The new “King Arthur Baking School: Lessons and Recipes for Every Baker (Countryman, $45) may just be the home baker’s ultimate reference guide. It’s a best-seller already, with more than 100 recipes for everything from bread to cookies, cakes and laminated pastries — think croissants — from the go-to source for baking ingredients and tips.
Among the perfect-for-the-holidays recipes are these Brown Sugar Snaps, a twist on the classic cut-outs we all make. The school teaches quite a few variations on the theme, “changing the flavors to suit the season,” as the cookbook notes. Citrus zest, seeds, chopped nuts are all good options, and “the sparkling sugar is optional but adds a glitzy, professional-looking touch.
Brown Sugar Snaps
Makes about 32 3-inch cookies
INGREDIENTS
170 grams (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
266 grams (1¼ cups) light brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
360 grams (3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
72 grams (¼ cup) sparkling sugar (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Place the butter, brown sugar, salt and baking soda in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on medium speed until thoroughly combined.
Beat in the egg, then add the flour, mixing until a cohesive, soft dough forms.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide it in half. Shape each piece into a disk about 1-inch thick.
Wrap the dough and chill for about 20 minutes, until it’s cool but still pliable.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and tap it gently with a rolling pin to soften and flatten slightly. Roll out the dough to about 1/8-inch thick. Using a floured 3-inch fluted round cutter, cut out as many cookies as you can. Reroll the scraps as necessary.
Place the cutouts about 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle them with sparkling sugar, if desired.
Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until they’re fragrant, the edges are lightly golden, and the centers are set.
— “The King Arthur Baking School: Lessons and Recipes for Every Baker”(Countryman, $45)
