The Art and Soul of Baking

Gifts From Bakers

This is the season when handmade gifts are shared with abandon – it is truly a baker’s wonderland. It does my heart good to hear people in line at the supermarket or the coffee house discussing pie and cake recipes or exchanging cookie decorating tips. Whether it’s a plate of your signature cookies, a loaf of pumpkin bread, or a box of lovingly decorated cupcakes, gifts of food connect us all, kitchen by kitchen. In these uncertain economic times, simple gifts from hearth and home create a more meaningful holiday season.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Cookies: A plate of freshly baked cookies is a delight during the holidays. Just one type of really good cookie is all you need to spread the joy. If you decide to give a selection of your favorites, keep a few points in mind. Keep all the cookies in separate containers until it’s time to assemble the platter, then deliver it shortly. This will keep the flavors and textures intact – prolonged contact will make crisp cookies soft, and soft cookies stale, and they’ll all start to taste like each other. I like to wrap the cookies individually in cellophane bags or vellum envelopes, then tuck them into a tin or container.

For a cookie gift that keeps on giving, I like to give frozen dough logs or scoops of cookie dough, to be enjoyed long after the last holiday package has been opened. I wrap slice-and-bake cookie logs in plastic, then in holiday paper. A good idea to help them keep their round shape is to tuck the logs into cardboard paper towel tubes, then wrap the tube. Be sure to attach a tag that gives the name of the cookies and baking instructions. For drop cookies (chocolate chip-style), I scoop the cookie dough using a small ice cream scoop, then freeze the dough balls and transfer them into ziptop freezer bags. When it’s time for gift-giving, I fill airtight tins or containers with the dough, and attach a tag with all the pertinent information. Just make sure it goes from your freezer to the recipient’s freezer in a timely manner. This is a great way to be remembered on a cold January night, when your friends pull warm cookies from the oven.

Here are some of my favorites from The Art and Soul of Baking:

Cookies for baking and giving: Almond and Chocolate Spritz Cookies, Raspberry Cherry Crumble Bars, Cappuccino Biscotti with Hazelnuts and Chocolate, Peanut Butter Thumbprints with Caramel Peanut Filling, and Mexican Chocolate Crackle Cookies.

And, of course, the classic Roll and Cut Sugar Cookies – for ideas on decorating, see the December issue of Food and Wine Magazine (bold December… Magazine), in which they are featured in an article on the best baking books of the season. The same article features my recipe for simple yet addictive Vanilla Crescents, one of my most requested recipes ever.

Cookies for freezing and giving: Chocolate Earl Grey Coins (recipe provided below), a comfortingly sophisticated slice and bake treat; Cherry Oatmeal Cookies; Chocolate Cocoa Nib Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies; and Sugar Cookie Pillows.

Pie Dough: If I’m making a big batch of pie dough, I’ll make some extra to give to friends who love to make pie, but won’t attempt a pie crust. I roll it out so it’s ready to go, dust it lightly with flour so it doesn’t stick to itself upon thawing, then fold it in half and set it inside a pie tin lined with a piece of parchment paper. I’ll layer 2 or 3 between rounds of parchment, then wrap the whole thing in plastic (or slip it into a ziptop freezer bag), and wrap with holiday paper. I attach a gift tag reminding them to let each round thaw completely before unfolding (or it will crack in half), and giving baking temperatures and times. All they have to do for pie is toss some fruit together for the filling.

Crumble or Crisp Topping: Fruit crumbles are so simple and delicious, I think everyone should have some topping in their freezer for a quick, satisfying dessert. Crumble topping can easily be made in a food processor or stand mixer, and it’s child’s play to whip up several batches. Freeze it in ziptop freezer bags, then transfer into airtight food safe containers for gift-giving, along with your favorite recipe using the topping.

Cakes: A moist and tender cake is a thoughtful way to let friends and colleagues know you care. Simple pound cakes and tea cakes can be enjoyed any time of day, and freeze beautifully. I love the beautiful brown and gold baking papers that Sur La Table carries for just such baking. They come in an array of sizes, from individual cupcakes to mini loaves to standard-size loaves, to large tube or panettone style loaves. Once the cakes have cooled, wrap in plastic or cellophane and tie with a coordinating ribbon or raffia.

Good choices from my book include: Double Vanilla Pound Cake, Spice Cake, Orange Cardamom Cake, Chocolate Velvet Pound Cake, and Pumpkin Spice Cake. From the quick bread chapter, try Cinnamon Streusel Sour Cream Coffeecake, Chocolate Banana Marble Bread or Pumpkin Walnut Bread. Any of these are excellent on their own, or top them with a bit of Chocolate Ganache or Confectioner’s Sugar Icing and fun sprinkles for a festive finish. They can also be baked in cupcake form for home, office or school parties.

One of my favorite “big” cakes for giving is the Almond, Apricot and Chocolate Chip Cake with Amaretto Glaze. I bake it in one of the gorgeous Nordic Ware bundt pans, then let the glaze drip down the sides. The almond paste in the batter ensures the cake stays moist for days (and it freezes beautifully for a month, which means I can get ahead on my gift baking). If you bake it ahead and freeze it, don’t glaze the cake – it gets splotchy upon thawing. Instead, let the cake(s) thaw completely before you add the chocolate glaze.

Other Kitchen Treats: Little jars of special treats are a welcome gift. I like to give Caramel Sauce, since most store bought caramel sauce is not caramelized sugar at all, but a combination of brown sugar and milk or cream. The real thing is rich and complex in flavor and light years beyond the others. If you don’t plan on heat processing the jars to seal them, be sure to attach a tag reminding the recipient to store it in the refrigerator, where it will keep for at least a month. Other fun treats are Sugared Flower Petals for decorating; and Candied Citrus Zest in sugar syrup for chopping and adding to doughs and batters or garnishing citrus desserts. Recipes for each of these can be found in the book.

Stymied on how to wrap your gift of food? Here are some ideas:

• Make a paper cone from pretty wrapping paper or scrapbook paper – tape a piece of waxed paper inside before rolling the paper to protect it from butter stains.
• Café au lait bowl tied with a ribbon
• Pretty printed cupcake liners (standard-size or minis, depending on size of cookies) with a different type of cookie stacked inside each one, all inside a craft or candy box, lined up like chocolate bon bons.
• Antique, thrift store or modern plates (for larger gift) or tea cup sets (for smaller gift) with cookies arranged on top or inside cup, then wrapped in clear cellophane.
• Chinese to-go boxes decorated with pretty paper cut-outs or stickers or rubber stamps and wrapped with a beautiful ribbon.
• Japanese bento box, with various cookies or candies in each wooden container inside the box.
• Cellophane bags -- available at candy and craft stores -- tied with a pretty ribbon.
• Cardboard or tin lunchbox with cookies arranged in rows inside or each type of cookie stored in separate cellophane bags or envelopes to keep flavors and textures intact.
• Canning jars tied with a pretty ribbon.
• Baking pans – either new or thrift shop – when packed in baking pans, the treats are a gift for now (to eat) and one for later (a pan to bake in).

More Gifts From Bakers ideas and recipes follow after the jump

Cookies, Cookies, Cookies

Cookies make the world go around – it’s amazing how a simple sweet can create so much happiness. And they make such great gifts that I spend a lot of time each holiday season baking my favorites to share with friends and family. When it comes to the fancy decorated cookies, though, I believe in a group effort. Thus has evolved my annual cookie-decorating and holiday party. It’s a great way to bring family and friends together and make cookies at the same time. Everyone has more fun at a party when there is a project that gets conversations flowing. Hosting a cookie decorating party is not difficult, and I’ve developed a plan over the years to help it all run smoothly. The key is organization.

Here are some tips to help you have fun:

• Make the cookie dough in advance. I usually make the dough over Thanksgiving weekend. I always make two kinds of dough – sugar cookie dough (recipe below) and gingerbread cookie dough, but one type of dough is certainly enough. I usually triple or quadruple the recipe below so I have plenty of cookies on hand, but even a double batch will yield enough cookies for a small party.
• Roll out the cookie dough as soon as you make it. This is when the dough is easiest to roll, though if you find it difficult and sticky, you may want to chill the dough for 20 minutes or so. Roll the portions out between two sheets of parchment paper, following the directions in the recipe below, to 1/8-inch thick, and about the size of a baking sheet. I stack the rolled-out dough portions (still between parchment) on a baking sheet. Then I wrap the whole baking sheet in plastic wrap several times and stash it in the freezer until baking day.
• Bake the cookies the day before the party. Once the oven is preheated, I choose the cutters, remove the dough from the freezer and let it defrost on the counter for 5 to 10 minutes, until still cold, but not frozen hard. Cut out the shapes you want, placing the cutters as close together as possible, then carefully transfer the shapes to parchment-lined baking sheets and bake until light golden brown. Remember to bake similarly-sized cookies on the same pan – if you have very large or very small cookies, bake them on separate sheets.
• Once the cookies have cooled, stack them up according to shapes on a baking sheet lined with parchment, then wrap the entire sheet several times with plastic wrap to keep the cookies airtight and fresh.
• Make the frosting the day before the party. I like to use meringue powder for the icing, and whip up great mounds of it. Then I separate it into bowls and add food coloring.
• Use disposable piping bags secured with twist ties for decorating. Once the frosting is done, spoon it into disposable piping bags until they are 2/3 full, then twist the ends tightly, and secure them with a twist tie (available in the produce section at the supermarket). This will prevent icing from coming out the back end of the bag while your friends and family are piping their masterpieces. I always have several bags of each color – especially the popular colors – so guests aren’t waiting around for someone else to finish.
• I put a selection of colored frosting-filled pastry bags into a large bowl at several points around the table, and cover their ends with a wet, wrung-out kitchen towel. Once the ends of the bags are cut and the decorating begins, you want to keep the cut ends moist, or the frosting will harden there. Let everyone know that when they are finished with a color, they should put the frosting back into the bowl with the tip of the bag under the damp towel.
• Buy a selection of fun garnishes, like colored sprinkles and sanding sugars, silver dragées, colored candies, and anything else that strikes your fancy. Make a couple of small bowls of each kind to spread around the table(s). You can also use paper cupcake liners to hold these decorations.
• Put out a selection of toothpicks, new paintbrushes (kid-size), and mini offset spatulas so those who want to spread things around can do so easily.
• I put holiday-themed plastic tablecloths on any surface that might be used as a work area, so clean-up is a breeze. A roll of paper towels and 2 or 3 wet and wrung-out kitchen towels on each table make it easy to clean up sticky hands or spills.
• I buy large paper plates, and each guest writes their name on the rim of the plate. They use the plate to choose their cookies and decorate them. If they want to decorate even more cookies, they simply get another plate. This eliminates any “hey, that’s MY cookie” discussions at the end of the evening.
• Have something simple to eat so everyone doesn’t fill up on sugar – I usually make a hearty soup or stew and serve it with some good bread.
• Have a roll of plastic wrap or a box of ziptop bags at the ready as guests go home. Wrap each plate tightly, or slip it into a ziptop bag so the cookies don’t end up on the seat of the car or someone’s clothing.

I started the tradition of this party for the kids, but have been pleasantly surprised over the years to see just how much the adults love the decorating. The kids decorate a few cookies then move on to playing in another room. It’s the adults who really get into the decorating, and allow their creativity to shine. Sitting around a big table sharing stories, food, and cookie decorations is one of the best ways I can think of to celebrate the season.

More Cookies, Cookies, Cookies ideas and recipes follow after the jump