Perfect for a Tea Party

Today is Tuesday and we all know what that means! It means I've been baking, and not on my own either! I've been baking along with a bazillion other bakers around the world as part of that delicious baking group, Tuesdays With Dorie. The baking group that has taken a vow to bake one recipe each week, the same recipe each week, from that scrumptiously delicious baking book, "Baking, from my home to yours," written by the equally as scrumptious Dorie Greenspan. This week's recipe was the Coconut Butter Thins on page 145, as chosen by Jayne of The Barefoot Kitchen Witch . . . yummo . . . coconut, butter, macadamia nuts, and all in one cookie. What a delicious sounding choice!!!



Only one problem . . . and you would be forgiven if you were to say right now . . . those don't look like Coconut Butter Thins. They actually aren't Coconut Butter Thins. I had a real problem coming up with some of the ingredients this week, specifically the flaked, sweetened coconut and my larder was completely and totally bare of macadamia nuts. (I know!! The horror of it all!!) I did, however, have plenty of this . . .



Yep, candied ginger! Todd and I both love candied ginger. It's like one of our favouritest of things on the planet. I sure hope that they have it in heaven, coz it just seems to me that a place without ginger is a place bereft of something really special. Yes, if I was 30 years younger and I'm not telling you how many pounds lighter, I WOULD be Ginger Spice!



Since I was missing the integral parts of the recipe and I really want to be able to make them the right way, I gave the cookie recipe this week a miss and made you some of these delicious ginger short bread biscuits instead. Just perfect for a tea party, if you were going to have one.



All buttery and short, and chock full of delicious little bits of candied ginger. Ahhh . . . here is my bliss . . . Could anything be any better than that????




Umm . . . try drizzling them with some melted dark chocolate. There's only one word for it . . .

D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S

That about sums it up.

This cookie recipe was a first prize winner in a cookie contest for a major Canadian Cooking magazine some 15 years ago now. One bite and you'll know exactly why . . .



*Gingered Shortbread Biscuits*
Makes 5 dozen ( or so)

These wonderful biscuits are perfection personified. Buttery. Short. Crumbly. Melt In Your Mouth. Spicy . . . perfection. Three little bites of heaven.

1 cup of butter, room temperature
1/2 cup icing sugar, sifted
3 TBS finely chopped candied ginger
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour, sifted

Pre-heat the oven to 300*F/150*C.

Place the butter into a bowl and cream it together with the sugar until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the ginger and the salt. Gradually work in the flour until it is all incorporated.

Divide the dough into thirds and working with one third at a time, shape into a round and roll it out 1/4 inch thick in between two sheets of wax or baking paper. Cut into shapes as desired. Place on baking sheets. Repeat until you have used all the dough, re-rolling the scraps as need be.

Bake for 17 to 20 minutes until light golden and set. Remove to a wire rack to cool

Optional: Melt about 2 ounces of dark chocolate by breaking it up and placing it into a bowl. Heat in the microwave for 20 second intervals, until completely melted. Using a fork or a small spoon drizzle the melted chocolate over the cooled biscuits. Allow to set and dry before storing in air tight containers.

If you would like to see the real cookie I should have baked this week, the Coconut Butter thins, please hop on over to Jayne of The Barefoot Kitchen Witch . . . she will be posting the recipe at some point today, and do be sure to check out the Dorie Blog Roll to see what the other ladies came up with. I am sure there will be some absolutely stunning versions to drool over!

Next week's recipe will be Banana Creme Pie, pages 342 and 343 as chosen by Amy of Sing For Your Supper. OH wow, Todd's really going to love this and so am I!!