Joanne Fluke's Lake Eden Cookbook Part 54

Mix the b.u.t.ter and the sugar together and beat them with a mixer or a spoon until they look nice and fluffy. (That's what the phrase "cream the b.u.t.ter and sugar" means if you see it in another recipe.) Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.

Mix in the mola.s.ses and the vinegar. (I always spray the inside of my measuring cup with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray before I pour in the mola.s.ses. Then it glops right out without sticking to the cup.) Lindy sifts the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom together before she mixes them in with the wet ingredients. (She also weighs the flour and the sugar the way a true pastry chef would do.) That means she's probably a better baker than I am, because I don't do any of that. I just mix in the baking soda first, and then the spices. I mix everything up thoroughly, and then I add the flour in one-cup increments, mixing after each cup is added.

Use your hands to roll the dough into walnut-sized b.a.l.l.s. If the dough is too sticky, put it in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes and then try again. Refrigeration stiffens the dough and makes it easier to work with.

Put the sugar in a small bowl and roll the b.a.l.l.s in it. Place them on a greased cookie sheet (I used Pam), 12 cookie b.a.l.l.s to a standard-size sheet. Press them down just a bit when you place them on the cookie sheet so they won't roll off when you carry them to the oven. You don't have to flatten them. They'll spread out all by themselves while they bake.

Bake the cookies at 350 degrees F., for 10 to 12 minutes. (Mine took only 10 minutes.) Let the cookies cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet and then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Yield: Approximately 10 dozen, depending on cookie size.

STRAWBERRY FLIPS.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

1 cup melted b.u.t.ter (2 sticks, 8 ounces, pound)

1 cup white (granulated) sugar

2 beaten eggs (just whip them up with a fork)

cup seedless strawberry jam

1 teaspoon strawberry extract (or vanilla extract if you can't

find strawberry at your grocery store)

1 teaspoon baking powder

teaspoon baking soda

teaspoon salt

1 and cups chopped walnuts (or pecans)

3 cups flour (don't sift pack it down in the cup when you

measure it)

small bowl of powdered (confectioner's) sugar

1 bag frozen strawberries for garnish56

Melt the b.u.t.ter and stir in the white sugar. Set the bowl aside on the counter to cool.

When the b.u.t.ter/sugar mixture is not so hot it'll cook the eggs, add them and mix thoroughly. Then mix in the strawberry jam and stir until it's thoroughly incorporated.

Add strawberry extract, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix everything up thoroughly. Then mix in the chopped walnuts.

Add the flour in one-cup increments, mixing after each cup. The resulting dough will be quite stiff.

Roll dough b.a.l.l.s about 1 inch in diameter with your impeccably clean hands. (If the dough is too sticky to roll, chill it for 20 to 30 minutes in the refrigerator and then try it again. You can even cover this dough and let it chill overnight in the refrigerator.) Roll the dough b.a.l.l.s in the powdered sugar and place them on a greased cookie sheet, 12 to a standard sheet. (You can also spray your cookie sheets with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray, or cover them with parchment paper.) Make a deep thumbprint in the center of each cookie.

While the strawberries are still partially frozen, cut them in half lengthwise. (If your berries are too large to fit on your cookie b.a.l.l.s, cut them in quarters instead of halves.) Flip the cut pieces over and place them skin side up in the thumbprint you've made on top of each cookie.

Bake the Strawberry Flips at 375 degrees F. for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool them on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then use a metal spatula to transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

When the cookies are cool, dust them with powdered sugar and place them on a pretty platter to serve them.

Yield: 7 to 8 dozen cookies.

Hannah's 1st Note: The tart strawberry pieces are wonderful with the sweet cookie. Carrie Rhodes just adores these.

Hannah's 2nd Note: As a variant, you can also make these cookies with seedless raspberry jam and small whole raspberries on top. Of course then you'll have to call them Raspberry Flips instead of Strawberry Flips.

SURPRISE COOKIES.

DO NOT preheat the oven this dough must chill before baking.

1 cup melted b.u.t.ter (2 sticks, 8 ounces, pound)

1 cup white (granulated) sugar

cup brown sugar (pack it down in the cup when you

measure it)

2 beaten eggs (just whip them up with a fork)

1 teaspoon baking soda

teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons water (or coffee, if you have some left over

from breakfast)

3 cups flour (not sifted pack it down in the cup when you

measure it)

1 package Bridge Mix or a.s.sorted chocolate candies 57