snickerdoodles : oolala

apparently, we canadians have been somewhat sheltered from this delightful traditional cookie. possibly we have another not-so-creative name for this simple sugar cookie, but as i started to inquire, i was very surprised to find so few who had even heard of it. doubly surprised as usually my french-canadian upbringing is to blame for my education shortcomings with regards to the english traditions.

unspectacularly, i had my very first snickerdoodle just last year as i grabbed a coffee at starbucks in seattle. i really wasn’t looking for a snack, but the name hooked me; and then the cookie followed. it was very yummy! (and no, starbucks does not carry the same food items cross-border)

recently i had a potluck to attend, so i did a search on the internet to find a recipe for it. as it turned out most recipes i found were identical which made it easy to pick one. so i rolled up my sleeves and attempted my first batch of snickerdoodles. unfortunately i was not entirely happy with the result — the cookies tasted very good but were far from being chewy like those of starbucks. however, for all those who had never had a snickerdoodle, they were an absolute hit. everybody loved them and i was left with none to take home!

since i am a bit of a perfectionist (some would say that’s an understatement) i went back to the internet to find another recipe. that was not such an easy task, but i did find one that was different enough. as it turned out it was much better: the cookies were definitely more chewy. there was however something about the taste that was missing from the first recipe. so, in my third attempt, i did a small mix between the two recipes, et voilà! the perfect snickerdoodle!

ingredients

1 cup -butter -softened

2 cups -sugar

2 tsp -vanilla extract

2 -eggs -large

3 cups -flour

1 tsp -cream of tartar

1 tsp -baking soda

1/4 tsp -salt

sugar + cinnamon -for rolling the dough in

• preheat oven to 350ºF

• cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl.

• add the vanilla extract and the eggs, and mix until light and fluffy.
• combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
• add half of the dry ingredients to the whipped mixture and blend well.
• then add the rest.
• cover the bowl and chill for an hour.
• meanwhile mix about 4 parts sugar to one part cinnamon together in a small bowl.

• line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

note: my experience with using parchment has produced my best baking results.
• when the dough is chilled, make some small 1-inch balls and roll them in the cinnamon sugar.

• once all placed on the cookie sheet, press them slightly with the back of a fork.
• bake for 10 minutes.

note: if you prefer cookies more crunchy, bake them for 12 minutes, or try baking them instead at 375º for 10 minutes. (each oven being different, one needs to do their own testing)

warning: these cookies may cause some serious indulgence.

now i need to highlight something important. sometime in the interim between my first two batches, i discovered something huge: i did not know how to measure flour correctly!

how to measure flour

this was shocking to me, but it explained a lot. when packing your measuring cup, you should not pack it from scooping the flour from the jar with your cup, but you should instead scoop out the flour with a spoon, toss it into your cup, and then level it with a knife. the difference is as follow: a scooped up measuring cup of packed flour weighs about 255g, and a spooned in cup of flour weighs about 225g. that is a 30-gram difference for only one single cup! if your recipe calls for three cups, you’re looking at 90 extra grams of flour. — no wonder the european’s recipe books use weight instead of volume as a measuring standard! please watch the 65-second video.

after learning this, i was able to understand why the same recipe can vary so much from time to time, or from baker to baker. hence the dryness of my first batch of cookies!

please let me know if you enjoy the cookies by leaving me a comment ~ thanks!

tuna tartare

a tartare is by definition a preparation of either finely chopped raw meat or raw fish with a special seasoning or sauce. it is definitely not for everyone. personally i have always loved steak tartare, and i am also a huge fan of sushi and raw fish. so when i first heard of tuna tartare, it was like music to my ears.

this recipe originates from a william sonoma book i own, and is very lightly altered. i have looked for other recipes, but i couldn’t find many. because it is so very good, i am including it on my blog. it is super easy to make and is totally worth it. finding all the ingredients will possibly be your only challenge — one you will quickly forget after your first bite!

ingredients

3/4 lb ~ 375g -sushi-grade ahi tuna -cut into small dice

2 -shallots -finely chopped

2 tbsp -chives -chopped not too small

1/2 tsp -fleur de sel -to taste

1/2 tsp -fresh ground pepper -to taste

ingredients for the dressing

1 -egg yolk

3/4 tsp -fresh ginger -grated

1/2 -garlic clove -finely chopped

1.5 tsp -japanese hot mustard -either prepared or dry (use 1 tsp)

1 tbsp -mirin

1 tbsp -soy sauce

1/4 cup ~ 60ml -rice vinegar

1/3 cup ~ 80ml -peanut oil -i usually use olive oil

2 tbsp -asian sesame oil

about the ingredients: nowadays the tuna is fairly easy to find, at least here in vancouver, and most supermarkets carry it. the first time you buy it make sure it is the right tuna that can be eaten rare as sushi or seared. the ingredients that can be tricky to find are the asian hot mustard and the mirin. those i found at fujiya. the hot mustard i prefer is the dry one, and it comes in a tiny tin much like wasabi powder. the mirin is a liquid and comes in a small bottle. everything else can be found at regular grocery stores.

about substitutions: the first time i made the dressing i didn’t have all the ingredients so i used wasabi powder instead of hot mustard, olive oil instead of peanut oil (i admit to never have the latter) and i omitted the mirin altogether as i did not even know what it was. the result was very good. so don’t panic if you’re missing something!

• always keep the tuna very cold — this is very important.

• in a food processor, blender, or something a bit smaller if you have, combine the first six ingredients for the dressing (egg yolk, ginger, garlic, mustard, mirin and soy sauce).

• once smooth, add the vinegar. blend for a few seconds.

• with the motor still running, slowly drizzle in both oils until emulsified.

• transfer the dressing into a container and keep it refrigerated until ready to use. you can keep the dressing up to a week and you can also use it for salad dressing.

note: the dressing will be fairly liquid.

• once your tuna is thawed, cut it into small pieces. if you have a good knife you can even cut it while it is still a bit frozen as it is easier to cut it into smaller pieces.

• toss in the shallots, the salt and pepper, and add some of the dressing. add just a little bit at a time so it covers the tuna but doesn’t make it too soupy.

• sprinkle the chives over the tuna and serve it very cold, with chopsticks.

oh my... i am salivating just writing about it!

i sure hope you enjoy this tartare as much as i do! it is totally addictive!

please let me know if you enjoy this tartare by leaving me a comment ~ thanks!