Tuesday, December 15, 2009

TWD - Cafe Volcano Cookies


This week's Tuesdays With Dorie recipe was chosen by one of my favorite bloggers, MacDuff of Lonely Sidecar. I have to be honest with you. When I saw the name of this recipe I said "what?!?"

Cafe. Volcano. Cookies. All interesting in their own ways, but together? How does that work?


It works pretty well. This is flat out the easiest cookie you'll ever make...even easier than a no-bake cookie. The hardest part is separating the eggs, but that's not a big deal. You use one pan. A bowl for the egg whites. And something to stir the mixture in the pan. The P&Q proved that this one is a blank canvas, with Nancy suggesting maple sugar, and Caitlin swapping cocoa for the espresso powder. After toasting the nuts (I used the suggested almonds and walnuts), you combine all of the ingredients in a pan (I used espresso powder and cinnamon for flavoring) and heat until it's warm. Then scoop out to a prepared cookie sheet. After baking, I could hear the cookies crackling as they cooled. Their texture was crisp and the flavor deliciously nutty due to the concentration of the browned nuts.


This may have been the most fun I had making a Dorie recipe. Stop by MacDuff's if you'd like the recipe, or, even better, buy the book, Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan. You'll discover more improbable hits like this one.

21 comments:

Cakelaw said...

I know - it seemed such a weird concept, and kaboom - puffy nutty cookies. Yours turned out well.

natalia said...

Dear Leslie, I'm way back with these cookies that we call Brutti ma Buoni ( Ugly but Good). Yours look just fantastic !

Hindy said...

The most fun? You mean you don't prefer juggling three pans, two whisks and a strainer? Hmm.
We liked these too, though next time I'll probably follow the recipe.

Paula said...

Amazing how using the slivered almonds gave yours a different look. I like it.

Flourchild said...

Im glad it was a fun baking experience for you! Mine looked like running lava!

Nancy/n.o.e said...

I totally agree: easy, fun, and good. What's not to like?!

Megan said...

GAAH! The batter is perfect on yours - mine was a big liquidy mess.

Welcome to our crazy blessed life said...

There really were a bunch of ways to do this weren't there? How fun to hear the cookies cooling and crackling! :)

Kayte said...

These were fun! And the guys inhaled them...I didn't even get a picture of the taste-tester this week. Yours look great. I cannot believe how simple this was to do!

Susan said...

I agree! These were such a joy to put together. I have round two baking right now!

Anonymous said...

These were fun to make! I couldn't believe how they puffed up in the oven.

Michele said...

I love that you had fun baking these. They look delicious!!

Jessica said...

These did have a fun, non-stressful, science project like quality to them. Yours look delicious!

Jessica said...

I'm glad you enjoyed these! You're right...they're so freakin' easy!

Sarah said...

Wow, the most fun with a Dorie recipe! How great! I loved making them, but the taste/texture weren't really my thing...

Katrina said...

The most fun, huh. Wow. Well, I'm a little bummed, I didn't hear the crackling sound. Course, I probably just took them out of the oven, then ran into another room, you know, for fear of molten lava getting me! ;)

vibi said...

You're right... the easiest and most original in a way too!

Very well done, Leslie!

margot said...

Your cookies look fantastic! I love the infinite flavor combinations you could make with these; I'm tempted to make more.

Foodie with Little Thyme! said...

They do sound interesting. Are they like brittle?

Unknown said...

Man, I really am the only one who failed at these this week I think :) They were fun to make, aside from the incredible stress I felt knowing they probably weren't going to work. Glad you enjoyed them!

spike. said...

That was a crazy (but easy) recipe! Glad you liked them