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Raisin-Filled Sugar 'n Spice Cookies




Source of Recipe


Craig Strong


Recipe Introduction


"These are fantastic cookies! It is worth the extra time it takes to make them. The smell as you bake them, will drive you crazy with desire! A great holiday cookie. Recipe is from chef de cuisine, Craig Strong, of the Ritz-Carlton in Pasadena, CA. Recipe appeared in The Los Angeles Times newspaper in 2006."




List of Ingredients




1/2 cup butter, softened
1 vanilla bean, scraped of seeds
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar, divided
1 tablespoon milk
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 cup golden raisins
Zest and Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup water
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Coarse sugar, such as sanding sugar


Recipe



In the bowl of your mixer, beat the butter, vanilla bean seeds, and 1 cup sugar about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Beat in the milk and then add the eggs, one at a time; until well mixed.

In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cardamom. Add to the butter mixture, beating only until just incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic film and refrigerate at least 2 to 3 hours until dough is firm.

In a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, mix together the raisins, remaining 1/3 cup sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and ginger. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 1/2 cup water until smooth; add to the raisin mixture. Heat, stirring occasionally, until it just comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line cookie sheet with silpats or lightly greased parchment paper.

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and cut the dough in half; roll out two rectangles 1/8-inch thick.

In a small bowl, beat together the egg yolks and cream with a fork; set aside.

Spoon 12 mounds, about a tablespoon each, of the raisin mixture spread 3 1/2 inches apart on one rectangle of dough. Cover with the other sheet of dough and cut around the mound of filling with a fluted round 3-inch cookie cutter. (you may need to flour the cookie cutter) Rework the excess dough, re-roll, fill with raising mixture, and cut for the remainder of the cookies.

Lift filled cookies onto prepared baking sheets. Brush the tops of the cookies with the egg yolk mixture and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake until golden brown, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.


Each cookie: 300 calories; 4 grams protein; 49 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 10 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 108 mg. cholesterol; 188 mg. sodium.