Page 18 - Classic Cookies with Modern Twists

INGREDIENT BASICS

Butter & Other Fats

The main role of fat is to bind, tenderize, and enhance the

cookie’s avor. Most of these recipes call for butter—cold,
slightly softened, melted, or brow ned. Choose UNSALTED BUT TER
for your baking so that you’re in control of the amount of salt. (If
you use salted butter, decrease the amount of salt by one-half.)

I recommend EUROPEAN-ST YL E BUT TER when the avor really
counts: shortbread and sugar cookies. It’s not a deal breaker, but
you’ll t aste the difference in these items that rely primarily on

the butter for avor.

Sug ar

CANE SUGAR is the best source of superne sugar, my preferred
sugar for baking. The difference between superne and reg ular
granulated sugar is the size of the grain, which affects how

qu ickly it dissolves. This is import ant when making mering ues
and ne-cr umbed cookies like shortbread.

CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR is also good for ne-cr umbed cookies, or
when you’re looking for that melt-in-your-mouth quality. I use
confectioners’ sugar for mering ues too, since the small amount

of cornst arch it cont ains (to prevent the sugar from clumping) is
also helpful in absorbing any unwanted moisture in the cookies.
Use confectioners’ sugar in addition to turbinado and raw

sugars for garnishing.