It's a Perfect Time to Make Some More Cookies

It's Cookie Time

  

Now that you've already been given a taste with my Toffee Bar review, let's take a look at the rest of the dessert cart from the cookbook that is all about the cookies. Chewy, Gooey, Crispy, Crunchy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies. 

 

 

The author, Alice Medrich, has won more best cookbook-of-the-year awards and best in the dessert and baking category than any other author. She is self-taught but improved her skills by attending L’Ecole Lenotre in France. She opened the dessert shop Cocolat in Berkeley, California in the 1970’s. She is known for her meticulous testing of recipes and commitment to quality ingredients.

The book starts out with a user guide that covers such things as choosing ingredients, preparing the ingredients (such as toasting nuts and melting chocolate), and mixing.

 And now it's time for a breakdown.

Then this cookbook breaks the recipes down into chapters based on texture. They are crispy, crunchy, chunky, chewy, gooey, flaky, and melt-in-your-mouth. 

In the back there is a section titled Components. This has recipes for creams, fillings, sugars, dulce de leche, chocolate dips, and basic crusts that you will find useful beyond the recipes in the book.

The next section goes into detail on the ingredients. Have you every wondered about the fancy new vanillas you see in the store? Wonder if they are worth the high price. I know that after reading this book I can’t wait to try Mexican vanilla. It is in this section that Alice explains the different types of flour substitutes used in making wheat free or gluten free baked treats. She even explains xanthan gum and its use.

In the section on equipment she talks about the different types of cookie sheets and why you may not be getting the results you want from the ones you are using.

There are two pages of resources if you have a hard time finding some of the items she talks about.

In the Smart Search section she breaks the recipes down into different categories. Some of them are wheat-free, dairy-free, ridiculously quick and easy, less fat and 2-point treats (based on Weight Watchers points), and cookies that keep at least 2 weeks.

 

I can't say enough good things about the Toffee Bars recipe. It is my new favorite. The recipes are very well laid out and some of them have suggestions for what Alice refers to as upgrades. This toffee bar recipe even has a wheat free variation that I want to make for someone I know.

It is quite obvious that much time and research has gone into the perfecting of these recipes. They will take your cookie baking up to the next level. The only thing I could want more of from this book is pictures. Maybe I should just make the Black Bottom Pecan Praline Bars and take my own picture? The photos that are in the book are clean, not overly staged, and showcase the cookie perfectly.