[Cookie 058] Sweet Cardamom Crackers

Well, I'm glad all of you dear readers support my homebody-tendencies, but I've got to break it to you. I'm in New York City now/again, and that means I'm going to resume my life of hardcore partying with celebrities and getting involved in all sorts of illicit behavior. Oh of course I'll continue baking with just as much fervor and relish as I ever had (no real relish though, I hate that stuff), I'm just going to have to share it with the likes of Jude Law and Kate Moss--though I doubt the latter will eat any.

Get it? I'm being sarcastic!! Ha ha ha! But I am in New York right now, and loving it (sorry Ma and Pa). School doesn't start for a few more days, which should give me enough time to get up to date on all this posting I have to do! I made a bunch of cookies over winter vacation that I have yet to post about, so hopefully I'll get that done. And to kick off this goal, I'll start with these Sweet Cardamom Crackers.

I'm a fan. I really loved these. A lot lot. My dad, not so much, but everyone else in my family liked them. However, I didn't roll out the dough thin enough before slicing and baking these, so I had to bake them a lot longer and they didn't get crispy and crackery like they were supposed to. Maybe if I made them thinner Kate Moss would have ate a few, but as it was she gave them all to Jude. Okay, new New Year's Resolution oh-ten: stop making up weird celebrity situations that never happened/never will happen. I'm beginning to creep myself out.

Okay, back to the cookies. They're really easy to make, like most of the cookies in The Book, but they are unlike most traditional cookies. So you can easily impress your famous friends! The flavor of the dough is really cardamom-y and incredible delicious, and then the coconut and pistachios sprinkled on top take them over the top (in a perfect way). Mine, as I said before, came out too thick and therefore underbaked and soft, but if you roll them out thinner I'm sure that they will be much more like crackers and even better!

So maybe I lied about my celebrity contacts. Maybe. But I'm not lying about these cookies when I say that you should make them. And I'm also not lying about trying to get back up to date on my blog posting. But that probably won't happen. Deal with it--and make these cookies ASAP. Sorry, it's just tough love...ciao lovelies!

Sweet Cardamom Crackers

Makes 2 dozen

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped pistachios
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 large egg, separated, , white lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Stir together 1 teaspoon sugar, the pistachios, and coconut in a small bowl.
2. Put butter and remaining sugar into the bowl on an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until combined. Add egg yolk and vanilla; beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add flour, cardamom, and salt; mix until smooth. Wrap dough in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer dough to a nonstick baking mat (such as Silpat), or parchment paper. With a floured rolling pin, roll out a 12 by 8-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Use a pizza wheel to create straight sides, discarding scraps. Carefully transfer mat or paper to a baking sheet. Cut into twenty-four 2-inch squares. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with pistachio mixture.
4. Bake until firm and edges are pale golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and run pizza wheel over original cuts. Gently break into individual crackers. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

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{End Results}
Baking Difficultly: 2/5
Ingredient Accessibility: 3/5 (I don't usually have coconut and pistachios around the house)
Tastiness: 4/5 (Great sweet flavor)
Attractiveness: 3.5/5
Is it worth it?: Yes yes yes!

{Pairings}
Drink: Something not too sugary, because these cookies are pretty sweet. Coffee with milk, perhaps?

Song: Skinny Love -- Bon Iver
Activity: Doing lines with Kate Moss (gahhh sorry!!!)--I meant to say, they would be great after a light lunch al fresco...