By Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin
Countryman Press/April 2022
Mocksies
MAKES 22 (11 / 2-INCH) COOKIES
At one time, boxes of Ritz crackers always had a recipe card on the back for mock apple pie. The recipe’s claim was that you could boil(!) some buttery crackers in water and add cream of tartar and a few spices to create a faux apple pie that was nearly as good as the original. As devoted (and award-winning) pie bakers, that claim seemed absurd to us. Could this possibly be true? How could a pile of wet crackers create the illusion of apple pie? The secret is in the cream of tartar. We keep that white powder in our pantries for adding just a pinch to our stiff- peaked egg whites. Turns out that when used in larger quantities, it is not only a convenient source of acid but a flavoring agent that is close enough to the taste of a tart apple to provide an ideal basis for the deception. With the addition of some nuts and a sprinkling of fall spices, the mirage is . . . close flavor-wise, but should never actually fool anyone who is remotely familiar with an actual apple pie. Here we used this surprisingly effective deception to make mock apple pie cookies. With a satisfying crunch, we’ve transformed this back- of- the box sorcery into a 21st- century delight.
40 crackers (133g) Ritz crackers
¾ cup (71g) Pecan halves, toasted and cooled (see Note)
½ cup (100g) Light brown sugar Packed
½ teaspoon Cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
1 large (35g) Egg white
1 tablespoon Lemon juice, freshly squeezed
4 tablespoons (57g) Unsalted butter, melted and cooled but still pourable
1. Position two racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat to 350°F. Line two 18- by- 13- inch baking
sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. Place the crackers in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they are small crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl. Add the pecans to the food processor and coarsely grind them as well. Add the ground nuts to the bowl with the cracker crumbs. (Alternatively, the crackers can be crushed by hand directly in the bowl and the pecans can be chopped by hand.)
3. Add the brown sugar, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the bowl. Mix these dry ingredients together by hand, using a silicone spatula. Add the egg white, lemon juice, and melted butter and mix until the dry ingredients have all been moistened and the mixture has formed into a cohesive clump. Let the mixture rest for 15 minutes before scooping.
4. Portion 1 tablespoon (18 grams) of dough, using a #60 scoop, roll into balls, and evenly arrange 13 portions on the first baking sheet. Flatten the balls slightly with your fingertips. Repeat with the remaining dough and arrange on the second baking sheet.
5. Bake until cookie edges are set and just beginning to brown, 13 to 17 minutes. Halfway through baking, rotate the pans from front to back and top to bottom. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. After cooling, the cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.
NOTE: For most of the recipes in this book, we call for using toasted nuts. Toasting brings out more of the delightful nutty flavor. The nuts have to be toasted and cooled before adding to the cookie dough or batter, or the nuts will lack flavor in the finished cookie. Be mindful that roasted nuts (like most of the canned nuts sold in the supermarket) are not the same as toasted nuts. Commercially roasted nuts often have additional salt and oil added as part of the roasting process. Toasted nuts are raw nuts that are toasted to a light golden brown. To toast nuts, spread raw nuts in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F until the nuts are fragrant and light brown, about 7 minutes. Nuts can also be toasted in a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat.
No comments:
Post a Comment