Dec 16, 2011
Proof positive that the simplest recipes are almost always the best. How can four ingredients come together to taste so darned lovely? Easiest way to mix is to pulse in your food processor. Like almost everyone else, I found the number of cookies promised to be almost double the number it actually made. 31 exactly. Keep a tiny bit of confectioners sugar around for dipping whatever implement you use to make the indentations (handle of a wooden spoon, your thumb, measuring tsp, etc) so that it doesn't stick to the dough. Remember that the key to making them look picture perfect is to avoid the temptation to put more than a small dab of jam in the indentation. This avoids "oven boil over" and the consequent mess. A+ for a superb recipe that is not only simple to make, it bakes up looking like it belongs on the cover of Bon Appetit and tastes so wonderful, it's the stuff dreams are made of! Note: for ehuber and others who had trouble with the dough spreading when baked and tasting inedibly greasy, that's indicative of an inadequate measure of flour. Knead in more flour, 1-2 Tb at a time, until incorporated. When the dough stays together and doesn't cling to your hands, but is not crumbly, you've added enough. If it's sticky, add another Tb of flour. Allow to rest 20 minutes or more after you finish kneading in the flour to relax the gluten so that the finished product will not be tough. It just takes a little practice to develop the feel for dough with the proper consistency.
—Baricat
