about a year ago, i would spend a large portion of at least one night a week sitting cross-legged on my hardwood kitchen floor, next to my roommate, sipping a glass of wine. we would both be peering through the glass window of the oven, watching cookies brown or bread rise with mounting anticipation.it shouldn't have come as such as shock to me, then, that coming to korea and downsizing to a hot plate in a hallway would be difficult. i missed baking. i missed wine. i missed putting on a patsy cline record when it was crepuscular and rainy outside and filling the house with the warm aroma of banana bread.
on christmas, we gathered at an apartment with an oven. although my home here is the size of a small bedroom and has no cooking space to speak of, i unplugged my computer, hauled my desk into the middle of my apartment, and proceeded to coat almost everything i own in a light dusting of flour while my boyfriend and i mixed these up. totally worth it. later, we showed up at christmas dinner with a tupperware full of cookie dough, and shared these with friends while playing an afternoon game of festive trivial pursuit.
these might just be the perfect christmas cookie.
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or unbleached all-purpose)
2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine grain salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup natural cane sugar, sift out any chunks
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup currants
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup milk1 cup organic powdered sugar, sifted
4 - 5 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Racks in the top and bottom third.
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cloves cinnamon, and allspice into a medium bowl - set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer (or by hand), cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla. Blend well, scraping down the side of the bowl a few times along the way. Add the currants and walnuts. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the milk. Chill (covered) for one hour.
Drop the cookie dough (one level tablespoon at a time) onto un-greased cookie sheets, leaving an inch or so between cookies. Dampen your fingers with a bit of water and gently flatten the dough. Bake for 12 -15 minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies are deeply golden. Cool on a wire rack.
While the cookies are cooling, make the icing. Whisk the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla together in a small bowl - use immediately. Frost each cookie with an off-set spatula when cool.
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