Page 134 in the old book / page 170 in the new book
"Busy" is the word that comes to mind for these cookies. "Busy" as in cluttered and "busy" as in you're going to be busy for a while making these cookies ;) Unlike some other two-tone cookies, the two doughs for these cookies do not share a common base dough.
Not only are the two doughs made of entirely different recipes, they have different consistencies. This difference is slight after they are baked, but I noticed it and liked the contrast. The different consistencies of the raw doughs created a little problem in assembling the cookies. The light dough is softer than the dark dough, so it squished around a bit when I pressed the top layer of dark dough into the loaf pan that served as a mold. I considered chilling the partially filled loaf pan before adding that final layer of dark dough, but didn't. If you'd prefer cleaner lines in your cookies, sticking the pan in the freezer for a half hour or so might help.
So what is in these cookies? You name it - chocolate, pistachios, brown sugar and spices, currants, lemon, and candied cherries. They have a nice texture, but for all the additions and flavorings, the taste is only average. I kind of wonder if one or the other of these doughs might be more memorable on its own.
The cookie panel was divided on these...
Suzanne: I feel terrible that Cathy put so much work into this cookie and I have to say that this was not my favorite cookie. I could barely taste the brown sugar and chocolate chips. I did enjoy the spices and pistachio and the cookie was crunchy on the edges and soft in the middle. I don’t care for candied fruit in cookies or cakes. Rating - 3.0"
Denny: "Very good. Look fancy and hard to make. Definitely a 4.5. Rating - 4.5"
Herman: "I rate these cookies as 2.5 out of 5 only because I’m not a big fan of pistachios, cherries, and currants in cookies. Rating - 2.5"
Terri: "These cookies are not only delicious, but a work of art! The mixture of the two doughs and spices makes this a wonderful combination. This would be one of my "top 10" picks! Rating - 5.0"
Overall rating by the panel - 3.8
Next week - Fruitcake Icebox Cookies
Nutrition Facts
7 comments:
hi cathy, what an over-the-top cookie - i mean this as a high compliment ;) i can only imagine how much time, patience and loving care went into their making!
They do sort of look "fancy and hard to make." It seems like you did a great job putting them together,though! To my eye, the look a little busy, but I like the sound of that textural contrast between the doughs I can see myself trying these with fewer "add-ins" at some point.
Hi Jocelyn - they weren't quite so involved as that, but thanks!
Hi Nic - I'd be tempted to leave out the currants and cherries another time. They wouldn't look quite as festive, but then maybe the flavor of the cookie would be more noticeable.
Hey Cathy, those don't just look busy to me. They look like you need to have pumped it up at the gym to have the strength and endurance to make them! My eyes are always drawn to details and colors, so if I saw those in the display case at a bakery, I'd buy them.
Hi Mari - they would definitely catch your eye in a case, wouldn't they? I didn't mean to make it sound as though these were difficult to make though - I just thought it was a little unusual to layer two completely different doughs.
They look spectacular, and yes, I'd notice them in a shop, but honestly, I don't think I'd buy one...they look kinda scary too!!
Hi Niki - they are a little Technicolor aren't they? :)
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