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)