autumn is in the air 19.09.
Sweet indulgence: Toasted Pecan-Cinnamon Wafers
Source: Piece of Cake
With Fall in the air, baked goods with spices such as cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg are beginning to make their appearances everywhere. There’s nothing more comforting than the smell (and taste) of warm spices on a cool, crisp Fall day.
Begin by mixing together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Beat the butter and sugar until creamy.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg (the recipe says to add the salt into the egg, however, the salt is already in the flour mixture). Add the egg mixture to the butter/sugar mixture.
Add the flour mixture and beat until a smooth dough forms. Stir in the pecans.
Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and form it into a 1x4x8 inch rectangular slab.
Wrap the dough and refrigerate for about 4 hours.
Once the dough has been refrigerated, get your egg glaze and sugar ready.
Begin by slicing your dough in half (lengthwise) so that you half two 2 inch wide logs. Brush lightly with the egg and coat with the sugar. Don’t overdo the egg glaze otherwise the finished product ends up tasting eggy. Slice the dough into 1/8 inch slices and place on baking sheets. Place it in the oven for about 15-17 minutes.
Overall, these cookies were crisp, light and delicious! The sugar coating on the outside added a nice extra crunch and also added just the right sweetness to the cookie. The ‘crust’ created by the egg/sugar mixture sets these cookies apart from other wafer cookies, which makes for a nice change. Parts of the dough where the egg mixture had been brushed on too heavily did taste slightly eggy, so it’s important to make sure you brush it on lightly (just enough to make the sugar stick). These would be perfect with an afternoon cup of tea!
FINAL VERDICT:
Taste: 4.5 sweet burps out of 5
Level of difficulty: Easy
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RECIPE
(retrieved from Piece of Cake)
Toasted Pecan-Cinnamon Wafers
Adapted from Tartine
Makes about 3-4 dozen
For the cookies:
1 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
11 tablespoons unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
For the coating:
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons heavy cream (milk is fine too)
2/3 cup sugar
Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed just until combined and creamy–do not whip. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and salt until the egg is uniformly beaten and liquefied, and add it to the butter and sugar, beating to blend. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until a smooth dough forms. Stir in the pecans.
Turn the dough out onto a plastic wrap or parchment-lined work surface and shape the dough into a rectangular slab, about 1x4x8 inches. Wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours (you can also store it in the freezer for future use).
When you’re ready to bake, position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat it to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Unwrap the dough slab and slice it in half lengthwise into two 2-inch wide logs. Beat together the egg yolks and cream in a small bowl, and spread the sugar out in an even layer on a work surface. Brush each log lightly with egg wash and dredge generously in the sugar. Slice each log crosswise into about 1/8-inch thick slices (no more than 1/4-inch thick, otherwise they will not really crisp up). Place the slices on the prepared baking sheet and bake until firm and just golden on the edges, about 15-17 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Store an airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature.