Crackle Top Dough Recipes

CRACKLE COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, beat sugar, oil, chocolate and vanilla until blended. Beat in egg. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into sugar mixture. Refrigerate, covered, 2 hours or until firm enough to handle., Preheat oven to 350°. With sugared hands, shape dough into 1-in. balls; roll in confectioners' sugar. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

CRAQUELIN-TOPPED CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• To make the craquelin: Pulse the butter, sugar and salt in a food processor until just blended. Add the flour, and pulse until you have moist curds; pulse in the vanilla. Scrape the dough out onto the counter, and pull it together into a ball. Divide in half, shape each half into a disk and roll out each piece between parchment paper until it's about 1/8 to 1/16 inch thick. Freeze for at least 1 hour, and then cut into 1 3/4-to-2-inch-diameter rounds. Freeze until needed (always use frozen).
• Preheat the oven to 350. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Have a small (2-teaspoon capacity) cookie scoop, spoon or a piping bag at hand.
• To make the puffs: Bring the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt just to a boil in a medium pan. Reduce the heat to low, add the flour all at once and start stirring like mad with a flexible spatula. Stir and mash the dough until it comes together and leaves a film on the bottom of the pan. Keep cooking and stirring nonstop for another 3 minutes to dry but not color it. Scrape the dough into the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or work with a hand mixer). Beat the dough for 2 minutes to cool it down a bit. Combine the eggs and white, stir with a fork to break them up and then add to the dough in three additions, beating on medium speed. Beat until the dough is satiny and runs off the beater smoothly.
• Scoop, spoon or pipe puffs that are about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, leaving about 2 inches between each puff. (At this point, you can freeze them and then, when they are solid, pack them in an airtight container. When you're ready to bake, arrange the frozen puffs on a lined baking sheet and keep them on the counter while you preheat the oven.) Place a frozen round of craquelin on each puff.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the baking sheets if needed, or until the tops are golden brown and crackled. The puffs will feel firm when gently squeezed and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Transfer them to racks, and cool to room temperature.

CRACKLE TOP FUDGE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter and heavy cream. Cook, stirring constantly, until smooth. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Remove from heat, and stir in chocolate chips and unsweetened chocolate until melted and smooth. Allow the mixture to cool slightly before using. May be kept in a covered container for a few days at room temperature, or refrigerated for up to 1 week.

OLD-FASHIONED CRACKLE COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat sugar and oil until blended. Beat in eggs, chocolate and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to sugar mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours., With sugared hands, shape dough into 1-in. balls. Roll in confectioners' sugar. Place 2 in. apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool.

CHOCOLATE CRACKLE-TOP COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Blend in chocolate. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing well after each addition.
• Refrigerate 3 hours.
• Heat oven to 350ºF. Shape dough into 36 (1-inch) balls. Roll, 1 at a time, in powdered sugar until evenly coated. Place, 4 inches apart, on parchment-covered baking sheets.
• Bake 15 min. or until tops are cracked and centers are almost set. Cool 2 min. on baking sheet. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

CRACKER PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir together until evenly incorporated. Pour mixture into a 9-inch round pie dish. Press evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the dish using a glass.
• Bake in the oven until golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Let cool before adding filling.

GRAHAM CRACKER DOUGH

Steps:

• Put the all-purpose flour, wheat flour, wheat germ, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl and gently whisk until all the ingredients are incorporated and there are no visible lumps.
• Beat the butter in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment at high speed until it is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Add the brown sugar, crumbling it with your hands as you add it to remove any lumps, and mix on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the honey and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl using a rubber spatula halfway through mixing to ensure that the ingredients are combined.
• Add approximately half the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until the flour is incorporated, about 30 seconds. Repeat with the remaining flour. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the flour is fully incorporated.
• Empty the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently push it together. Form it into a flat disk 1 to 2 inches thick. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 days.
• Once the dough has chilled, it can be rolled and used as directed (see Rolling Dough, page 10), or frozen in sheets (wrapped tightly with plastic wrap on a sheet pan or piece of cardboard) until needed or for up to 2 months.
• If baking immediately, preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper or spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
• Place the dough on a piece of parchment paper or on a lightly floured flat surface. Lightly flour the top of the disk and begin rolling the dough. Lift and rotate the dough between each roll to prevent it from sticking. Repeat the process until the dough is between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick.
• Using a paring knife, cut the dough into 2-inch squares and place them about 1/2 inch apart on the prepared pans.
• To coat, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and toss lightly with a fork. Sprinkle the dough with the sugar mixture.
• Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the pans once halfway through, until the cookies are a dark golden brown color. Remove the cookies from the oven, let them cool slightly on the pans, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
• Serve the cooled cookies immediately, or keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
• Polish your look
• These graham crackers also taste great when coated in dark chocolate. Simply bake them without sugar and cinnamon on top, then follow the directions to dip the cookies from Chocolate Mint Cookies (page 63) or Dipping in Chocolate (page 17).

CRACKLE TOP SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Adjust one rack in the center of the oven.
• Combine butter and sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.
• Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl.
• Add egg yolks, vanilla, salt and beat until smooth.
• Add flour, baking soda and cream of tartar and mix on low speed until dough comes together.
• Scoop dough by rounded tablespoons and roll into balls.
• Roll balls in sanding sugar to coat and place on parchment paper lined baking sheets.
• Bake cookies until they are golden brown around the edges, but soft in the center. Approximately 16 minutes.
• Cool on rack and store in tins.