TWD: Buttery Jam Cookies


If you follow my baking blog, At the Baker's Bench, you know that I'm just coming off a 12-day cookie bender. Still, TWD is TWD and I missed last week's, so I made room in my freezer for another batch of cookies and put my butter on the countertop to soften.


I'm not sure exactly what I expected from these Buttery Jam Cookies, but whatever it was, the resulting cookie wasn't it. I suppose I expected a short-bread-type cookie, something sandier and firmer. I was surprised by the cakey texture of these. But that's not to say I didn't like them. I like a cakey, not-too-sweet cookie to have with coffee or to serve with ice cream, and these fit the bill.


I did feel that they were a little bit dry to serve as is, though. This was a snap to fix with a little dip into some easy butter icing.



I used cherry preserves to make these cookies, and I was very pleased with the result. To add a bit of yum, I swirled the tops of these in some orange-butter icing* and sprinkled them with red decorator's sugar. The combination of cherry plus ginger plus orange is a good one, I think.


The verdict on these was split. Some of my testers loved them, others quibbled with the texture and/or the flavor. Personally, I liked these, and they're easy enough to make again, so I plan to experiment with different flavors of jam and preserves.



If you'd like to make these for yourself, you can find the recipe on page 80 of Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours. Or, you can find it here, courtesy of these week's hostess, Heather of Randomosity and the Girl.

Don't forget to check out the TWD blogroll to see what everyone else baked up!


*To make the orange-butter icing, I melted 1 tablespoon butter and mixed in about 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/2 teaspoon heavy cream, and a few drops of orange flavoring oil (not extract ~ I use Oetker's brand). Stir with a fork until smooth and spreadable. If it's too liquid to stay atop your cookies, add more confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. If it's too thick, thin with additional heavy cream, 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Store leftovers in the fridge and rewarm to use again.

Comments

  1. I have the same opinion of these cookies. The icing would definitely improve them. They look very pretty, and your freezer must be brimming with all sorts of yummy cookies!

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  2. Kudos for doing this after 12 days straight of cookies! They look wonderful with the butter icing - probably just the thing to give them a little oomph. Beautiful.

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  3. ~Shari: The icing does add something - but then again, I would probably butter icing off a spoon, no cookie necessary. :) And yes, my freezer is packed, but I'm starting to make a dent by giving away as much as I can. The problem is that most of my family and friends are bakers too!

    ~Engineer Baker: Thank you! Shame on me, but there are still a couple of cookie recipes I'd like to try, and I haven't even started my round of holiday biscotti. Cookie season is almost over, though; then we move into salad and yogurt season. :)

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  4. yum! that icing looks delicious! well done :)

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  5. Icing makes them look lovely. Nice job.

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