Sacristains Recipes

SACRISTAINS

Steps:

• Place dough on a lightly floured work surface; lightly flour dough. Using a rolling pin, press the dough firmly in parallel strokes close to one another. Continue pressing with rolling pin, adding a pinch of flour to dough between strokes, until dough becomes more malleable.
• Continue rolling dough back and forth without rolling over the ends (which may make ends thinner and stick to surface). Turn dough 90 degrees, and continue rolling in the other direction; roll dough, changing directions as necessary, into a 12-inch square. If dough gets soft, slide it onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• In a small bowl, beat together egg and salt; brush over dough. In a medium bowl, mix together almonds, sugar, and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over half of the dough. Fold dough in half over almond mixture to cover; press to adhere. Transfer to a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees with racks set in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
• Roll chilled dough out into a 12-inch square. Using a sharp pizza wheel, cut into 24 1/2-inch-wide strips. Twist strips into corkscrew shapes by holding at each end pressing in opposite directions at the same time. Place on prepared baking sheets, pressing into pan to prevent them from unraveling while baking.
• Transfer to oven and bake until deep golden, about 15 minutes, switching pans from top to bottom and vice versa, and rotating from front to back, halfway through baking.
• Immediately transfer sacristains to a cutting board. Trim ends and cut in half crosswise, working quickly, as sacristains will become crisp as they cool. Let cool on a wire rack. Sacristains are best eaten the day they are made, but can be stored in an airtight container between sheets of wax paper.

SACRISTAN COOKIES RECIPE - (5/5)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350'F and position rack in the center. In a small food processor, grind together the pistachios and 1 1/2 T of sugar; transfer to a plate. Cut a 2" x 6" rectangle from a sheet of puff pastry and place in the freezer until ready to use. Whip together the yolk, milk, and remaining sugar, and brush the mixture on both sides of the pastry rectangle. Cut the pastry into four 2" x 6" strips. Hold the strips on both ends and carefully twist two or three times (make sure pastry is thawed enough to be malleable). Place the twists about 1 1/2" apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. When the cookies are done, carefully roll them in the pistachio-sugar mixture to coat; set aside until ready to serve. Assembly Remove the goblets from the refrigerator. Above the layer of gelee, arrange sliced strawberries against the inside of each glass. Spoon the diced strawberries over the gelee, and then add a scoop of ice cream on top. Pipe whipped cream over the ice cream. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios, and serve immediately with the cookies. Serves 4.

PERFECT BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 7-by-11 1/2-by-2-inch baking pan. Line pan with parchment paper; set aside.
• Combine butter and chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, and melt. Remove from heat, and let stand until cool. Sift flour and baking powder together into a medium bowl; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat eggs until thick and creamy, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar. Continue beating until mixture is thick and mousse-like and a trail is left on the surface when the whisk is lifted, about 3 minutes more. Gradually fold in the chocolate mixture, alternating with the dry ingredients. Fold in nuts.
• Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until top is cracked and center is just firm to the touch, 40 to 45 minutes. (The brownies should not have a cakelike consistency). Remove from oven, and let cool in pan.
• Cut into squares in the pan before turning out onto a board.