The Cheese Board (18 page)

Our granola is made with coconut, nuts, and butter, which give it a cookielike flavor. The membership opted to call it Killer Granola after a concerned collectivist explained that most people think of granola as a low-fat healthful food. The name says it all.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the salt over low heat. Add the chopped nuts, increase the heat to medium, and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Add the honey and brown sugar, reduce the heat to low, and stir until melted and combined. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds. Add the sugar mixture and toss until the oats are evenly coated.

Spread the granola evenly on the prepared pan. Place in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir to redistribute the granola. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Let cool completely on the baking sheet. Store the granola in an airtight container.

Beverly, a sales representative for a cheese distributor we do business with, developed these cookies. She had been enjoying our granola as a breakfast cereal and decided to try it in a cookie recipe.

If using a stand mixer,
cream the butter and brown sugar together in the bowl with the paddle attachment on medium speed for about 4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the granola, vanilla extract, salt, flour, and pecans. Mix just until the ingredients are incorporated.

If making by hand,
cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy. Add the granola, vanilla extract, salt, flour, and pecans. Mix just until incorporated.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide it into 2 pieces. Using your palms, roll each piece into a log about 4½ inches long and 2 inches wide. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours..

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.

Cut each log into ¼-inch-thick pieces and place the cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared pans. Bake on the 2 middle racks of the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

 

This is one of the first sweets that appeared for sale at the Cheese Board. These cookies are less salty and sugary than most versions of shortbread—the butter provides most of the flavor. If you leave the butter out at room temperature for an hour before mixing the dough, the task of creaming it with the sugar is considerably easier. The shortbread recipes that follow this one are variations on the
master recipe. Shortbread keeps well for up to 1 month in an airtight container.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.

If using a stand mixer,
add the butter, sugar, and salt to the bowl. With the paddle attachment on medium speed, cream the mixture together for about 4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add 2 cups of the flour and mix on low speed for 2 minutes, or until blended. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup flour by the tablespoonful as needed to make a smooth dough.

If making by hand,
add the butter, sugar, and salt to a large bowl. Cream the mixture together with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy. Add 2 cups of the flour and mix until blended. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup flour by the tablespoonful as needed to make a smooth dough.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Pat it into an oblong shape, then roll it out with a floured rolling pin to a thickness of ½ inch. Using a knife, cut the dough into 2½-inch squares. Using a lightly floured metal spatula, lift the cookies and slide them off onto the prepared pans, placing them at least 1 inch apart.

Bake on the 2 middle racks of the oven for 15 minutes. Rotate the pans and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the cookies are light golden brown. Let cool completely on the baking sheets, set on wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

 

 

These cookies are spicy and crisp, with a distinct bite. We roll them very thinly and cut them out with a ravioli cutter to give them a decorative look. The wavy edge also helps to distinguish them from the other types of shortbread we sell. Ginger shortbread is best baked until a deep golden brown.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.

In a food processor, combine the fresh ginger, candied ginger, and pepper. Process for 1 minute, or until both gingers are finely ground. Or, chop finely by hand using a sharp chef’s knife. Don’t be concerned about the ginger hairs; the fibers don’t present a problem later on.

If using a stand mixer,
add the butter, sugar, and salt to the bowl. With the paddle attachment on medium speed, cream the mixture together for about 4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the ginger purée and mix for 2 minutes, or until blended. Add 2 cups of the flour and mix on low speed for 2 minutes, or until blended. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup flour by the tablespoonful as needed to make a smooth dough.

If making by hand,
add the butter, sugar, and salt to a large bowl. Cream the mixture together with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy. Stir in the ginger purée until blended. Add 2 cups of the flour and mix until blended. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup flour by the tablespoonful as needed to make a smooth dough.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide it into 2 pieces. Pat each piece into an oblong shape, then roll it out with a floured rolling pin to a thickness of ⅛ inch. Using a ravioli cutter or a knife, cut the dough into 2 by 3-inch rectangles. Using a lightly floured metal spatula, lift the cookies and slide them off onto the prepared pans, placing them at least 1 inch apart. Repeat with the second piece of dough.

Bake on the 2 middle racks of the oven for 10 minutes. Rotate the pans and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the cookies are deep golden brown. Remember: Thin cookies bake quickly; these will change from being almost done to totally done in a flash! Let cool completely on the baking sheets, set on wire racks. Repeat the process for the third sheet of cookies. Store in an airtight container.

 

Hazelnuts add richness and a crunchy texture to basic shortbread. Toast the hazelnuts to make a cookie with a strong hazelnut flavor.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.

If using a stand mixer,
add the butter, sugar, and salt to the bowl. With the paddle attachment on medium speed, cream the mixture together for about 4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add 2¼ cups of the flour and mix on low speed for 2 minutes, or until blended. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup flour by the tablespoonful as needed to make a smooth dough. Add the hazelnuts and mix until incorporated.

If making by hand,
combine the butter, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cream the mixture together with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy. Add 2¼ cups of the flour and mix until blended. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup flour by the tablespoonful as needed to make a smooth dough. Stir in the hazelnuts until incorporated.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Pat it into an oblong shape, then roll it out with a floured rolling pin to a thickness of ½ inch. Using a knife, cut the dough into 2½-inch squares. Using a lightly floured metal spatula, lift the cookies and slide them off onto the prepared pans, placing them at least 1 inch apart.

Bake on the 2 middle racks of the oven for 15 minutes. Rotate the pans and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the cookies are light golden brown. Let cool completely on the baking sheets, set on wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

One of the challenges in developing a new bread or pastry is finding the time to make it and the oven space in a crowded baking schedule to bake it. This cookie appears now and again, when the Monday morning crew can swing it. Using a food processor to pulverize the candied lemon peel into the sugar works best; if you don’t have a food processor you can mince the lemon peel into the sugar with a sharp chef’s knife to achieve a similar effect.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.

In a blender or a food processor, combine the sugar and lemon peel. Process for 1 minute, or until the peel is finely ground. Or, combine the sugar and peel on a cutting board and mince the peel into the sugar using a sharp chef’s knife.

If using a stand mixer,
add the butter, salt, and lemon sugar to the bowl. With the paddle attachment on medium speed, cream the mixture together for about 4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add 1⅓ cups of the flour and mix on low speed for 2 minutes, or until blended. Gradually add the remaining ⅓ cup flour by the tablespoonful as needed to make a smooth dough.

If making by hand,
add the butter, salt, and lemon sugar to a large bowl. Cream the mixture together with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy. Add 1⅓ cups of the flour and mix until blended. Gradually add the remaining ⅓ cup flour by the tablespoonful as needed to make a smooth dough.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Pat it into an oblong shape, then roll it out with a floured rolling pin to a thickness of ⅜ inch. Using a ravioli cutter or a knife, cut the dough into 2½-inch squares. Using a lightly floured metal spatula, lift the cookies and slide them off onto the prepared pans, placing them at least 1 inch apart.

Bake on the 2 middle racks of the oven for 15 minutes. Rotate the pans and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the cookies are light golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheets, set on wire racks. Repeat the process for the third sheet of cookies. Store in an airtight container.