Baking Wednesday,” I would reply “4/20 brownie.”  Take that for what you will. 

I cannot tell a lie: I did not bake these cookies yesterday. As you can probably tell, I’m a bit “off” this week, what with the death rattles, self-pitying, and crying over Josh Groban. I’ve been a busy, busy girl.

However, once I stop rambling here I’ll be heading into the kitchen to make them. I’ll be auditioning a bunch of cookie recipes over the next week or so and the winners will appear at my family’s Christmas party (and in tins for our neighbors.) I thought I’d post this recipe now because it sounds like it will be a winner. What do you think? To me they sound like a nice balance of crispy, sweet and citrusy–and not too fussy.

Remember to use organic ingredients whenever possible (especially the butter and eggs)!

Orange Cornmeal Crisps

From Family Fun Magazine, December/January 2011 issue, page 64

“Citrus tang and cornmeal crunch make these crisps stand out on a holiday cookie platter. If blood oranges are available, use them to lend a rosier hue to the glaze.”

Ingredients:

For the cookie

2 cups flour

1 cup fine cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 to 2 teaspoons orange zest

1/2 teaspoon orange extract

For the glaze

2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Zest and juice of 2 medium oranges

Pinch of fine sea salt

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, 3/4 cup of the cornmeal, the baking powder, and the salt, then set the mixture aside.

2. Using an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat the butter, sugar, and egg until creamy (scraping the bowl often), about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low; add the flour mixture, zest, and orange extract, and beat until the mixture pulls away from the sides and forms a dough, about 1 minute.

3. Divide the dough in half and form each half into a 12-inch-long, 1 1 /2 -inch-wide log. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and chill until firm, about 1 hour in the refrigerator or 20 minutes in the freezer.

4. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two rimmed cookie sheets with parchment paper. Spread the remaining 1/4 cup cornmeal on a small flat tray; roll each log in the cornmeal to coat. Cut the logs into 1/2-inch-thick slices and place them 1 inch apart on the prepared sheets. Bake until the cookies are deep golden brown around the edges, about 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through. Cool the trays on a wire rack for about 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to the rack to continue cooling.

5. To make the glaze, stir together the confectioners’ sugar, zest, 1/4 cup of the orange juice, and the salt. If needed, add more juice, a teaspoon at a time, until the glaze has a flowing consistency. Spoon a few teaspoons of the glaze onto each cookie.

Enjoy your Thursday!