A Spice Cookie To Share Recipes

SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
• Combine sugar, butter, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Combine flour, currants, and baking soda in a separate bowl. Stir into the butter mixture alternately with tablespoons of milk until the flour is fully incorporated.
• Drop spoonfuls of batter onto the prepared baking sheets. Press down lightly with a fork. Dip fork in sugar or water if it sticks.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Let stand on the baking sheets for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

A SPICE COOKIE TO SHARE

Steps:

• Whisk together the flours, coffee and spices; set aside.
• Working with a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a hand mixer), mix the pieces of cold butter, both sugars and the salt on low speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture forms clumps and then comes together. You'll see pieces of butter here and there - you're supposed to. Add the dry ingredients all at once, and then pulse the mixer on and off, just until the risk of flying flour has passed. Mix on low-medium speed until you've got a bowl of crumbs, about 3 minutes. Lightly whisk the egg and honey together. With the mixer on low, add the egg mixture gradually, and then continue to mix until the dough forms clumps. Squeeze a bit of the dough, and it will hold together. Reach into the bowl, and press the dough into a ball. Turn it out onto a sheet of parchment paper.
• Press the dough down, cover it with another sheet of paper and roll it out until it's about 1/8-inch thick. It can be any shape - round, oval, rectangular, raggedy-edged or pristine. It will probably be about 12-by-15 inches, but the thickness is more important than the dimensions. Being neat doesn't buy you anything with this cookie. Slide the sandwiched dough onto a baking sheet, and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days). If you prefer, you can wrap the dough well and freeze it for up to 2 months; keep it at room temperature for about 20 minutes before baking.
• When you're ready to bake, center a rack in the oven, and heat it to 350. Remove the top sheet of paper; leave the dough on the paper-lined baking sheet. If you're using the sanding sugar, sprinkle the dough with about 2 tablespoons' worth.
• Bake the cookie for 20 to 24 minutes - the edges will be darker than the middle. Press the center of the cookie, and it should be firm with just a tiny bit of give; it will feel firmer as you work your way out. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack, and allow the cookie to come to room temperature. If you're not eating it immediately, you can wrap the cookie well, and keep it at room temperature for about 4 days. Make sure the room is dry - humidity is a crisp cookie's nemesis.
• You can serve the cookie whole, letting everyone break off pieces (of course, there will be crumbs - they're part of the cookie's charm), or you can break or cut it in the kitchen and serve the pieces as you would any cookie. Chocolate or caramel sauce (or both) for dipping is optional, but scrumptious.

SCREAMING SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Whisk the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt together in a medium bowl.
• Beat the butter in a large bowl with a handheld mixer until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the sugars, and continue beating until light, about 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla extract, beating until smooth. Gradually add the dry ingredients while mixing slowly to make a smooth dough. Divide dough in half and press each half into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Transfer 1 disk of dough to a floured work surface and roll about 1/4-inch thick. Cut into cookies with a pinched tuna can (see below). Transfer cookies with an offset spatula to a nonstick or silicon lined baking sheet.
• Cut out eyes and a mouth with a pastry tip, fat straw, or a knife. Press the lollipop sticks into the narrow end of each cookie, if using. Repeat with remaining dough. Press excess dough together, roll and cut into cookies. Refrigerate cookies for at least 30 minutes.
• Evenly space the racks in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Put the candies in a small plastic bag and hit with a rolling pin to break into little pieces.
• Bake the cookies just until they are set, about 20 minutes. Remove baking sheets from the oven and carefully sprinkle the broken candies into the eyes and mouth of the cookies. Continue to cook until the candy liquefies, about 3 minutes more. Cool cookies on pan for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Cool cookies on a rack.
• For the icing: Whisk the water, egg white powder and orange extract in a medium bowl until foamy but smooth. Gradually whisk in the confectioners' sugar to make a smooth icing. Spread a layer of icing over the entire surface of the cookies with the back of a teaspoon. Let rest until the icing sets, about 30 minutes. Serve or store in a covered container for up to 3 days.

GRAMMY'S SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick liners.
• Using an electric mixer, beat 12 tablespoons butter with the granulated sugar, molasses and egg until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Slowly beat in flour, baking soda, spices and salt.
• Shape dough into walnut-size balls and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake until firm, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on wire racks.
• To make the icing, beat remaining 4 tablespoons butter with the confectioners' sugar until smooth. (Go slowly so you don't create a sugar storm.) Beat in the vanilla and enough cream or milk, and whiskey (if using), to make a spreadable frosting. Slather on fully cooled cookies.

SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Soak the currants in the brandy for 10 minutes. Mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, spices, salt, and dark chocolate. Mix well with a whisk.
• Put the butter, sugar, vanilla, and lemon and orange zest in a stand mixer fitted with the beater attachment and beat to combine but not aerate much, about 1 minute. With the mixer running, slowly add the egg and mix for about 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients, followed by the currants and brandy. Mix until everything comes together.
• Gently knead the dough in the bowl with your hands until it comes together and is uniform. Divide the dough into 1 3/4-oz / 50g chunks and shape each chunk into a perfectly round ball. Place the balls on 1 or 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing them about 3/4 inch / 2 cm apart, and let rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C. Bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes, until the top firms up but the center is still slightly soft. Remove from the oven. Once the cookies are out of the oven, allow to cool for only 5 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack. While the cookies are still warm, whisk together the glaze ingredients until a thin and smooth icing forms. Pour 1 tablespoon of the glaze over each biscuit, leaving it to drip and coat the biscuit with a very thin, almost transparent film. Finish each with 3 pieces of candied peel placed at the center. Leave to set and serve, or store in an airtight container for a day or two.