Cooking
Page 130 in the old book / page 167 in the new book
These cookies, a brown sugar cookie surrounding a chocolate almond center, are stunning to look at, but in my opinion don't live up to their looks. I was disappointed by the chocolate center. I have never been one to complain that a cookie (or chocolate, for that matter) isn't sweet enough, but I was surprised to find myself thinking that about these cookies. The middles are made only of semisweet chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, almond, and almond and vanilla extracts. Sounds sweet, doesn't it? I suppose my choice of chocolate might have made a difference - the Ghirardelli "Double Chocolate" chips I used claim to be bittersweet chocolate, so they may be a little less sweet then semisweet chocolate chips called for.
Even though I wasn't bowled over by their taste, I really was impressed with their looks and how easy they were to make. The cookie dough is a crumbly mixture when you pull it out of the mixer, but pulls together without much trouble and rolling it out between sheets of wax paper isn't hard at all. Unlike most icebox cookies, these required very little chilling time. The middle sets up in the freezer while you prepare the cookie dough. Because the cookies are sliced so thick (1/2 inch), they really don't need much more than half an hour in the freezer after the cookie dough is wrapped around the middle.
These were so well-received and are so nice looking that I'll probably be tempted to make them again, perhaps as part of a selection of cookies. Poor Suzanne had sort of a cookie identity crisis...
Suzanne: To my surprise, I did not care for this cookie. How could it be? The cookie was so attractive with its square shape and the center filled with chocolate and nuts. I love chocolate and nuts. It’s my favorite type of cookie. I might have to rethink my place in this universe. Am I really a chocoholic? What’s happening to my taste buds? Are they changing and if so, what are they changing into? Well maybe it’s just that I’m getting older and my teeth are getting soft, but I found the cookie hard to bite into. Even the chocolate and nut center was difficult to bite. I would have preferred a soft, creamy, yet nutty center. I guess time will tell whether I’m still a chocoholic or not. Rating - 2.5"
Denny: "Excellent. Looked terrific! Crunchy on the outside and chewy with nuts in the middle. A little bit of coconut would make them a 5.0. Rating - 4.9"
Laura: "One word: De-lish! With cookies like this, you could quit your job and go into cookie making full time! (a la CakeLove!) Rating - 5.0"
Terri: "These are outstanding! A wonderful combination of chocolate, crunchiness, and a delicious flavor from the almonds. And I'm not a great chocolate lover. The cookie dough crust surrounding the chocolate and almonds make this a really attractive cookie. This hit the spot with my morning coffee! Rating - 5.0"
Overall rating by the panel - 4.4
Next week - Cobblestones
Nutrition Facts
- Mondays With Maida - Charlie Brown's Peanut Cookies
Page 231 in the old book / page 255 in the new book One look at the list of ingredients and I knew this one was a contender for the "Top Ten" list: cinnamon, brown sugar, salted peanuts, peanut butter, and chocolate chips (not to mention two sticks of...
- Mondays With Maida - Viennese Chocolate Cookies
Page 174 in the old book / page 208 in the new book These are very rich chocolate almond cookies that taste surprisingly light. I thought they were wonderful, but most of the cookie panel was less enthused than I. What I found most interesting and pleasing...
- Mondays With Maida - Ischler Cookies
Page 171 in the old book / page 206 in the new book I knew these were going to be a hit - how could they not? Two cookies, rich with butter and ground almonds, are sandwiched together with some sweet and tart apricot jam and then given a crowd-pleasing...
- Mondays With Maida - Black-and-white Coconut Slices
Page 126 in the old book / page 164 in the new book Zarah is here! Zarah is here! Actually, I should say, Zarah and Martin are here! And I'm enjoying their company way too much to sit here writing about cookies, so this will be short but sweet......
- Mondays With Maida - New Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies
Page 125 in the old book / page 163 in the new book Rather uncharacteristically, Maida provides no background on this cookie or its origin at the start of the recipe, but I believe these New Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies are so named because of the...
Cooking
Mondays with Maida - Maxines
Page 130 in the old book / page 167 in the new book
These cookies, a brown sugar cookie surrounding a chocolate almond center, are stunning to look at, but in my opinion don't live up to their looks. I was disappointed by the chocolate center. I have never been one to complain that a cookie (or chocolate, for that matter) isn't sweet enough, but I was surprised to find myself thinking that about these cookies. The middles are made only of semisweet chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, almond, and almond and vanilla extracts. Sounds sweet, doesn't it? I suppose my choice of chocolate might have made a difference - the Ghirardelli "Double Chocolate" chips I used claim to be bittersweet chocolate, so they may be a little less sweet then semisweet chocolate chips called for.
Even though I wasn't bowled over by their taste, I really was impressed with their looks and how easy they were to make. The cookie dough is a crumbly mixture when you pull it out of the mixer, but pulls together without much trouble and rolling it out between sheets of wax paper isn't hard at all. Unlike most icebox cookies, these required very little chilling time. The middle sets up in the freezer while you prepare the cookie dough. Because the cookies are sliced so thick (1/2 inch), they really don't need much more than half an hour in the freezer after the cookie dough is wrapped around the middle.
These were so well-received and are so nice looking that I'll probably be tempted to make them again, perhaps as part of a selection of cookies. Poor Suzanne had sort of a cookie identity crisis...
Suzanne: To my surprise, I did not care for this cookie. How could it be? The cookie was so attractive with its square shape and the center filled with chocolate and nuts. I love chocolate and nuts. It’s my favorite type of cookie. I might have to rethink my place in this universe. Am I really a chocoholic? What’s happening to my taste buds? Are they changing and if so, what are they changing into? Well maybe it’s just that I’m getting older and my teeth are getting soft, but I found the cookie hard to bite into. Even the chocolate and nut center was difficult to bite. I would have preferred a soft, creamy, yet nutty center. I guess time will tell whether I’m still a chocoholic or not. Rating - 2.5"
Denny: "Excellent. Looked terrific! Crunchy on the outside and chewy with nuts in the middle. A little bit of coconut would make them a 5.0. Rating - 4.9"
Laura: "One word: De-lish! With cookies like this, you could quit your job and go into cookie making full time! (a la CakeLove!) Rating - 5.0"
Terri: "These are outstanding! A wonderful combination of chocolate, crunchiness, and a delicious flavor from the almonds. And I'm not a great chocolate lover. The cookie dough crust surrounding the chocolate and almonds make this a really attractive cookie. This hit the spot with my morning coffee! Rating - 5.0"
Overall rating by the panel - 4.4
Next week - Cobblestones
Nutrition Facts
- Mondays With Maida - Charlie Brown's Peanut Cookies
Page 231 in the old book / page 255 in the new book One look at the list of ingredients and I knew this one was a contender for the "Top Ten" list: cinnamon, brown sugar, salted peanuts, peanut butter, and chocolate chips (not to mention two sticks of...
- Mondays With Maida - Viennese Chocolate Cookies
Page 174 in the old book / page 208 in the new book These are very rich chocolate almond cookies that taste surprisingly light. I thought they were wonderful, but most of the cookie panel was less enthused than I. What I found most interesting and pleasing...
- Mondays With Maida - Ischler Cookies
Page 171 in the old book / page 206 in the new book I knew these were going to be a hit - how could they not? Two cookies, rich with butter and ground almonds, are sandwiched together with some sweet and tart apricot jam and then given a crowd-pleasing...
- Mondays With Maida - Black-and-white Coconut Slices
Page 126 in the old book / page 164 in the new book Zarah is here! Zarah is here! Actually, I should say, Zarah and Martin are here! And I'm enjoying their company way too much to sit here writing about cookies, so this will be short but sweet......
- Mondays With Maida - New Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies
Page 125 in the old book / page 163 in the new book Rather uncharacteristically, Maida provides no background on this cookie or its origin at the start of the recipe, but I believe these New Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies are so named because of the...