Thank goodness the growing demand for sophisticated cookie platters gave birth to Cookie Panache, because the cookies are simply wonderful. In a world where the cost of labor and ingredients to bake one’s own butter cookies is almost as much as buying the finest, Cookie Panache is a real find. Crafting twists on favorites that add layers of flavor, these cookies and their biscotti siblings have most definitely earned their panache.
Cookie Panache answers the ever-hanging question of what to give for personal and corporate holiday gifts, hostess gifts and thank-you gifts for loving relatives who treat you to Thanksgiving, and Christmas and Chanukah memories.*
*Anyone who celebrates anything else: Add it here!
So, what are you waiting for? You know you want to dig in and find out more about the Dulce de Leche Cookie (a super sandwich), Triple Chocolate Bites (worth every calorie), Mojito Lime (a cocktail in a glass), Dutch Granny (we’ve adopted her) and the rest of the melodious cookie chorus, including impeccable biscotti.
Read the full review of Cookie Panache—but read it on a full stomach.
Biscotti with panache. Photo by Evan Dempsey | THE NIBBLE.
See more of our favorite cookies, plus recipes, in our Gourmet Cookies Section.
Serve your sundae in a cookie cup. Photo
by Marcin Bania | IST.
November 11th is National Sundae Day, so why not make something special?
We’re starting with a S’mores Sundae—chocolate ice cream, marshmallow creme, crumbled graham crackers and chocolate sauce. To celebrate the season, we’re following with a Gingerbread Sundae—cinnamon, ginger and vanilla ice creams with cubes of fresh-baked gingerbread, topped with whipped cream, candied ginger and chunks of Chocolove’s crystallized ginger and dark chocolate bar. (The truly indulgent can add caramel sauce). Whatever your favorite flavors, combine them, indulge and enjoy!
See some of our favorite ice cream brands, including cinnamon and ginger flavors.
See all the different types of ice cream and frozen desserts in our Ice Cream Glossary.
We’re always testing food at THE NIBBLE; and with the warm weather we were having yesterday, a member of our team picked up both Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts iced coffees. At Dunkin’ Donuts, she was tempted by the fall donut display and picked up a sampling:
Fall Munchkins Donut Hole Treats. Decorated with autumn-colored non-pareils, these cuties were the winner by a mile. Suggested retail price $4.49 for a 25-count box.
Pumpkin Donut. Our second favorite was the glazed cake donut, which was said to be pumpkin-flavored. We didn’t taste the pumpkin, but the dough is—surprise!—a fun pumpkin color. And it’s a good glazed donut. Suggested retail price $.89.
Fall Harvest Donut. We didn’t get to try this yeast ring donut topped with orange icing and a festive sprinkle mix. But we love yeast donuts; maybe tomorrow? Suggested retail price $.89.
Pumpkin Muffin. This large muffin—share it with someone—is topped with white icing and streusel crumbs. It’s too crumbly for us, and the pumpkin flavor could be more pronounced. Suggested retail price $1.39.
What about a lowfat muffin? Now there’s the:
Our fall favorites at Dunkin’ Donuts: The glazed
Pumpkin Donut at left, with pumpkin-colored
dough inside and the colorful Fall Munchkins.
At top, Pumpkin Muffin. At right, Low Fat
Caramel Apple Muffin. Photo by Evan Dempsey
| THE NIBBLE.
Low Fat Apple Caramel Muffin. This is Dunkin’ Donuts’ first low-fat muffin, with only three grams of fat. It’s part of the DDSMART menu of better-for-you items that meet at least one of the following criteria: 25% fewer calories; 25% less sugar, fat, saturated fat or sodium than comparable fare, and/or contain ingredients that are nutritionally beneficial. This muffin may have 25% less fat, but it’s a big muffin with plenty of calories and carbs. Might we suggest that “better for you” would be a mini two-ounce muffin, and not six ounces or more? We’re just saying! Suggested retail price $1.39.
In terms of the iced coffee: Starbucks won ($3.05 compared to $2.82, representing NYC prices with tax).
It’s National Vanilla Cupcake Day. Invite friends over tonight for TV and a bake-along. Here’s a recipe for a yummy vanilla cupcake with cream cheese frosting.
The name “cupcake” is derived from the teacup. Before the advent of muffin tins, where they are baked with a paper or foil liner, cupcakes were often baked in individual tea cups (as well as ramekins). They are frosted and often decorated with sprinkles, candies, rosettes, coconut and other toppings. In recent years, cupcakes have moved beyond children’s party fare and have become popular with pastry chefs and consumers as sophisticated alternatives to large cakes at weddings and other celebrations, where cupcake “trees” stack the cupcakes in the shape of a large, tiered cake.
Check out all the different types of cake in our Cake Glossary.
“French Kisses,” prunes stuffed with foie
gras. Photo courtesy of Dartagnan.com.
Looking for a special-occasion cocktail snack? You can buy “French Kisses” gourmet delights ready-made from Dartagnan.com, or make them easily (and more cost-effectively) yourself.
1. Buy plump, pitted prunes and mousse de foie gras (duck or goose liver mousse—or substitute less expensive chicken liver mousse).
2. A classic preparation is to first marinate the prunes overnight in Armagnac (you can substitute Cognac); but it gives quite an alcohol punch to the prunes and we think it interferes with the foie gras flavor. Try it with half the batch to see what you think, or marinate lightly, for an hour (or eliminate this step altogether).
3. Then, with a pastry bag or small spoon, stuff each prune with mousse and serve on a tray.
These tasty tidbits are perfect with Champagne or sweet sherry, or as part of a first course on an assorted hors d’oeuvres plate. We could make an entire dinner of them!
