Cookies & Cocktails Round 2 - Vanilla Bean
The taste testing for the cookies & cocktails passionfruit was so popular I thought I would give it another try. This week's theme: vanilla beans!
A ubiquitous ingredient in baking recipes, the subtle flavor of the vanilla bean deserves celebration. It is an essential flavor in cakes, cookies, fillings, icings, and puddings. And let's never forget ice cream!
The other benefit of having something so familiar is that you can sneak it into unexpected places - like Grant Achatz sneaking it into some seafood by pairing halibut with black pepper, vanilla and lemon. (He's a genius by the way...)
Back to the task at hand - make friend by feeding them sweets and alcohol. Menu for this evening: vanilla macarons with vanilla bean buttercream and a tasty vanilla Manhattan.
Before we start with the cookies, let out your inner mixologist and go to town with the cocktail.
In a martini shaker filled with ice, combine bourbon, vanilla cognac, and bitters. Shake it up and gently strain into a martini glass. If you're fancy then you should probably pull out your zester and make a lovely ribbon of lemon rind to garnish. Then serve one to your guest and the second for yourself.
Remember we are polite people and always serve the guest first. Unless this is the first time you're trying a recipe then you don't want to serve anything inferior so you should probably try it first. I mean, you are polite AND a conscientious host.
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Now it's time to bake.
And because you're serious you should probably put on an apron.
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A ubiquitous ingredient in baking recipes, the subtle flavor of the vanilla bean deserves celebration. It is an essential flavor in cakes, cookies, fillings, icings, and puddings. And let's never forget ice cream!
The other benefit of having something so familiar is that you can sneak it into unexpected places - like Grant Achatz sneaking it into some seafood by pairing halibut with black pepper, vanilla and lemon. (He's a genius by the way...)
Back to the task at hand - make friend by feeding them sweets and alcohol. Menu for this evening: vanilla macarons with vanilla bean buttercream and a tasty vanilla Manhattan.
Before we start with the cookies, let out your inner mixologist and go to town with the cocktail.
In a martini shaker filled with ice, combine bourbon, vanilla cognac, and bitters. Shake it up and gently strain into a martini glass. If you're fancy then you should probably pull out your zester and make a lovely ribbon of lemon rind to garnish. Then serve one to your guest and the second for yourself.
Remember we are polite people and always serve the guest first. Unless this is the first time you're trying a recipe then you don't want to serve anything inferior so you should probably try it first. I mean, you are polite AND a conscientious host.
.jpeg)
Now it's time to bake.
And because you're serious you should probably put on an apron.
Sift the powdered sugar and almond flour together to remove any large pieces.
In the bowl of the stand mixture, whip egg whites to form the base for
your meringue then slowly add cream of tartar and granulated sugar and keep
mixing until you form stiff, shiny peaks.
Fold the sifted flour mixture into the meringue gently, and add vanilla extract and mix until just combined. Using a pastry bag, pipe 1 inch circles onto a silicone-lined baking sheets. If they are larger or smaller than 1 inch it doesn't really matter, as long as they are uniform...which is much more difficult to do than it looks.
Forcefully tap the baking sheets on the counter twice and let the batter dry for at least 30 minutes before baking.
While you wait, mix up the buttercream.
In a clean mixing bowl, whip room temperature butter until it is white and fluffy. Scrape out the insides of a vanilla bean and add to mix thoroughly. Then add confectioner's sugar and a splash of vanilla cognac (or extract) to thin out the buttercream to the perfect consistency.
Now bake the macarons and let them cool.
Pipe buttercream frosting on top of one cookie and sandwich with a second, equally sized cookie.
Devour.
Vanilla Macarons with Vanilla Buttercream
Ingredients
Cookie Shells
- 2 cups confectioner's sugar
- 1 cup almond meal
- 3 egg whites
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoons vanilla cognac
Buttercream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla cognac
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Sift the confectioner's sugar and almond flour together into a medium bowl.
- Whip the egg whites in the stand mixer until foamy. Add the cream of tartar then the granulated sugar while mixing until glossy white peaks form.
- Add the dry ingredients to the egg whites and fold until all the sugar and flour have been incorporated.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag and pipe small circles onto silicone-lined baking sheets.
- Tap forcefully 2-3 times on the counter to help remove air bubbles. Let cookies dry for at least 30 minutes so a skin forms.
- While you wait, beat butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in vanilla bean paste. Slowly add confectioner's sugar and vanilla cognac, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Bake cookies at 350 for 12-13 minutes, turning the pan after 6 minutes. Remove cookies from pan and cool completely on a rack.
- Fill cookies with buttercream and serve.
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Vanilla Manhattan
Ingredients
- 1 part bourbon whiskey
- 1/2 part vanilla cognac
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a martini shaker over ice. Mix well and strain into a martini glass.
- Garnish with lemon rind.
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