Time to Play with Sugar
You
know those fancy sugars you see in gourmet and natural foods stores,
and the kind in little packets for coffee in high falutin' coffee
houses? It's time to pick up a few of those sugars and see what
a difference they make in your holiday baking.
While researching my next cookbook, Rolled In Sugar (sure to be
at the top of your stocking stuffer list for NEXT year), I've
been filling the cookie jar with all sorts of crispy and chewy
cookies and bars.
I know not all of these sugars will be right around at the corner
store, so have made suggested substitutions. But the fun is in
the search, so don't give up too easy. The sandy brown golden
bakers sugar complements almonds nicely and the unmistakable crunch
of turbinado is incomparable. I use it in all my shortbread cookies
as well.
You'll have a whole new repertoire of tastes and these sugars
are great for decorating. Plus, your pantry will be all set when
my next book is released.
Almond
Crescents
Golden bakers sugar is a finely ground, sandy brown, slightly
caramelized sugar perfect for this cookie. You can find it in
many specialty stores and online. If unavailable, look for bakers
sugar or maple sugar.
Maui
Krinkles
Turbinado sugar is one of the few remaining sugars still grown
on the Hawaiian islands. Most of the sugar production has moved
further from these beautiful shores. Turbinado, often sold as
Sugar In The Raw, is worth supporting, both for its taste and
to keep this agricultural tradition alive.
Shoofly
Pecan Bars
I’ve taken this old-fashioned pie recipe and transformed
it into bars. The rich and earthy taste of molasses is perfect
for baked goods at the holiday season.
Stem
Ginger Biscuits
Don’t be scared by the title, these are really crisp
little cookies, called biscuits in England. I first tasted these
on an extended stay near London, cooking for a family with 6 kids.
Needless to say, they ate a lot of sweet stuff. I substituted
half the flour with whole wheat flour for better nutritional value,
and no one was the wiser.
Mix
it up with Mani