Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Orange cranberry slice-and-bake cookies and an appeal for Bri

Orange cranberry slice-and-bake cookies

You must have already read on other food blogs that the sweet Bri is battling cancer once again. She’s shown us her strength and will power through these hard times and I’m sure she’s in everyone’s prayers.

Bee and Jai of Jugalbandi are coordinating a fundraiser for Bri. The goal is to raise $12,000 to help her pay for her treatments (for a year). Click here to find out more about it and also to make a donation.

Yellow has become the color of hope – that’s why I’m posting these delicious orange cranberry cookies (a recipe by Deb).

Orange cranberry slice-and-bake cookies

Orange cranberry slice-and-bake cookies

1 cup (226g/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
grated zest of 2 oranges
½ cup dried orange-flavored cranberries, chopped

Put the butter in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat at medium speed until it is smooth. Add the sifted confectioners’ sugar and beat again until the mixture is smooth and silky. Beat in the egg yolks, followed by the salt, zest and cranberries. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, beating just until it disappears. It is better to underbeat than overbeat at this point; if the flour isn’t fully incorporated, that’s okay just blend in whatever remaining flour needs blending with a rubber spatula. Turn the dough out onto a counter, gather it into a ball, and divide it in half. Wrap each piece of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Working on a smooth surface, form each piece of dough into a log that is about 1 to 1 ¼ inches (2.5 to 3.2cm) thick. (Get the thickness right, and the length you end up with will be fine.) Wrap the logs in plastic and chill for 2 hours. (The dough can be wrapped airtight and kept refrigerated for up to 3 days or stored in the freezer for up to 1 month.)

Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF (I preferred to bake my cookies at the central rack, one sheet at a time). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

While the oven is preheating, using a sharp slender knife, slice each log into cookies about 1/3 inch (1cm) thick. (You can make the cookies thicker if you’d like; just bake them longer.) Place the cookies on the lined baking sheets, leaving about ½ inch (1.5 cm) space between them.

Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, or until they are set but not browned. Transfer the cookies to cooling racks to cool to room temperature.

Keeping: Packed airtight, the cookies will keep for about 5 days at room temperature or in the freezer for a month. Unbaked logs can be frozen for longer.

Makes about 50 cookies

Orange cranberry slice-and-bake cookies

32 comments:

Mumsy said...

Oh, yummy! I made some similar cookies awhile back--except they had cornmeal in them. The combo of orange and cranberry is SO good. Those pictures are great!

LyB said...

I love slice and bake cookies, once the dough is done, you can have warm from the oven cookies anytime! This is a lovely post Patricia, I'm sure with everyone supporting Bri, the goal will be reached in no time. :)

Manggy said...

I'm actually getting a little anxious as the contributions have slowed (as is expected, logically)... I hope we reach our goal!
The cookies look yummy, though dried crans are really expensive here... And I don't think it will be quite as toothsome with raisins, haha! :)

Katy said...

those look awesome -- and what a great basic recipe to try infinite variations with! i love dried cranberries, but i've never seen orange-flavored ones!

Peter G | Souvlaki For The Soul said...

Lovely and beautiful as usual Patricia...I really like the orange and cranberry combo. And for a very good cause as well.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful cookie for a cause! I love it! I'm sure Bri will too!

bee said...

beautiful cookies and great support for bri. thank you, dear patricia.

Nic said...

Gorgeous cookies for a great cause!

eatme_delicious said...

These look good! It's so amazing how much money people have donated to Bri so far. :)

mari said...

Probably my favorite combination of flavors in a cookie. How truly sweet of you to do this; I read about Bri earlier and I hope this helps her through this challenging time. m

Anonymous said...

As always Patricia, they look perfect as well as being perfectly delicious!

pam said...

Beautiful post and cookies. I will be contributing and trying to cook something yellow to post with.

Elle said...

Just hopped over to Click and it looks like a great event and a great way to help a fellow blogger. Can't imagine how it feels to have breast cancer at 28...so young! The cookies looks awesome.

Peabody said...

I love slice and bake. They are so easy and good.

Wendy said...

Beautiful cookies, Patricia.

Emily said...

I haven't made slice and bake cookies in a long time. It reminds me of those tubes of refrigerated cookie dough.

These look wonderful. Yes, I have read about Bri. I hope she gets better soon.

wheresmymind said...

I don't know how I could stop from eating all that cookay dough ;)

Jaime said...

i love cranberry! those cookies look delicious!

Gattina Cheung said...

it is very sweet of you!

jasmine said...

Adore the stark white studded with red. They look so good.

j

Patricia Scarpin said...

Lindsey, I love baking with cornmeal - gotta try your recipe, too!

LyB, they are very handy, you are right. I'm sure she'll have the amount she needs, darling!

Mark, I think we will!
We cannot find dried cranberries here at all - these were a gift by a blogger friend. :)

Katy, go to Deb's post and see the suggestions she made.

Pete, you are lovely as usual, my friend. Thank you.

Cathy, I'm glad you think so!

Bee, thank you. It's great to find out you like my post.

Nic, thank you, darling!

Ashley, I was stunned by it, too. :)

Mari, thank you for your kind words, my friend.

Lorraine, I was pretty glad with this combo of flavors!

Pam, thank you. I hope you do.

Elle, I was shocked, too - Bri is one year younger than me.

Pea, you've said it all. :)

Wendy, thank you, dear.

Emiline, aside from the World Peace Cookies, these were my second attempt at slice and bake cookies.
I hope she gets better soon, too, dear.

Jeff, I hear you. :)

Jaime, thank you, darling!

Gattina, thank you!

Jasmine, I'm glad you like them!

Anonymous said...

Lovely post Patricia.

And lovely combination of flavors in a cookie; I've seen orange-flavored cranberries, but had never tried them. Must get some.

Elle said...

Beautiful cookies! Cranberry orange is something i have yet to make in a cookie--must try it!

Wonderful cause, too.

Julie said...

These look really good, I do a christmas cookie on this order with red and green cherries.

Y said...

Cute cookies. I love slice-and-bakes. Sometimes all you want is maximum returns for minimum effort.

Kana said...

Can't beat a good slice and bake cookie!

Jeanne said...

I've never baked slice cookies but they always seem like such a good idea - fresh cookies from your freezer, anytime - I mean, how good is that?! I'm also a sucker for cranberries in anything, so these are going on my to do list :)

Sarah said...

Beautiful cookies and a beautiful cause.

Deborah said...

These cookies look delicious - what a wonderful way to tribute Bri.

Anonymous said...

those are gorgeous biscuits!

i always like the look of slice and bake cookies...plus these look perfect for a picnic out in the sun.

Bakerella said...

oooh… I want to try these.

Happee Monkee said...

Good luck to your friend Bri. I hope they'll successfully raise the money they need for her treatment.
Yellow is a very beautiful color and well deserved to be the color of bravery and happiness.

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