A Cup of Sugar … A Pinch of Salt

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup cashew butter
1 large egg
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon maple extract (alternatively, vanilla extract)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger powder

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare cookie sheets with silpat or parchment paper

In the work bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat together butter, sugar, and brown sugar until creamy. Add in cashew butter, egg, maple syrup and maple extract and continue beating until smooth.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger powder. Add to butter mixture and beat until no streaks of flour remain.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls and space two inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat. Use a cookie stamp to flatten. Alternatively, use a fork to press a crosshatch pattern into each cookie.

Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until edges of cookies are a light golden brown. Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool.

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Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick oats)
1 1/3 cups packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg, separated
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Create an aluminum foil sling for your 9×13 inch baking pan. Spray foil sling generously with baking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Using a pastry cutter (or your fingers), blend the butter completely into the flour mixture. Transfer 2 cups of the crumb mixture to another bowl and reserve for the topping.

Blend the egg white into the remaining crumbs and then press the mixture into the bottom of the pan to form a level crust. You can use the bottom of a measuring cup to even it out. Bake the crust 10-12 minutes, or until it starts to form a dry top.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, lemon juice and zest, and egg yolk. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes (it will begin to thicken).

Sprinkle blueberries evenly over hot crust and then drop spoonfuls of the lemon mixture over the blueberries. Spread gently with a spatula to distribute as evenly as you can. Bake until lemon mixture begins to form a shiny skin, 7 to 8 minutes.

Sprinkle reserved crumble topping over the lemon-blueberry layer, pressing the streusel between your fingers into small lumps as you sprinkle. Bake until filling is bubbly at the edges and the topping is brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Let bars cool in the pan on a rack until just warm, about an hour. Carefully lift them out of the pan using the foil sling and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Remove foil and cut into 24 bars when cool.

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Ingredients
3/4 cup warm water (between 100-110F)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pure olive oil
2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 egg white (for brushing)
1/4 cup sesame seeds, dried herbs, dried garlic or poppy seeds

Directions
In the work bowl of your stand mixer, place 1 cup of the flour and make a little well on the top. Sprinkle in yeast, sugar and salt, before adding the water. Let sit for 15 minutes for the yeast to activate. Once it has created a sponge, add the remaining flour and the olive oil and using the paddle attachment, start the mixer on low and mix until the dough just comes together, forming a ball. Lube the hook attachment with cooking spray. Attach the hook to the mixer and knead for 15 minutes on medium speed. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 60 to 90 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375F. Line two cookie sheets with silpat or parchment paper.

Place the dough on 1 floured surface and cut the dough in small pieces (you should get between 15-20 pieces) and roll out into pencil size sticks. Place on cookie sheets and using a pastry brush, brush with the egg white. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, herbs, dried garlic, or poppy seeds (optional; I leave some of mine plain). Bake until they are nice and golden brown, about 15 – 20 minutes. Remove and let cool on wire racks.

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Ingredients
for the crust
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon very finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the curd
4 to 6 meyer lemons (3/4 cup juice, 1 tablespoon zest)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs plus 3 yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
Pinch of fine sea salt
4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Confectioners’ sugar
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions
Heat oven to 325F and line foil sling for your 9×9 inch baking pan. Spray with baking spray and set aside.

To make the shortbread base, pulse together the flour, granulated sugar, confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest, rosemary and salt in a food processor. Add butter and pulse to cut the butter into the flour until a crumbly dough forms. Press dough into prepared pan and bake until shortbread is pale golden all over, 30 to 35 minutes.

While the shortbread is baking, prepare the lemon curd: Grate a tablespoon zest from lemons and set aside. Squeeze lemons to yield 3/4 cup juice.

In a small saucepan, whisk together lemon juice, sugar, eggs and yolks, cornstarch and fine sea salt over medium heat until boiling and thickened, 2 to 5 minutes. Make sure mixture comes to a boil or the cornstarch won’t activate. Remove from heat and strain into a bowl. Whisk in butter, olive oil and lemon zest.

When the shortbread is ready, take it out of the oven and carefully pour the lemon curd onto the shortbread base; return the pan to the oven. Bake until topping is just set, 10 to 15 minutes more. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold before cutting into bars (use the sling to pull them out of the pan and then cut on a cutting board). Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and flaky sea salt right before serving.

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Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
1 cup diced apricots, diced
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup pine nuts, toasted

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare your cookie sheets with silpat or parchment paper.

Combine, flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl and set aside. In the work bowl of your stand mixer, cream together butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats, diced apricots, white chocolate chips and toasted pine nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto cookie sheets.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for a couple of minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

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