Tea and Cookies (10 page)

MAKES
2½ DOZEN
COOKIES

In the world of cookies, brownies are surely on the short list of absolute favorites. And while there are different styles of brownies, I like them moist, chewy, and fudgy. Here they are, dressed up in minimalist chic—cut into cubes and cloaked in dark chocolate to make small, intensely flavored bites. use your favorite eating chocolate for the ganache, but keep in mind that the ganache may curdle if the cacao content of your chosen chocolate is higher than 62 percent, so check the label. (If there is no percentage listed, the chocolate is probably fine to use for ganache.) For an especially pretty look appropriate for a high tea, top each square with an unsprayed edible flower blossom, such as johnny-jump-ups or a small rose petal. If you are a fan of chocolate-flavored tea, serve it with these for a doubly chocolate tea experience.

BROWNIES

Softened butter for the pan

½ cup all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, cut up

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs, beaten, at room temperature

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

GANACHE

1 cup heavy cream

8 ounces finely chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (no higher than 62 percent cacao content)

1.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly butter the inside of an 11½ × 8-inch baking pan. Line the bottom of the pan with wax paper. Dust the inside of the pan with flour and tap out the excess.

2.
To make the brownies, sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Let stand until the chocolate softens, about 3 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in the sugars, then gradually whisk in the eggs, then the corn syrup and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture, just until smooth. Spread evenly in the baking pan.

3.
Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the brownie comes out with a moist crumb, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire cake rack.

4.
Invert the brownie onto a cutting board and remove the wax paper. Use a sharp, thin-bladed knife to cut the brownie vertically into 6 rows, then horizontally into 5 rows, to make 30 pieces. If you wish, trim any raised edges to give the brownies a tailored appearance. (Freeze the brownie trimmings to sprinkle on ice cream.)

5.
To make the ganache, bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Let stand until the chocolate melts, about 3 minutes. Stir with a rubber spatula until smooth. (Whisking could create bubbles that will mar the surface of the icing.)

6.
Arrange the brownies, smooth bottoms up, on a wire cake rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Working with a few pieces at a time, spoon the warm ganache over each brownie. Use a small offset metal spatula to smooth the ganache over the top of each brownie, letting the excess ganache run down the sides. Do not cover the sides of the brownies completely, as the bare portions will make the brownies easier to pick up. Let stand until the ganache is set, about 1 hour. (The brownies can be made up to 3 days ahead, covered and stored at room temperature.)

Cherry and White Chip Cookies

MAKES ABOUT
3 DOZEN
COOKIES

If you are looking for kid-friendly cookies (say, for a young girl’s first tea party), these are a good bet. Grown-ups will find that the fruit and vanilla flavors in these chewy cookies are made for a hot cup of black tea. For plump cookies that won’t deflate when they come out of the oven (a common problem with chocolate chip cookies), do not overcream the butter and sugar. Also, chill the dough before shaping the cookies. These two little secrets will forever change the way you make chocolate chip cookies.

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, beaten together

2 tablespoons light corn syrup, golden syrup, or honey

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup dried tart or sweet cherries

1.
Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together. Beat the butter and the granulated and brown sugars together in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on high speed just until the mixture turns pale, about 2 minutes. Do not overbeat. Gradually beat in the egg mixture, then the corn syrup and vanilla. Gradually stir in the flour mixture to make a stiff dough. Stir in the white chocolate chips and dried cherries. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until chilled, about 1½ hours. Do not chill for more than 2 hours, or the baking soda may lose its strength.

2.
Position racks in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

3.
Using a rounded tablespoon for each, drop the dough onto the baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Bake, switching the position of the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking, until the cookies are golden brown around the edges, about 10 minutes. Let cool on the pans for 3 minutes. Transfer the cookies to wire cake racks and cool completely. (The cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.)

Chewy Ginger Cookies

MAKES ABOUT
3 DOZEN
COOKIES

My friend Arlene Stein, executive assistant to Sarabeth Levine of Sarabeth’s Bakery, shared her ginger cookie recipe with me, promising that it was a special one. As Arlene is exposed to a lot of great baking, I knew that she knows her cookies and wouldn’t exaggerate. Fresh ginger gives them a rich spiciness, and coarse sugar provides a nice, slightly crunchy exterior. Best of all, when baked just right, they turn out comfortingly chewy. If they are a tad overbaked, don’t worry—they will be crisp and more like gingersnaps. So, if the chewiness is important to you, do a test batch for timing. And note that the dough needs a few hours of refrigeration before baking. Make Gingered Green Tea (page 31) to serve with these.

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

3 tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger (use the medium-size holes on a box grater)

¼ cup unsulfured molasses

1 large egg, at room temperature

½ cup turbinado, raw, or additional granulated sugar for coating the cookies

1.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Beat the granulated sugar and butter together in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at high speed, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl, just until the mixture is light in color, about 2 minutes. Do not overbeat. Beat in the ginger, then the molasses and egg, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Gradually stir in the flour mixture to make a soft dough.

2.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until the dough is chilled and firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.

3.
Position racks in the top third and center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

4.
Using a scant tablespoon for each cookie, roll the dough into balls. Roll each in the turbinado sugar to coat. Place the balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.

5.
Bake, switching the position of the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking, until the edges of the cookies are set and dry, but the interiors seem slightly underdone, about 12 minutes. Let cool on the pans for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to wire cake racks and let cool completely. (The cookies can be made up to 1 week ahead, stored in an airtight container at room temperature.)

Oatmeal Cookies with Milk Chocolate and Raisins

MAKES
4½ DOZEN
COOKIES

Looking for a way to jazz up an old favorite, I tossed some chocolate-covered raisins in my oatmeal cookie dough, but because the thin chocolate shells were not formulated for baking, the results were less than stellar. On my next try I used milk chocolate chips and raisins, and success was mine. For plump, chewy cookies refrigerate the dough for about an hour before shaping—freshly made dough tends to spread in the heat of the oven.

3½ cups rolled (old-fashioned) oats

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup seedless raisins

1 cup milk chocolate chips or chunks

1.
Grind ½ cup of the oats in a food processor fitted with a metal chopping blade until powdery. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and pulse until combined. Pour into a bowl, add the remaining 3 cups oats, and stir until mixed together.

2.
Cream the butter and sugars together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl, just until the mixture is light in color, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the eggs, then the vanilla. Gradually stir in the flour mixture. Stir in the raisins and milk chocolate chips. Cover the bowl and refrigerate to chill lightly, 1 to 2 hours.

3.
Position racks in the top third and center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

4.
Using a tablespoon for each cookie, shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake, switching the position of the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking, until the edges of the cookies are light golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes.

5.
Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire cake racks and let cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough, using cooled baking sheets. ( The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.)