Gourmets Vanilla Bean Cookies Food

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 BEAN ICE CREAM

Steps:

• With a knife halve vanilla beans lengthwise. Scrape seeds into a large heavy saucepan and stir in pods, cream, milk, and sugar. Bring mixture just to a boil, stirring occasionally, and remove pan from heat.
• In a large bowl lightly beat eggs. Add hot cream mixture to eggs in a slow stream, whisking, and pour into pan. Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until a thermometer registers 170°F. (Do not let boil.) Pour custard through a sieve into a clean bowl and cool. Chill custard, its surface covered with wax paper, at least 3 hours, or until cold, and up to 1 day.
• Freeze custard in an ice-cream maker, in 2 batches if necessary. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden. Ice cream may be made 1 week ahead.

BREAKFAST BEAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Place oats in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it resembles coarse flour. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon & salt & process until combined. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Put beans in food processor & pulse until roughly pureed. Add butter & process until well blended. Add brown sugar, egg & vanilla & pulse until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
• Poor bean mixture into oat mix & stir by hand until almost combined; add chocolate chip, raisins, nut & flaxseed & stir until just blended.
• Drop large spoonfuls of dough onto a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray, & flatten each one a little with hand.
• Bake 14-16 minute.
• Makes 2 dozen. Each cookie contains 138 calories & 3.5 grams fat.