In her new book, Cookies I Have Loved, Calgary author Julie Van Rosendaal shares a collection of cookie favourites from her bakery shop of old, relatives and friends. She's shared a few favourites with Alberta Prime Times readers.
Chocolava Cookies
The brownie-like cookies became the biggest sellers at my bakery in the late nineties, named by my then 6-year-old nephew, who thought they looked like molten lava.
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine salt
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
icing sugar, for rolling
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl combine the flour, sugars, cocoa, baking powder and salt, breaking up any lumps of brown sugar. Add the butter and stir until the mixture is well blended, with a texture like damp soil.
In a small bowl, stir the eggs together with a fork and add to the cocoa mixture along with the vanilla. Stir until you have a sticky dough.
Put some icing sugar in a shallow dish, roll the dough into 1-inch balls and roll in icing sugar to coat. Place them a couple inches apart on a parchment-lined sheet and bake for 12–14 minutes, until crackled and just set around the edges but still soft in the middle. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Makes about 20 cookies.
Creamy Lime Pie Bars with Biscoff Crust
Regular grocery store limes will work fine here. If you like, top these with a dollop of whipped cream. They’re also fantastic straight from the freezer, FYI.
Base:
1 1/3 cups (about 3/4 package) Biscoff, gingersnap, digestive or graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
Filling:
4 large egg yolks
1 300 mL can sweetened condensed milk
finely grated zest of a lime
1/2 cup lime juice
Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
If you’re starting with cookies, blitz them into crumbs in a food processor, or put them into a heavy duty ziplock bag and bash them with a rolling pin or wine bottle. Put the crumbs in a bowl and blend in the melted butter, then press into the bottom of a parchment-lined 9x9-inch pan and bake for 12-14 minutes, until firmer and perhaps slightly more golden.
In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, lime zest and juice. Pour over the base and bake for 15 minutes, until set. Cool in the pan on a wire rack, then chill for an hour or so to firm up before slicing.
Makes 9-16 squares or bars.
My Dad’s Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
I often boost fibre and protein by adding cooked red lentils, which blend right in, mimicking oats in taste and texture: simmer dry split red lentils for about 10 minutes, drain well and stir up to 1/3 cup in along with the oats.
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup canola or other vegetable oil
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp fine salt
a shake of cinnamon (optional)
1/2 cup raisins (or other chopped dried fruit or chocolate or chocolate-covered raisins!)
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, oil and brown sugar until creamy; beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; stir until almost combined, then add the raisins (or chocolate), and stir just until blended.
Drop large spoonfuls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes, until set around the edges but still soft in the middle. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Makes about 1 1/2 dozen cookies.
