The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (115 page)

3.
Line the tarts with parchment; fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 15 minutes; remove the paper and weights. Continue baking until golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

4.
Using a toothpick, dip each blueberry in the meringue powder mixture; roll in sugar. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet; let dry 30 minutes.

5.
Remove the tart shells from the pans. Fill each shell with about 2 teaspoons lemon curd, and top with a sugared blueberry. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

carolynn’s chocolate chip cookies

MAKES 30

The recipe for these delicious cookies comes from food writer and cookbook author Carolynn Carreño.

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons firmly packed dark-brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 large whole egg

1 large egg yolk

½ tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup toasted walnuts, broken into large pieces (optional)

1.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Turn off the heat and add both sugars; whisk until combined. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl, and let cool to room temperature.

2.
Whisk the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla into the butter mixture. Fold in the reserved flour mixture until just combined. Fold in the chips and nuts. Wrap the dough in plastic; chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

3.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Using 2 large spoons, place golf-ball–size mounds of dough 3 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are golden brown and the tops no longer look wet, 12 to 14 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely before serving.

honey lace cookies

MAKES 28

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons light-brown sugar

1½ tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with Silpats (French baking mats) or parchment paper. Set aside. In a small saucepan, melt the butter, sugar, and honey. Transfer to a bowl. Whisk in the flour and salt until smooth.

2.
Working quickly, drop ½ teaspoons of batter onto the prepared baking sheets, at least 3 inches apart. Bake until the cookies spread and turn golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer the sheet to a wire rack; let cool completely. With your fingers, carefully remove the cookies from the pan.

soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies

MAKES ABOUT 36

If desired, use a small ice-cream scoop for uniform-size cookies. To make a cookie tart, press 3 cups of this dough into a buttered and sugared 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom or a 9-inch pie tin lined with buttered, sugared parchment. Bake at 325°F until the edges are golden and the center is almost set, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool at least 20 minutes, and remove from the pan. (Bake the remaining dough as cookies at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes.)

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups semisweet and/or milk chocolate chips (about 12 ounces)

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter with both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; add the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Add the flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.

2.
Drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

3.
Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges but still soft in the center, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let cool on the baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

ADD-INS:
Create variations on chocolate chip cookies with the following ingredients. Use one or two—or several.

NUTS
Add 1 cup coarsely chopped nuts—walnuts, pecans, macadamias—with the chips.

ESPRESSO
Add 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder to the dry ingredients; replace 1 cup flour with unsweetened cocoa powder for a mocha flavor.

SHREDDED COCONUT
Stir in 1½ cups shredded sweetened coconut with the chips.

COCOA
Replace 1 cup flour with unsweetened cocoa powder to make double chocolate chip cookies.

DRIED FRUIT
Combine 1 cup chopped dried cherries or other dried fruit with the chips.

GINGER
Mix ½ cup finely chopped candied ginger or up to 1 teaspoon ground ginger into the dry ingredients.

CANDY BITS
Substitute 1 cup chips with chopped chocolate candies, such as malt balls.

OATMEAL
For hearty cookies, stir in 1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats along with the chips.

PEANUT BUTTER
To make a chocolate–peanut butter combo, reduce the butter to ¾ cup, and mix in ½ cup smooth peanut butter with the butter and sugars.

pine nut cookies

MAKES ABOUT 36

2 cups pine nuts

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

¼ cup almond paste

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 large egg

½ cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Process ¾ cup pine nuts and the sugar, almond paste, and vanilla in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Add the egg; pulse to combine. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt; process just until the dough comes together.

2.
Roll the dough into ¾-inch balls. Roll the balls in the remaining 1¼ cups pine nuts, gently pressing to coat. Space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.

3.
Bake until the cookies begin to turn golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely on the sheets on wire racks.

coconut-date bars

MAKES 8

3 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut

1 pound very soft dates, pitted

¼ cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons coconut over the bottom of an 8-inch-square baking dish. Firmly press the dates into the coconut, covering the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon coconut and the walnuts, gently pressing them into the dates. Cut into 2-inch squares. The bars can be stored in an airtight container 2 to 3 days.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER SERVING: 194 CALORIES, 2 G FAT, 0 MG CHOLESTEROL, 46 G CARBOHYDRATE, 0 MG SODIUM, 2 G PROTEIN, 5 G FIBER

double chocolate chunk cookies

MAKES ABOUT 36

These rich cookies should seem a bit soft when you take them out of the oven. They firm as they cool, so be careful not to overbake them.

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

8 ounces good-quality milk chocolate (4 ounces coarsely chopped, 4 ounces cut into ¼-inch chunks)

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1½ cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Melt the coarsely chopped chocolate with the butter in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.

2.
Transfer the chocolate mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla; mix on medium speed until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in the flour mixture. Fold in the chocolate chunks by hand.

3.
Scoop the batter using a 1½-inch ice-cream scoop; place 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are flat and the surfaces begin to crack, about 15 minutes. Transfer on the parchment to wire racks. Let cool 5 minutes. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

lemon meringue bars

MAKES 12

2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

1¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

¼ teaspoon coarse salt

6 large eggs plus 4 large egg whites

2¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Make the crust: Put the butter, flour, confectioners’ sugar, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, and the salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until well blended.

2.
Transfer the mixture to a 9 × 13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Press the batter evenly into the baking sheet. Chill in the freezer 10 minutes. Bake until golden, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

3.
Make the filling: Whisk together the whole eggs, 1¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, the lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons lemon zest. Pour over the crust. Bake until the filling is set, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Keep the oven at 350°F.

4.
Make the meringue topping: Put the egg whites and ½ cup granulated sugar in the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.

5.
Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the meringue over the filling, swirling to create soft peaks. Bake until the meringue begins to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely. Cut into bars. The bars can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 day.

chunky peanut, chocolate, and cinnamon cookies

MAKES ABOUT 60

You can make bite-size cookies by rolling the dough into smaller balls.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened

½ cup smooth peanut butter

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

²
/
₃
cup roasted, salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Chocolate or vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; set aside. Put the butter and peanut butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Add the sugars; mix 2 minutes. Mix in the eggs until combined.

2.
Gradually add the flour mixture; mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, peanuts, and vanilla with a mixing spoon until well distributed. Refrigerate the dough until it is slightly firm, 15 minutes.

3.
Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Space 2 to 3 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly. Bake until just golden, about 13 minutes. Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool. Serve with ice cream, if desired.

whole-wheat–raspberry bars

MAKES ABOUT 30

1¼ cups whole-wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

¼ cup wheat bran

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

²
/
₃
cup packed dark-brown sugar

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg

¼ cup smooth unsweetened applesauce

1 cup raspberry jam

1.
Whisk together the flours, bran, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside. Put the brown sugar and zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until combined. Beat in the butter until fluffy. Beat in the egg until pale and smooth.

2.
Reduce speed to low. Mix in the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the applesauce. Divide the dough in half; wrap in plastic. Chill until firm, about 2 hours.

3.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Roll out 1 piece of dough between 2 lightly floured sheets of parchment to a 9½ × 11½-inch rectangle, about
¹
/
₈
inch thick. If the dough becomes too soft, refrigerate until firm. Remove the top piece of parchment. Trim the dough ½ inch on all sides. Transfer the rectangle on the parchment to a baking sheet.