Author: Tux | Brooklyn Homemaker

A food and lifestyle blog focused on gussied up american classics, baked goods with a history, and schnauzer babies.

spicy gingerbread linzer cookies with orange white chocolate ganache

Don’t blink folks, it’s almost Christmas!

Every year it feels like it just sneaks up on me. No sooner have I taken a breath after the Thanksgiving dishes are washed than Christmas is a week away and I still haven’t done any shopping. I am terrible about waiting until the last minute to buy gifts. Always have been.

Luckily cookies make a great gift!

Growing up my family always had trays of cookies around in the days leading up to Christmas, and having a variety of treats around always made things feel that much more festive and celebratory.

One way to get that big variety of cookies for the holidays, without having to spend days in the kitchen, is to throw a cookie swap. A traditional cookie swap is basically a party where everyone makes one big batch of one type of cookie, and then everyone gets together and exchanges them. To make it really fun you can serve snacks and cocktails and have a packing station with cute paper boxes and cookie tins and tags and ribbons and twine. All the cookies are divided evenly and then everyone goes home with a handful of each type.

I’ve always wanted to host a cookie swap but have never felt like enough of my friends would want to participate to make it worth my while.

Thanks to the magic of internet though, I got to get in on the fun after all. This year I participated in the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, organized by Love and Olive Oil and The Little Kitchen.

The idea is simple. You register as a participating blogger, make a small donation, and you’re assigned three bloggers to send cookies to. Then three other bloggers are assigned to send cookies to you. It’s like secret santa through the mail, but with dozens of cookies! Last year over 600 bloggers participated and over $14,000 was raised for Cookies for Kid’s Cancer!

I wanted to make a recipe that felt really special to me, and had flavors that I’ve always associated with the holidays. I’ve always had a love of dark molassessy spice cookies at Christmas, and linzer cookies have always felt really fancy, so I decided to combine the two ideas into one perfect holiday cookie.

The gingerbread recipe I used has been my favorite for years, and makes a really delicious cookie all on it’s own. If you want to make gingerbread cut outs, this is a great recipe to try. The cookies are thick and chewy and dark and bursting with plenty of spice. There’s warm spices like cinnamon and cloves, but there’s also a nice hint of actual heat from ground black pepper and ginger.

To take things to a whole other level of fancy, I sandwiched the cookies with an orange white chocolate ganache filling. It’s just the right amount of creamy sweetness and bright citrus zest to perfectly compliment the chewy spiciness of the gingerbread. When choosing white chocolate it’s really important to read the ingredients and make sure it actually contains cocoa butter. Most white baking chocolate and white chocolate chips actually don’t, but are instead white chocolate flavored sweetened palm. My advice is to look for plain white chocolate bars in the candy aisle instead.

My cookies went to Club Narwhal, Love and Joy, and Pale Yellow. I hope they enjoyed them as much as I did, and as much as I enjoyed making them. There’s something about making cookies this time of year that is so much more fun than usual!

I received chocolate brown butter cookies from The Sassy Life, almond lace sandwich cookies from Love and Olive Oil, and peppermint sugar cookies from Greens & Chocolate. Everything was amazing, and Russell and I have been munching away merrily every since! What’s left of the cookies even made a guest appearance in my Mexican hot dark chocolate post!

Thank you so much to everyone who sent me cookies, and to everyone who participated this year! This was so much fun, and now I have a bunch of new favorite cookies for the holidays!

Spicy Gingerbread Linzer Cookies with Orange White Chocolate Ganache

Servings: makes about 2 1/2 dozen 2.5 inch cookies
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Spicy Gingerbread Cookies:
Barely adapted from Sweet Pea’s Kitchen

3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
3/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons milk

white chocolate ganache filling (recipe below)
powdered sugar for dusting

Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, pepper, salt, and baking soda in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade attachment. Pulse until well combined, about 10 seconds. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture and pulse repeatedly until mixture is sandy and resembles fine meal, about 30 seconds. With food processor running, add molasses and milk and process until dough is evenly moistened and forms soft mass, about 10 seconds.
If you want to double the recipe, you’ll need to make it in multiple batches.
Divide dough in half and roll into ¼ inch thickness between two large sheets of parchment paper. Place in refrigerator at least two hours (or overnight) or place on a flat surface in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes, until firm. The colder the dough is the easier it is to work with, so I recommend freezing.
Preheat the oven to 350F and adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Once cold and firm, peel the top sheet of parchment from the dough, flip the dough over onto the parchment, and peel off the other piece. You can cut into any shape you like, but if you want to make linzer cookies make sure you have one cutter that is 1/2 the size of the other (or smaller) to make your “window” in the top cookie. Cut out half the cookies in a solid “base” shape, and cut the remaining half of the cookies so that the smaller cutter forms a “window” hole in the center of the top cookie.
Place on prepared baking sheets spacing cookies 1 inch apart. Bake until centers are just set and dough barely retains imprint when touched very gently with fingertip, anywhere from 8 to 11 minutes depending on the size of your cookies. To bake evenly, rotate the baking sheets halfway through. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets about 5 to 10 minutes or until cool and firm enough to remove from the parchment without breaking. Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Gather scraps into a ball and repeat rolling, cooling, cutting, and baking with remaining dough until all is used.

Orange White Chocolate Ganache Filling:

7 oz good quality white chocolate (from bars, not chips)
1/4 cup heavy cream
finely grated zest of one large orange
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

In the the bowl of a double boiler over a very gentle simmer, break up the white chocolate into small pieces and combine with the heavy cream, orange zest, and salt. Stir with a silicone spatula until the chocolate is completely melted with no solid chunks remaining. Take your time, and be sure that the water in the lower pan never goes above a gentle simmer.
Once the chocolate is melted, remove from heat, add the butter and gently stir until completely melted and combined.
Set aside to cool until firm but spreadable. This will take about an hour or two. I’d recommend that you don’t try to refrigerate it because if it gets too cold it’ll be too firm and you’ll need to melt it again to soften it.

With a small offset icing spatula, or a butter knife, spread a small amount (probably about 2 teaspoons) of the ganache filling on to each base cookie. Top each of the filling-covered base cookies with a top cookie and line the filled cookie sandwiches up in a single layer on a clean surface. Dust all the cookies with a light coating of powdered sugar.

If packing for transport or shipping, I’d recommend refrigerating for at least an hour to fully set the ganache.

Mexican dark hot chocolate

So, the other day, I took the subway seven stops clutching a small tree.

This time of year it’s not that rare to see otherwise sane looking adults dragging whole trees, minus the roots, through the streets of New York. Tourists point and stare at grown men in expensive coats struggling against the weight of the trees on their backs as they try to walk down the subway stairs. Women in heels choose trees twice their size and tip delivery men because they know better.

When I was growing up we always had an artificial tree so, of course, I always wanted a real one. If we’d always had real trees I’d probably be sitting here writing about the joys of fluffing and shaping artificial branches.

Every year since getting my first apartment I’ve had a real tree. This year I went for a modest 3-footer, but over the years I’ve had big ones, small ones, potted ones, cut ones, and little tiny live ones that came with teeny tiny ornaments attached. A few years ago we just decorated a house plant because we were so strapped for cash that we didn’t want to waste money on a tree. It was a 3 foot dwarf palm with string lights and blue, green, and purple bulbs. No star.

I’d had those blue and green and purple ornaments for years, and I bought a few of them from the dollar store in Saranac Lake, New York for my very first tree in my first apartment. Last year we decided to finally put them to rest, and to simplify with a white and silver scheme instead.

When I was little I’d made craft dough Christmas ornaments with my mother and sister, so last year I adapted the idea and made “gingerbread” salt dough ornaments cut into the shapes of snowflakes and furry woodland creatures. If you want to try the project out for yourself, check out my gingerbread salt dough ornament tutorial.

To warm us up while we decorated I made a spiced Mexican dark hot chocolate with homemade whipped cream. I recommend using the highest quality chocolate you can get for this. Use a chocolate bar that you would eat on it’s own, not something you find in the baking aisle. Since there’s little more to this than milk, a bit of spice, and the chocolate; the chocolate you choose will make a big difference in the flavor.

This hot chocolate is rich and dark and thick and creamy. It’s got just a hint of spicy warmth, and a tiny bit of caramel-y sweetness from a touch of brown sugar. It’s just barely sweet, but is still so rich that a small serving is completely satisfying. If you don’t care for dark chocolate and want to use milk instead, I’d recommend you skip the addition of brown sugar or it may end up too sweet. If you like to get down, I’d also highly recommend adding an ounce or two of whiskey to each serving. If you don’t want to get too crazy but like a touch of the sauce, you could add a tablespoon or so to your whipped cream instead.

Mexican Dark Hot Chocolate

Servings: 3 to 4
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adapted, just barely, from Ina Garten for Food Network

2 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
4 ounces good dark chocolate (about 70%), chopped
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch cayenne pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
more cinnamon, for dusting

Place the milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cayenne in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Off the heat add the chocolate and vanilla. Let the chocolate sit and melt in the milk for a minute or two before whisking in to combine. If necessary, reheat the hot chocolate over low heat just until it simmers.

In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk together the cream and powdered sugar until the cream whips up into stiff peaks. You can use a hand mixer or stand mixer if desired, but it doesn’t take more than 5 minutes or so to do by hand, and you’re not making much.

Divide the hot chocolate between mugs and top with whipped cream. If desired, dust very lightly with cinnamon before serving.

Casa Neuhaus ceramic knife giveaway!!!

UPDATE: CONTEST HAS ENDED! Winners will be contacted by email

Have you ever worked with a ceramic knife before?

The ceramic material used to make ceramic knives is so hard that the blades rarely need to be sharpened, so they’re a great option for cooks who are intimidated by knife sharpening or just don’t have the time (and these days who does?)

Well – I’ve got great news! Just in time for the holidays, the amazing folks at the Greenpoint, Brooklyn-based Casa Neuhaus have offered to give away one of their ceramic knives to three readers of Brooklyn Homemaker! Can you believe it? Not one… THREE!

They have three knives to offer; a 3 inch paring knife, a 5 inch utility knife, and a 7 inch chef knife, and three lucky winners will win one of these three styles for free!

I’ve had a chance to use these knives myself, and I have to tell you that they’re amazing. They’re super super sharp and haven’t dulled one iota despite the abuse I put them through in my kitchen. Not only that, but they’re also really lightweight and beautifully designed. They’re gorgeous and modern looking with dark blades and stainless steel handles, and they even come with in their own really attractive gift boxes complete with sheathes that fit snugly over the blades to protect them from damage. Most ceramic knives don’t come with a sheath, but since ceramic can crack or chip if knocked around in a drawer, I think this is one of my favorite features!

If you have ever worked with a ceramic knife before, odds are that you’ve used white ceramic. Casa Neuhaus‘ knives have black ceramic blades made of black zirconium oxide. Unlike white ceramic blade, black zirconium oxide offers even more sharpness and durability than traditional ceramic knives. These knives even come with a three-year sharpness warranty that includes a free sharpening service (if needed)!

And hey, if you don’t win but still want one of these knives, they’re very reasonably priced and available through their webstore.

Want to know more?

Here are the basics, from their website:

WHY CERAMIC?

A ceramic knife is a knife made out of very hard and tough ceramic, often zirconium dioxide (ZrO2); also known as zirconia. These knives are usually produced by dry pressing zirconia powder and firing them through solid-state sintering. The resultant blade is sharpened by grinding the edges with a diamond-dust-coated grinding wheel. Zirconia is 8.5 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, compared to 7.5 to 8 for hardened steel and 10 for diamond. This very hard edge rarely needs sharpening.

WHAT IS ZIRCONIA?

Zirconia is technically a laboratory manufactured diamond and thats what our knives are, thats why they are so sharp! We even give them a final heat treatment that makes them even stronger than other ceramic knives on the market, hence the dark color.

ANY SPECIAL CARE OR INSTRUCTIONS?

Just follow the following and your knives will last a lifetime:
– Never use them on any kind of bones or frozen stuff. Remember our knives are super sharp and strong but not unbreakable.
– Hand wash them. Don’t put them in the dishwasher. Remember that ceramic doesn’t absorb any taste or smell so just use a wet sponge to clean them.
– Don’t forget to put their cover sheet even if they are in the drying rack.
– Be careful to not drop them on a hard surface. And always use your ceramic knife with a plastic or wooden cutting board.

Contest rules:

Three winners will be chosen, each will win one knife.

Entries will be accepted until, and contest will end on, Monday December 15th, at 6PM EST.

To enter, please follow these links and “like” both Brooklyn Homemaker and Casa Neuhaus on facebook. Then come back and leave the comment “Gimme that knife!” on this post, and tell me what you want to cook with your new knife if you win!

Only one comment per entrant, please. Sorry, but immediate family is excluded. The winning knives can only be shipped within the contiguous United States, so entrants must live or have a mailing address within the lower 48. Winner will be chosen, using a random number generator, from the total number of comments when the contest comes to a close. Winner will be contacted via email for shipping information.

Good luck! And happy holidays from Brooklyn Homemaker and Casa Neuhaus!

steak topped carrot and mango salad with chili lime dressing

Okay so the holidays are fast approaching and we are all surrounded by sweets and cookies and cakes and rich hearty indulgences.

With all the temptations at your fingertips this time of year, it’s easy to go overboard, and as much as I love to indulge, after a while your body just craves something fresh and bright and healthy. Of course, it’s also important to maintain a balance in your diet, to keep your ticker ticking and all. The thing about writing a food blog though, is that you tend to want to write about beautiful foods that make your mouth water just looking at them. While a lot of healthy foods certainly can taste great, “health food” ain’t sexy.

We tend to eat a lot of salads at home, though from what I post here you might not know it. Most of our dinner salads are a kitchen sink of whatever produce we can find in the fridge, and while they’re usually delicious, they’re not all that photogenic or imaginative. For that reason, they don’t often make it to the pages of Brooklyn Homemaker.

This salad though, is different. This salad isn’t just sexy, it’s seductive.

To get those super long, super thin, super sexy julienned strips of carrot and mango, I used a julienne peeler. In a pinch you could also use a standard box grater, but the results won’t be nearly as long or thin, and if your mango isn’t super firm I fear that it might just turn to mush. I think that getting those perfect thin strands of vegetables makes salads look so much more delicious and interesting and makes you want to just dive right in. These peelers are also really really easy to use, so if you’re looking for a fun and affordable new tool for your kitchen, or a great stocking stuffer for the cook in your life, I’d highly recommend picking one up!

To finish the salad and make it feel even more substantial and filling, I added some seared London broil, sliced ultra thin. If you’re not a steak fan though you can use whatever protein you like. I think the steak works really well with the dressing, but sliced chicken breast would be great here too. You could even go for some fresh juicy shrimp, seared salmon fillets, or even some decadent confit duck leg. Or, for that matter, skip the protein altogether. There is such a wide variety of flavors and textures going on that this salad is pretty amazing all on it’s own.

While it certainly is good for you, the last word that comes to mind when you eat this salad is healthy. It’s bursting with so much flavor and offers such a variety of textures that you won’t be thinking about anything else. The carrots and mango are crunchy and fresh, and every bite is permeated with the sweet, bright, and spicy dressing. The crunchy cashews taste almost buttery against the sweet acidity of the rest of the salad, the cilantro is fresh and green and summery, and the sliced steak stands in soft and tender contrast to all that crispness and crunch.

Steak Topped Carrot and Mango Salad with Chili Lime Dressing

Servings: 3 to 4
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Dressing:
zest and juice of 2 limes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a dressing bottle or measuring cup and whisk or shake vigorously.

Salad:
6 medium carrots, julienned or grated (about 4 cups)
1 firm (or slightly under-ripe) mango, peeled and julienned or grated (about 2 1/2 to 3 cups)
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
1/2 cup torn cilantro leaves
1 cup unsalted roasted cashews
12 to 16 oz London Broil (or other lean boneless steak), optional
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

Julienne carrots using a julienne peeler (I LOVE this one), or grate them with a box grater. Peel the mango and julienne it, stopping where you feel the pit beneath the flesh. You can also slice the mango off the pit and grate it with a box grater. Combine the carrots, mango, sliced shallot, and chili lime dressing in a large bowl and toss well to combine.

At this point you could finish the salad and eat it as is, but I think it really benefits from at least an hour’s rest covered in the refrigerator.
So, if you have time, cover and refrigerate from 1 to 24 hours to let the flavors mingle. Just before serving, add the cashews and cilantro and toss until well combined.

Generously season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Preheat a large heavy bottom skillet (not non-stick) over high heat. Once the pan is good and super hot, add butter or oil, and sear the steak for 3-6 minutes on either side, flipping only once. This will depend on the thickness of the steak, but 3 minutes per side should get you to about medium rare, and 6 should get you closer to medium well. Remove steak to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing against the grain of the meat, into super thin slices with a very sharp knife.

While steak is resting, toss the salad again to redistribute the dressing. Plate the salad and top with slices of steak.