Glazed Vanilla Bean Cookies Food

VANILLA COOKIES WITH VANILLA BEAN GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat; set aside.
• In a large bowl, sift together flour baking powder and salt; set aside.
• In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt butter and shortening. Using an electric mixer, add sugar and blend ingredients well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla bean paste. Gradually add dry ingredients, stirring just until combined.
• Roll dough into 3/4-inch balls, or about 2 teaspoons. The dough will be soft. If dough is too sticky, use floured hands. Place on prepared cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, or just until tops begin to crack. Remove cookies to wire rack and cool completely before glazing.
• Place sifted confectioners' sugar in a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons of milk and vanilla bean paste. Mix until all of the sugar is incorporated. Add additional milk as needed; glaze should be on the thick side. Dip tops of cookies in glaze and allow to dry.

MINI VANILLA SCONES WITH VANILLA BEAN GLAZE

Steps:

• For the scones: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Split the vanilla beans in half lengthwise and scrape out all the vanilla "caviar" inside. Stir the caviar into the cream. Set aside for 15 minutes.
• Sift together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the cold butter into pats, and then use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter into the flour. Keep going until the mixture resembles crumbs.
• Mix the vanilla cream with the egg, and then combine with the flour mixture. Stir gently with a fork just until it comes together.
• Turn the dough onto a floured surface and lightly press it together until it forms a rough rectangle. (Mixture will be pretty crumbly.) Use a rolling pin to roll into a rectangle about 12-by-7 inches and 1/2-to-3/4-inches thick. Use your hands to help with the forming if necessary. Then cut the rectangle into 12 symmetrical squares/rectangles. Next, cut each square/rectangle in half diagonally, to form two triangles. Transfer to a parchment or baking-mat-lined cookie sheet and bake for 18 minutes, removing from the oven just before they start to turn golden. Allow to cool for 15 minutes on the cookie sheet, and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• For the glaze: Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the caviar. Stir the caviar into the milk. Set aside for 15 minutes.
• Mix the powdered sugar and salt with the vanilla milk, adding more powdered sugar or milk if necessary to get the right consistency. Stir or whisk until completely smooth.
• One at a time, carefully dunk each cooled scone in the glaze, turning it over if necessary. Transfer to parchment paper or the cooling rack. Allow the glaze to set completely, about an hour. Scones will keep several days if glazed.

VANILLA GLAZE

Steps:

• Place the confectioners' sugar and vanilla seeds in a small bowl, add 1 1/2 teaspoons water and whisk together until smooth and thick, but pourable. Add an additional 1/2 teaspoon of water if needed.

GOURMET'S VANILLA BEAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream together the butter, chilled shortening, and 3/4 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy.
• With a sharp knife halve vanilla beans lengthwise, then scrape the seeds directly into the butter mixture, mixing to combine.
• Beat in egg and vanilla extract until combined well.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture and mix until just combined.
• Set a large sheet of waxed paper on a flat surface.
• Set dough onto the waxed paper and form dough into a 10x2" log.
• Roll up dough log in wax paper, seal ends with rubber bands, and chill until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 3 days (stick wrapped log into a plastic ziptop baggie to keep from drying out).
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Pour remaining 1/4 cup sugar onto a shallow platter.
• Remove wax paper and roll dough log in sugar (not all sugar will stick).
• Cut dough into rounds,1/4" thick.
• Dip the cut sides of each cookie round into the remaining sugar on platter (add a little extra sugar if you need more).
• Arrange cookies 1/2" apart on ungreased cookie sheets and bake one batch at a time in the middle of your oven 10-12 minutes, or until edges are a very pale golden brown.
• Remove baked cookies to wire racks to cool.

VANILLA GLAZE

Steps:

• Melt the butter and add to rest of ingredients. Mix until creamy.