Cookbook review by Tracey Zabar
This book is full of detailed instructions for baking all sorts of doughs, and beautiful photographs for clear understanding of each recipe. There are sourdough and yeasted doughs, pre-ferments for pizza and bagels, and laminated dough for pastries. I was charmed by these simple cookies, and made them with a sprinkling of raw sugar. Next on my list: Ciabatta; S’mores Tart; Cream Scones; and a lovely Cocoa Streusel Coffeecake.
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Recipe excerpted with permission from The King Arthur Baking School (The Countryman Press)
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Brown Sugar Snaps
Yield: about thirty-two 3" cookies
We teach many variations of this cookie in the school, changing the flavors to suit the season. Our base version is a simple brown sugar cookie, and you can spice it up by adding citrus zest or flavoring oils, or even seeds or finely chopped nuts. The sparkling sugar is optional but adds a glitzy, professional-looking touch.
170 grams (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
266 grams (1¼ cups) light brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
360 grams (3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
72 grams (¼ cup) sparkling sugar (optional)
1. Place the butter, brown sugar, salt, and baking soda in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on medium
speed until thoroughly combined.
2. Beat in the egg, then add the flour, mixing until a cohesive, soft dough forms.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide it in half. Shape each piece into a disk about 1" thick.
4. Wrap the dough and chill for about 20 minutes, until it’s cool but still pliable.
5. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
6. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and tap it gently with a rolling pin to soften and flatten slightly.
7. Roll out the dough to about ⅛" thick. Using a floured 3" fluted round cutter, cut out as many cookies as you can. Reroll the scraps as necessary.
8. Place the cutouts about 1" apart on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle them with sparkling sugar, if
desired.
9. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until they’re fragrant, the edges are lightly golden, and the
centers are set.
