Tuesday, August 3, 2010

TWD : Gingered Carrot Cookies


And here comes my pick !
As the first thing I really want to thank Laurie for creating our group and for taking such good care of it, I started noticing it when Bill's Big Carrot Cakes appeared on many blogs and eventually joined the group some time later; then I would like to express my admiration for Dorie Greenspan who wrote this wonderful book really full of all kinds of great recipes for every mood and time, she was able to convince me to try and love coconut and white chocolate in the same dessert and much more ! Furthermore I would love to thank all of you that I now feel like friends for making me so happy for each of your comments on my blog.


During these last wonderful TWD years I had been imagining this post and hoped it would be THE most witful, interesting and so on post but I was too optimistic as usual !
We just came back from the holidays and the house looks like an Halloween location, I had to go for a new job interview (from September I'll be working in the The Vatican Historical Museum ( founded in 1973 and transferred in 1987 to the Papal Apartment in the Lateran Palace, houses a series of papal portraits along with objects of the past Pontifical Military Corps and of the Pontifical Chapel and Family and historic ceremonial objects no longer in use.), and finally got my migraine ! But nonetheless...I'M VERY PROUD OF HOSTING THE GINGERED CARROT COOKIES !!!!


Now I should tell you I chose them because since the very first day it was my dream to bake them but it's not true :... some time ago I had so many carrots from my veggie box that tried them and they were perfect for different reasons : they do NOT spread , do not require strange foods (like chesnuts for you and mysterious candy for me), I missed cookies in TWD, they are easy to make and they are good.
I really hope they met your taste too !
You already know I'm not the best photographer and the cookies are cute but not the best models so I used some special glasses and my latest holidays accomplishment as photographic set ...


RECIPE

Gingered Carrot Cookies
Page 162 - Baking from my home to yours by Dorie Greenspan

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch fresly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup shredded carrots (about 3, peeled and trimmed)
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut (I confess I used unsweetened)
1 cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, preferably toasted

GETTING READY: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchement or silicone mats.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger and nutmeg.
Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth. Add the sugars and beat for 2 minutes or so, then add the egg and beat for another minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the vanilla. Continuing on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 2 or 3 batches and beat only until they just disappear into the mix. You'll have a very thick dough, and you might be tempted to overbeat it to incorporate flour-don't. Mix in the carrots, coconuts, raisins and pecans.
Spoon the dough onto the baking sheets in heaping tablespoonfuls (I used an ice cream scoop), leaving about an inch of space between them; THESE DON'T SPREAD MUCH.
Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cookies should be light brown and only just firm on top. Carefully transfer the cookies to racks to cool to room temperature.



This is the lovely view we had in Capalbio (Tuscany)

42 comments:

Jennifer said...

These were a wonderful choice! My husband loved them!

I'm so happy that blogging has made us friends!

Tia said...

Thanks for the wonderful and unexpectedly tasty pick this week. Sounds like life is so busy for you and crazy hectic. Take some time to enjoy, relax and EAT COOKIES! LOL.
ps. your cat is so cute!

Tia @ Buttercreambarbie

Nancy/n.o.e said...

Guess what? Your post IS perfect!! Informative, interesting, entertaining, filled with fun pictures and delicious baked goods. Love your cat and that beautiful embroidery. Congrats on your new job; maybe I'll come visit your museum and get a personal guided tour!??

Natalie said...

Loved them, Natalia! Thank you!

HanaĆ¢ said...

These cookies look great, and they're (somewhat) healthy too :o) Great job! Love the picture of the rainbow.

Kayte said...

Forget about the cookies, I was going to say they looked wonderful and delicious and that we all loved them here and it was a great pick, but then I started reading about the new job and lost ALL interest in the cookies completely. Posts, posts, posts when you are in your new job, okay?????? So loving the thought of that.

Peggy said...

Natalia, your new job sounds fascinating! I'm so excited for you. Loved these cookies. Thank you for choosing them. I wanted to cook with you and was so glad you chose something I loved. Easy to make too! I do consider you my friend. :) Love your cookie presentation.

Leslie said...

Natalia, this was a great pick! I confess I was somewhat turned off by the sound of them but they were such a hit with my tasters! I have to make them again because I was sick and everything tasted awful to me. Your post had me laughing from the beginning, until I saw your kitty (you can send him/her to me if you ever get tired of him/her) and that priceless view. I hope your new job is everything you hope and more. Baci & abracci Leslie

Flourchild said...

You are the sweetest blogging friend ever and a great hostess! Your cookies are wonderful and your pictures are fine as far as Im concerned!
Thank for the great pick!!

Katrina said...

Great post, Natalia. Fun pick and I like when they are something I'd not normally pick to make.
Love the cat in the photo.

Sounds like a fun job!

jill said...

These cookies were a pleasant little surprise! We loved them. Your photos are fantastic....the cookies look like they're floating! Congrats on the new job.

Valerie Gamine said...

Wow, Natalia, Congratulations!
Thanks for the delcious cookies too. :D

Jessica of My Baking Heart said...

Great choice, Natalia - I'll just have to try them again! :) And congrats on the new job! How exciting!!

TeaLady said...

What a wonderful opportunity. What a great job. What a beautiful place to live. That rainbow picture is stunning.

Love the cookies on the glasses. Very elegant looking. I guess the cat thot so too. 8-)

Anne said...

We loved these Natalia- thank you!!

Amber Marie said...

These look great Natalia! Thanks for the great pick this week.

Paula said...

Thanks for hosting this week and I'm so glad you picked these cookies. I never would have tried them otherwise and I think they are one of my very favorites.

Mary said...

Thanks for choosing these Natalia! I would never have noticed them otherwise. They were really good! Congratulations on the great new job!

Cristine said...

Thanks for hosting! We loved these!

Jaime said...

great pick, i loved these cookies!

Carol Peterman/TableFare said...

Natalia, I loved these too! I know what you mean about discovering all kinds of things by baking with this group. I doubt I would have made these on my own, and I would have been missing out. Congratulations on your new job.

Criollobylisa said...

Thanks for choosing this lovely recipe! Your new job sounds like a dream!!! Ciao!

Judy said...

Thanks for choosing a cookie that I wouldn't have tried otherwise. I thought they tasted just fine. Your new job sounds most interesting. Best of luck with everything.

margot said...

Hi Natalia, I love the photos: your cookies look scrumptious, the glasses are beautiful, and the cat is adorable!

I loved these cookies and I often end up with extra carrots too, so I'm sure I'll make them again.

Nicole said...

Thanks for picking such an interesting recipe! They were great.

Dewi said...

Such a delicious sounding cookies :)

mike said...

Oh my.... what a GREAT pick! These got so many compliments at work - a sign of a good recipe! Love your presentation of these - they look smashing! Terrific "host" post!

dorie said...

Congratulations on the new job! It sounds as though it will be fascinating -- it also sounds as though there will be many TWD bakers coming to visit you.

I'm delighted that you chose these cookies and, of course, so happy that you and others liked them. I think they're sleepers. They don't jump off the page and say "bake me", but I think they're very satisfying.

And they looked so lovely perched on your Champagne flutes.

steph- whisk/spoon said...

you picked a great recipe--no strange foods, just yummy wholesome stuff. congratulations on your new job!

Engineer Baker said...

Great pick! Now take a breather and have a cookie :) Sounds like you need one!

Mimi said...

You can never be too optimistic! Surprisingly these little cookies were a big hit.
Congratulations on the job, new adventures ahead.
Thank You!
Mimi

Piggy said...

Thanks for the great pick, the cookies are yummy! Lovely glasses you have there!

Becky @ Project Domestication said...

Such a wonderful pick. thanks for being the host this week. I seriously didn't know this recipe existed until you chose it.

I loved them!

Shandy said...

What a delicious choice for this week's TWD. Thank you for hosting and I think your blog is wonderful! Oh, and I love the definition of your blog title, very nice!

Cakelaw said...

Glad you had a wonderful holiday Natalia. I love your photos of the cookies on glasses - and it seemed the cat liked the coookies!

Jill said...

Natalia, I am sorry that I didn't make these. I think they look good, but I didn't have time! Your photos are lovely, and your cat is very cute!

The museum sounds fascinating!

Liz said...

Fun pick, Natalia! Congrats on the upcoming job, and the cute cat, and the great cookies...great blog post!

Nickki said...

Natalia, thank you so much for a wonderful recipe! I loved the cookies. Your photographs are wonderful and congratulations on your new job! :-)

Ivy said...

Wow Natalia, I don't know where to start from. First of all congratulations for the two years of your blog and wish you many more to come. Second, congratulations for your new job. Sounds very interesting and exciting. We were very lucky to get a guided tour by you when we visited Rome. Your Siamese cat reminded me of our beautiful cat Lisa, who passed away a year ago and still miss her so much. Last but not least love ginger cookies but never tried them with carrots. I must definitely try them. Love your presentation as well. Baci.

Beth said...

Great choice. I loved these cookies! I may try icing them, too, but they're terrific as is.

Jacque said...

I made these for this week's Thanksgiving rewind. I really enjoyed them and my brother in law a ton of them. Thanks for a great pick

Anonymous said...

Grazie per la roba buona.