Saturday, 03 October 2009

• Kona Coffee Macadamia Nut Shortbread Cookies with Nutella Frangelico Chocolate Ganache

  
  

  Kona Coffee Macadamia Nut Shortbread Cookies
  with Nutella Frangelico Ganache
  Dipped in 78% Cacao Dark Chocolate, Drizzled with Macadamia Nut Shavings
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  This is the Third Week of IReallyLikeFood's Ingredient Of The Week Showcase, featuring ingredients which readers and contributors use as a base for creating dishes.
   
  This Third Week, it's:  Battle Coffee Bean.
  
  I started out thinking of what I could do with the Coffee Bean.  I've made many things over the years in odd ways with Coffee Beans -- from appetizers to entrees to desserts; but nothing seemed quite right for this.  I usually like to take the IRLF Ingredient of the Week and challenge myself further by creating Themed Trios that come together in harmony; displaying various uses of that ingredient not only across multiple cultures but also across time -- past and present.  But this time, I knew that no matter what I made, even if I made the most incredible dishes with Coffee -- because Coffee is such an odd ingredient to be used in actual cooking, whatever I did with it wouldn't make sense to most people.
  
  So let's back it up a bit.
  
  Everyone loves Cookies right?
  
  Here's a good place to start, then.  This is what I figured -- I'm here in Hawai'i, and I haven't really done anything yet to represent The Islands since I did back in the days of Thousandthdish.  I'm sitting here, staring at a bag of 100% Kona Coffee whole beans, so freshly picked and so freshly roasted that they're still coated in their natural oils (that's fresh).  I also notice I have a few cans of Macadamia Nuts sitting on a shelf.  I asked myself:  "What are the two things that people like buying here in Hawai'i to bring home?" 
  
  Kona Coffee and Macadamia Nuts.
  
  So I think, Kona Coffee and Macadamia Nuts, that's a natural pairing.  And I thought, "you know Nutella would taste good smeared on a Shortbread Cookie made out of that.  In fact, how about a Nutella Ganache?  That would be great."  Then the alcoholic in me crept in and said, "Hey buddy, you haven't had a drink in a few days, why not make an excuse to have some of that?"  I shrugged it off, but then my boy HJ, who happens to be one of my old drinking buddies, brought up the idea of Coffee and Frangelico.  Yes, Frangelico.  That would make an excellent pairing.  Especially with the Nutella.
  
  Alright, I promise, I'm not just making an excuse to have more liquor.  Frangelico is an honest pairing to Coffee and forms a flavor triangle with Nutella.  At least I'm not pouring 151 in this thing, okay?
  
  Let's meet our Star Ingredient:  Mr. Bean
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  Kona Coffee is the market name for Coffee cultivated on the slopes of Mount Hualalai and Mauna Loa in the North and South Kona Districts of the Big Island of Hawaii.  This Coffee has developed a reputation that has made it one of the most expensive and sought-after Coffees in the world.  Only Coffee from the Kona Districts can be legally described as "Kona".  The Kona weather pattern of bright sunny mornings, humid rainy afternoons and mild nights creates favorable Coffee growing conditions.
  
  Something to note here is that "Kona Blend" is not a blend of Kona Coffees.  Kona Blend is 10% Kona Coffee and 90% something else from somewhere else.  Not even 100% Hawaiian Blend is Kona Coffee.  Legally, only product that is 100% Kona Coffee can be labeled as such.  Don't be fooled.
  
  I prefer certain farms for my Coffee, but for convenience's sake; I usually go with Hualalai.  I like this farm because they are a small farm that produces in small batches.  The result of this is that they keep very little stock on hand, and everything they produce goes straight to market -- making for extremely fresh Coffee Beans.  Most of the time, the Beans are so fresh that the residual Coffee Oils are still present on the Bean; and with Coffee, freshness is key.
  
  As with all Coffee, buy your Beans WHOLE and grind them yourself.  Coffee deteriorates quickly after grinding.
  
  Let's move on.
  
  
  
  
  

  * * * * *
  

  
  
  
  
  I love Scotland.  Scotland has produced many things past and present that I love very much:  The Great Highland Bagpipe and its music.  The Two-Handed Claymore.  Dalwhinnie and The Macallan.  Redhead Women with Green eyes...
  
  ...and Shortbread Cookies.
  
  
  Shortbread is a pretty simple thing.  It's one of the simplest biscuit cookies you can make; yet most shortbread cookies we eat these days, especially commercially produced ones, are often too rigid (when a dough is too lean) or crumbly soft (when fats other than traditional butter are used) or sickeningly, artificially sweet (most store-bought brands). 
  
  Good homemade shortbread is sandy, sweet, buttery-rich, and is firm to the tooth but has a fine crumb.
  
  This recipe is based on a good, simple, basic Shortbread recipe using the traditional four ingredients:  Butter, Sugar, Flour and Salt; with the addition of Kona Coffee powder and Macadamia Nuts.  Vanilla is acceptable, but once you start adding cream and eggs and what-not, it starts becoming more Sugar Cookie than Shortbread.  Shortbread is a unique thing.  I am including notes for making regular Shortbread as well below.
  
  I am using a Stand Mixer here, specifically the KitchenAid Professional 600 6-quart. 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  If you have a Stand Mixer, use it.  Results are best with this.  Otherwise, feel free to use the Creaming Method or the Biscuit Method to make your Shortbread Dough.  The Creaming Method involves beating softened Butter and Sugar together before folding in the Flour.  The Biscuit Method involves rubbing together the Butter and the Dry Ingredients with a a Pastry Cutter or your fingers.  Both work reasonably well; but the Stand Mixer not only produces superior results in this case, it also makes the mixing a hell of a lot easier.
  
  If you bake a lot, investing in a good Stand Mixer is worthwhile, especially the ones made by KitchenAid.  The 4.5 quart model can be purchased for as little as $150 at times, but as a lifetime-use kitchen appliance, I would recommend spending a little more and getting either the standard 5 quart Artisan; or biting the bullet and investing in the Professional 6 quart with the stronger 575 watt motor and larger capacity.
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  We are following a Scottish Tradition and using a small amount of Rice Flour in our dough.  I'm using Japanese Mochiko Rice Flour with King Arthur AP Flour.  Because the starch from Rice Flour has virtually no Protein and so does not form Gluten, it keeps the crumb finer and makes the Cookie even more tender. 
  
  NOTE:  You do not need to find Japanese Mochiko Rice Flour, any White Rice Flour is fine.
  
  Also, we are using Castor, or Superfine Sugar instead of regular Granulated Sugar.  Granulated Sugar produces too coarse of a grain that falls apart unevenly; and Powdered Confectioner's Sugar, which has cornstarch mixed in with it, produces too dry of a dough.  Superfine Sugar can be easily made by grinding Granulated Sugar in a Coffee Grinder until it is a powder.
  
  The last important note in this recipe is our Oven Technique.
  
  Shortbread is traditionally baked at low temperatures (300°F or so) for a very long time.  This is one of the keys to properly baking Shortbread.  However, this also causes unwanted spreading in free-form (not in a pan) Cookies.  The solution to this is to start the Oven HOT, at 425°F; and turn the temperature down to 300°F immediately upon putting the Cookies into the Oven.  This "shocks" the dough to hold shape, before letting the Shortbread cook out slowly.
  
  When our Shortbread is done and cooled, we then spread our Nutella Frangelico Ganache on one cookie, and then top it with another cookie.
  
  Ganache is one of those things that people don't attempt because it sounds fancy, so they think they can't do it.  The truth is, Ganache is probably one of the easiest things to make; by heating cream and pouring it over chocolate and stirring.  That's it.  In our version, we're adding Frangelico liquor and Nutella.  If you've never had Nutella before, you've been missing out.  If you have had Nutella before, you know what I mean.
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  One more thing:  I purposely loaded this Shortbread with Kona Coffee powder to balance the Nutella Frangelico Ganache.  If you are not planning on making the Ganache (I don't know why you wouldn't), reduce the amount of Kona Coffee or omit it completely.
  
  Let's get started.
  
  

  I N G R E D I E N T S:
  

  
  

  For Shortbread Cookies:
  
  1 1/2 Cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour
  1/4 Cup Rice Flour
  2/3 Cup Superfine Sugar*
  1/4 tsp Salt
  16 Tbsp (2 sticks) COLD Unsalted Butter
  
  2-4 Tbsp Kona Coffee Powder (your taste)**
  1/2 Cup Macadamia Nuts, Crushed/ Coarse Grind
  
  * Grind Regular Sugar on FINE in your Coffee Grinder until powdered.
  ** Grind Coffee Beans on FINE until powdered.
  
  
  NOTE:  If making Regular Shortbread, omit 2nd set of ingredients and add 1/4 Cup more Flour.  Or keep the Macadamia Nuts and omit the Kona Coffee.
  
  
  For Nutella Frangelico Ganache:
  
  1/2 Cup Heavy Cream (or as much as needed to get the right consistency)
  1 Cup Dark Chocolate
  1/2 Cup Nutella
  1oz Frangelico Liquor (Optional)***
  
  *** If you have it, use it.  If you don't have, its okay.  Disaronno works too.
  
  
  

  
  P R O C E D U R E:
  
  

  Preheat your oven to 425°F.  Grind your Coffee Beans.  Grind your Granulated Sugar.  Chop/ Crush/ Grind your Macadamia Nuts. 
  
  
  
  
  Add all the Dry Ingredients to your Stand Mixer Bowl, and set to STIR (low).  Let the Dry Ingredients mix.  If you do not have a Stand Mixer, use the Creaming Method or Biscuit Method outlined above.
  
  
  
  
  Cut your COLD Butter into 1/2" cubes and toss with about 1/4 Cup of the Flour Mixture mixed above in a bowl.
  
  
  
  
  Add the Butter Mixture into the Stand Mixer Bowl and mix until the dough resembles damp crumbs.  If you are making regular Shortbread, your dough will be pale yellow and crumbly.
  
  
  
  
  Roll out your dough and cut into desired shapes.  It looks uneven because I lost my damned rolling pin.  The Gremlin Girl seems to be taking more and more things lately.
  
  
  
  
  Transfer to Parchment-lined Baking Sheet, place in Oven, TURN DOWN HEAT TO 300°F IMMEDIATELY.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until dough is no longer soft.  Regular Shortbread will be a pale golden brown at this point.  Kona Coffee Shortbread will just be Brown, because that's how it rolls.  Transfer to Cooling Rack and let cool, overnight if possible.  It's better the next day.
  
  Now for the Ganache:
  
  
  
  
  Bring your Cream to a simmer.
  
  
  
  
  Put Chocolate into a bowl.  Pour Cream over it.  Mix.
  
  
  
  
  Add Nutella and Frangelico.  Mix.  Done.  Easy, right? 
  
  
  
  
  Refrigerate Ganache to set into spreadable form (don't leave it too long though, or it will harden as chocolate tends to do when you refrigerate it).  Take one Cookie, spread Ganache over it, and then place another cookie on top of the Ganache to form a Cookie Sandwich.
  
  
  
  
  If you want to do a Chocolate Dipped Cookie, it's easy.  Just put your Chocolate Chips in a microwave safe bowl and microwave at 50% power.  Stir every 15 seconds.  After a few times, it will be melted and ready to dip.  Refrigerate to harden.
  
  

  
  
  

  Plate and Serve.
  

  
  
  
  
  

  * * * * *
  

  
  
  
  
  In this Jaded, Cynical day and age of mine, there are still a few things that bring happiness to the heart of this man.
  
  
  Sharing a steaming hot meal with a buddy at 3 o'clock in the morning sitting on plastic stools in front of a street booth in some corner of the world.  Waking up before the sun, and watching it rise out of the Ocean, sitting on the beach with a cup of Coffee.  Waltzing alone in a courtyard in the evening when no one is watching, to music only I can hear, with a partner only I can see; dancing a dance I fear I will never dance but in my mind.
  
  Cookies do it too.
  
  I will never turn down a Cookie made for me.
  
  Anyway.
  
  We've covered two key things here today:  Basic Shortbread Cookies, and Ganache making.  You can take either of these and run with it.  Just about everyone loves homemade Shortbread Cookies, and they last a long time too; so these are perfect for sending to people -- especially the chocolate-dipped versions.  You've also seen how simple it is to make Ganache, which can be used for many applications, including making your own home-made Chocolate Truffles (which you can roll in your leftover Coffee powder).
  
  Whatever you do, I hope you take what you've learned today and pass it on; either by making these things for someone, or even teaching them how to do it themselves.
  
  
  

  If you happen to know someone who wants to learn how to cook; or if you know someone who you think should learn how to cook, by all means, point them here.  This is an open blog with an interactive environment, with a writer who has no problem with answering questions and helping people along.

  
  
  Just this evening, reviewing today's new subscriptions to CHOW, I smiled when I came across a new subscriber who made a decision today to learn how to cook.  She wrote in her blog of buying a huge carton of eggs, and trying to figure out how to fry an egg; ending up with more questions than results even after the 9th attempt.
  
  The whole reason I write CHOW is because I want to help people like her. 
  
  Because of this, I'm going to do a full entry on Basic Egg Technique -- how to correctly fry an egg, or poach one, or scramble them; the way the Culinary Institute of America teaches it.  And then if there's sufficient interest, I will follow up with more advanced applications of Intermediate Egg Technique; with Omelettes, Eggs Benedict variations, Fritatas, Quiches, and maybe even a Salade Lyonnaise or a Chawan Mushi.
  
  I'm here.  Use me.  There are hundreds of you watching, yet I only hear from a handful of you.
  
  Goodnight for now.  With my Love and Aloha, from these Islands of Hawai'i,
  

  
  

  NOTE:  These Cookies taste best the DAY AFTER, and refrigerated!
  
  NOTE:  These Cookies taste really freaking good with Ice Cream!
  

  
  

  A curious question:  What is your favorite cookie?
  
  
  

  • 11:13 AM
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