Bruna Kakor (Brown Cookies)

Okay, I know these cookies are never going to win the "best looking" award, but there's no question they would definitely win the delicious-crispy-chewy-caramelized-yumminess category.  The recipe is adapted from one sent by a good friend - her local spice vendor serves them every year at their annual Christmas party.  I'm not surprised, they rock!

Ingredients:  Lyle's Golden Syrup, flour, baking soda, vanilla sugar (or granulated sugar), and butter.   A note on the golden syrup - it's rich, caramelized flavor is simply amazing.  It's available in bottles, jars, and cans.  The bottles are easiest to dispense, but it really doesn't matter which one you find - just buy it!  You'll thank me later.

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I like to make my own vanilla sugar. After I use a vanilla bean, I rinse it and let it dry, then I tuck it inside a jar with granulated sugar.  I keep adding used vanilla bean pods and more sugar so I always have a good supply on hand.  

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Have you had the pleasure of discovering Lyle's golden syrup yet?  It's the magic ingredient in this recipe.

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Time to make the cookies - cream the butter, sugar, and golden syrup together.

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Whisk together the dry ingredients and add them to the butter/sugar mixture.

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Mix again, until the golden syrup and flour mixture are evenly combined with the butter and sugar. A BeaterBlade attachment eliminates the fussy need to stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.   

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Divide the cookie dough into 4 equal portions.  You can eye-ball it, but I like to use a digital scale to ensure all my portions are exactly the same size.  

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Roll each portion on cookie dough into a 12-inch long log and place two on a silpat lined half sheet pan. 

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Bake the logs in a preheated 350F oven for 12-15 minutes until the logs flatten and spread like this.  Cool on sheet pan before cutting with a serrated knife.

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Aaahhhh... I wish you could taste one of these cookies right now!!!!! 

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Make them, make them, make them!!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• lyle’s golden syrup https://amzn.to/3G55PEh

• vanilla sugar https://amzn.to/3KLwLfU

• my favorite digital scale https://amzn.to/3s1jJ5y

• beaterblade attachment https://amzn.to/3HggAoL

• professional half sheet pan/rack/silpat set https://amzn.to/2Ts5kfd

• serrated knife https://amzn.to/3KWimhg

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Bruna Kakor (Brown Cookies)

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 2 tablespoons Lyle's Golden Syrup

• 2 cups all purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar (or granulated sugar), *plus more if desired

• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare 2 half sheet pans with parchment or silpat liners.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a BeaterBlade attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and golden syrup together.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, vanilla sugar, and salt; add to the stand mixer with the creamed butter/sugar mixture and mix to combine.

4. Divide dough into 4 equal portions; roll each portion into a 12-inch log.

5. Place two logs on each half sheet pan and flatten slightly.

6. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the logs spread and turn golden brown. *If desired, sprinkle each log with 1/2 teaspoon vanilla sugar halfway through baking.

7. Remove from oven and allow the cookie logs cool before transferring to a cutting board.

8. Using a serrated knife, cut each log in half once lengthwise, then width-wise every 1/2-inch or so.

Dorie's Custardy Apple Bars

I'd been paging through my copy of Dorie Greenspan's newest cookbook, Baking Chez Moi, trying to decide which recipe to try first, when I happened to see her on TV promoting the book.  She was demonstrating this delicious recipe for Custardy Apple Bars.  I loved the way she described them and that pretty much sealed the deal for me.  I made them the next day and we absolutely loved them.    

Dorie Greenspan's Custardy Apple Bars

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 medium juicy, sweet apples, such as Gala or Fuji, peeled and cored

• 1/2 (68 grams) all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

• 1/3 cup (67 grams) sugar

• Pinch of fine sea salt

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 6 tablespoons whole milk at room temperature

• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce; 28 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F and place rack in center position.

2. Butter an 8x8-inch square baking pan; set aside.

3. Use a mandoline to slice apples 1/16-inch thick.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder; set aside.

5. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and salt for 2 minutes, until the sugar dissolves and the color of the eggs is pale.

6. Add the vanilla, milk, and melted butter.

7. Add the reserved flour mixture and continue to whisk until batter is smooth.

8. Use a spatula to gently fold the apples into the batter, being sure each apple gets coated.

9. Pour mixture into prepared pan and pat into as even a layer as you can (it will level as it bakes).

10. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the apples turn golden brown and a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

11. Cool cake on baking rack for 15 minutes before cutting.

12. Slice and dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.

Notes

• I prefer these bars served at room temperature, but they're also good served warm or cold right out of the fridge.  

• Pears may be substituted for the apples.