I can't tell you how apprehensive I was about making this cookie. If you haven't figured it out by now, I like things easy and simple, with little room for failure. Over the past few days I have been watching my girlfriends successfully tackle cookies that looked WAY too complicated for me. I was so thankful that those recipes didn't fall on my days! I looked at the list of ingredients a few days ago for the Sour Cream Pastries and bought what I needed. I didn't actually READ the recipe until this morning. The first thought that went through my head was "Oh, crap!"I remember Theresa demonstrating this cookie at the book signing. Sure, she made rolling the dough out into a perfect circle look easy but I was wise enough to know that she's been making this cookie forever. I don't bake pies and have never made a pie crust in my life. Visions of irregular shaped circles and dough sticking to every surface filled my head. However, there was only one thing to do...get started.Mixing the dough was easy enough. I don't have an electric stand so I did it all by hand. I'm a pro at cutting the butter with flour because I've had to do that for another recipes in the book. Once the dough was done, into the fridge to chill for a few hours. At least I had some time to psych myself up for the task.I do remember that at the demonstration Theresa was using a Tupperware Silicone Wonder Mat that has the circle measurements on it. Wouldn't you know, I have one of those! I bought one for my aunt for Christmas about 5 years ago and picked up one for myself, too. Hardly ever used it before I started baking all these cookies. So out it came. I also have a long wooden rolling pin that I got from my husband's grandmother who used to do quite a bit of baking back in the day. Can't say I've ever used it.O.K. You see my picture. You know that I was successful at making this cookie, so here's where I am going to skip to my lessons learned: 1. rolling the dough out into a circle wasn't that hard with a little time and patience. (Notice I didn't say "perfect" circle.) 2. Figuring out how to make 12 sections out of that circle was way harder than I thought it should be! I think I need a lesson on geometry! 3. If using the right tools, anything is possible. The rest was a piece of cake thanks to the fact that I've made Pillsbury Crescent Rolls a few times in my life.There are a lot of baking recipes that I have wanted to try over the years but ultimately wouldn't attempt because certain steps looked complicated and overwhelming to me. So I really never baked ANYTHING except cake and brownies from a box. Through this process, I am learning that most of the time, the difficulty lies in my head. Also, because I am committed to making these cookies, I am forced to do it and give it my best effort. In the future, I hope to get myself to at least try a recipe and if it works out, good for me. If not, I'll scrap it and find another.By the way, I ate a warm cookie just out of the oven and I must say, DELICIOUS! For those of you that don't have the cookbook, did I mention that these cookies have apricot preserves, walnuts and coconut in them!Until Thursday! shelly
Apr 10, 2010
Sour Cream Pastries
I can't tell you how apprehensive I was about making this cookie. If you haven't figured it out by now, I like things easy and simple, with little room for failure. Over the past few days I have been watching my girlfriends successfully tackle cookies that looked WAY too complicated for me. I was so thankful that those recipes didn't fall on my days! I looked at the list of ingredients a few days ago for the Sour Cream Pastries and bought what I needed. I didn't actually READ the recipe until this morning. The first thought that went through my head was "Oh, crap!"I remember Theresa demonstrating this cookie at the book signing. Sure, she made rolling the dough out into a perfect circle look easy but I was wise enough to know that she's been making this cookie forever. I don't bake pies and have never made a pie crust in my life. Visions of irregular shaped circles and dough sticking to every surface filled my head. However, there was only one thing to do...get started.Mixing the dough was easy enough. I don't have an electric stand so I did it all by hand. I'm a pro at cutting the butter with flour because I've had to do that for another recipes in the book. Once the dough was done, into the fridge to chill for a few hours. At least I had some time to psych myself up for the task.I do remember that at the demonstration Theresa was using a Tupperware Silicone Wonder Mat that has the circle measurements on it. Wouldn't you know, I have one of those! I bought one for my aunt for Christmas about 5 years ago and picked up one for myself, too. Hardly ever used it before I started baking all these cookies. So out it came. I also have a long wooden rolling pin that I got from my husband's grandmother who used to do quite a bit of baking back in the day. Can't say I've ever used it.O.K. You see my picture. You know that I was successful at making this cookie, so here's where I am going to skip to my lessons learned: 1. rolling the dough out into a circle wasn't that hard with a little time and patience. (Notice I didn't say "perfect" circle.) 2. Figuring out how to make 12 sections out of that circle was way harder than I thought it should be! I think I need a lesson on geometry! 3. If using the right tools, anything is possible. The rest was a piece of cake thanks to the fact that I've made Pillsbury Crescent Rolls a few times in my life.There are a lot of baking recipes that I have wanted to try over the years but ultimately wouldn't attempt because certain steps looked complicated and overwhelming to me. So I really never baked ANYTHING except cake and brownies from a box. Through this process, I am learning that most of the time, the difficulty lies in my head. Also, because I am committed to making these cookies, I am forced to do it and give it my best effort. In the future, I hope to get myself to at least try a recipe and if it works out, good for me. If not, I'll scrap it and find another.By the way, I ate a warm cookie just out of the oven and I must say, DELICIOUS! For those of you that don't have the cookbook, did I mention that these cookies have apricot preserves, walnuts and coconut in them!Until Thursday! shelly
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Shelly, the cookies look wonderful. I, like you, would have never tackled this recipe. Of course I never had to because Theresa always did. Not only is it delicious it looks great on the Christmas Cookie platter.
ReplyDeleteWell, are you going to remain a purist or eventually get a stand mixer? Just for the record I have never used a pastry blender. I use the food prossor for that. You ladies are making difficult jobs look easy. Great job as always.
L. Sharon
Shelly,
ReplyDeleteI am so proud of you, How crazy is it that we are all bakers now. This definitely took the fear out of a lot of things for me.
Danielle G.
Shelly, just for the record, I have yet to make all 12 cookies that come out of each circle exactly the same. Some are bigger and then you get a couple of smaller ones. But, once they are baked no one will care because they taste so good!
ReplyDeleteYou've come a long way from baking only from box mixes and not afraid any longer to tackle recipes that look difficult. The confidence all of you bakers have gained is a beautiful thing and you should all be very proud of yourselves. I sure am. Theresa G.
Love, love your picture!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis one is also bring me back to those teen years when I loved experimenting with pastries. I'm glad I had the chance to taste it because I loved it and will make it in the future.