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14 January 2004 - Butter Me Up In the middle of the afternoon I almost always have a craving for something just a little bit sweet. Today, of course, was no different, and although I am actually on a diet at the moment (aren't I always??) I indulged, just a little with the crumb-left-overs of some cookies I baked not too long ago. Surprisingly said crumbs were still fresh and my temptation was wholly satisfied with just a few nibbles and I sit here, feeling only slightly guilty but still quite happy that those cookies were that delicious. Shortbread cookies have long been a favourite of mine, but I did have a not-so-great batch this year at Christmas...they were the last to go on the dessert trays each time I brought them out and even I thought they weren't so great...and I'm usually fairly proud of my cooking endeavors. They were dry and fairly tasteless...not the smooth sweet butter taste I was expecting at all. I was suitably unimpressed. Ever the tenacious baker (heh!), when I came across this Martha Stewart Recipe for Dried Cranberry Shortbread [Hearts] I thought it might be what I had been searching for. I love dried cranberries in just about anything -- in fact I have been throwing them into my mom's recipe for Graham Scones whenever I bake them -- so, these cookies were bound to impress even me. The crumbs filled that tiny void just now and I'm still impressed with how these cookies turned out. Soft, semi-sweet, delicious, perfect with a cup of coffee for a mid-morning snack or a not-too-filling, not-too-sweet after dinner smackerel. Yum. |