Thank you but I’m not familiar; what are mediants?
Perfect!
Great idea! I’ll probably try it with pecans.
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Thanks for the frosting suggestion. The cookie at that link looks wonderful, too. (Resisting the urge to add just one more to my baking list!)
Typo! I meant mendiants.
So glad I asked! Still had to look it up, but it might be a nice departure from my usual “bark” endeavors!
In case anyone else needs a clue. Or two. Or three!
Question about keeping tempered chocolate at the right temperature; besides sous vide, which I’ve tried but felt left chocolate in the bag, is there a simple way? Do I need to worry about it if it’s not for more than 10 minutes?
sorry, i don’t understand the question.
I’ve tried a few methods of tempering chocolate, and usually get close, using the dip your knife in the chocolate and see if it’s “right” in three minutes test
After thinking about it, I assume while I’m waiting the three minutes, if it’s right, just leave it in the bowl or bag until I am done making bark or the mendiants. I was wondering if I needed to somehow keep it at the perfect temperature (87-91 f. )
Not sure what to do if it’s not right, but I guess that’s a different question.
CINNAMON STICKS from (translated) French cookbook “I Know How To Cook”
These turned out to be excellent. A grownup cookie–not too sweet, not colorful or Christmas cute. Crunch! – not exactly biscotti, these have more butter. I used hazelnuts instead of the almonds in the recipe, (good idea!) Lots of nuts, an egg, scant sugar, full teaspoon of cinnamon.
I had to experiment a little with temp and time in the oven. (This big ol’ book weighs 5.45 lbs! I expected all info to be included! But the taste and texture turned out fine with us, I think most everyone would like these. Here’s a picture of a stack of them.
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2fer today. Chocolate Covered Cherry cookies in the morning, and a new-to-me bar - Coconut Cranberry bars in the afternoon to use up excess sweetened condensed milk . A half cup/half can gets used in the frosting for the cookies and leftover accumulates in the freezer; I need to look for more easy recipes like these bars. I used walnuts instead of pecans and the bars are still very sweet – good when cut small 2-bite sized. The cherry cookies are labor intensive but so worth it. My notes say 1.5 hours from start of ingredients assembly to first pan in oven, then continue shaping, filling and frosting the next pan as the previous one bakes. 3 hours total for a double batch. If you decide to make these, 2 important hints: Before baking, hold the pan at eye level and turn it to double check that each cherry is fully sealed to the cookie with frosting. And after baking, let the cookies firm up for 7 -10 minutes on the pan before moving them to a cooling rack.
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Looks/sounds great! Bonus points for getting a Jenga game out of it?
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I was wondering why Sohla didn’t have a cookie in this year’s lineup. She just published on her Substack that she hasn’t been employed by the NYT for a while, but was desperately avoiding talking about it. She apparently had a very rough time there (culminating in having to have her labor induced after a 90-degree video shoot that landed her in the ER.) She talks with rare frankness about the pitiful pay she was expected to work for, and about how she was treated when she decided to finally leave. It was a sobering read.
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those look great. well done!
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I hope all your holiday treats turn out and that you have a wonderful holiday season.
(This is my 4th or 5th time quitting the site over the past 3 years, and 2nd time in 48 h. I know I have announced I’m quitting, then I have returned. I think it’s easier for everyone, if I leave this time for good.)
Wishing you all the best.
Perhaps you will change your mind!
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I left Chowhound in a huff once, over a supposed slight (which nonetheless hurt) but I came back because I just plain missed the whole enjoyable experience. Maybe sit out the hollyday stress month(s) and look in again.
And all the best to you 
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I’m missing something here; I have no idea why you’re quitting. I’ve always enjoyed your posts, and hope that you reconsider 
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Hear, hear!
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this is a bummer…
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Trying to pare my list down to practical rather than aspirational.
Basic Cookies
Gingersnaps, Snickerdoodles, and Peanut Butter cookies - all from either The Joy of Cooking or Better Homes and Gardens.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies - basic Tollhouse recipe, with dark and semi-sweet chips, plus oatmeal. (Let dough hydrate at least 24-hours before baking.)
Snowballs/Mexican Wedding Cookies/Those Powdered Sugar Cookies - I’ve lost my original recipe, but this looks close. (Easiest to coat by putting the powdered sugar in a plastic tub, adding cookies, and gently shaking.)
Bar Cookies
Almost Heaven Pecan Pie Bars - friend who emailed me this recipe, around 1999, had mistyped the title, so we call them “Heaving Pecan Pie.”
Oatmeal Jam Bars - I need to move away from the basic strawberry jam; maybe marmalade? Sautéed sweetened apples?
Buckeye Bars - I’ll post the recipe when I find it, as I think @Desert-Dan might find they appeal to his Sunshine (graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, butter, powdered sugar, melted chocolate chips - I can’t recall the quantities off-hand, though).
Other
Chex Mix
Roasted/glazed/spiced nuts of some sort - though I took out a tooth biting on an almond last time I made these, so having second thoughts (aka: major dithers) on this.
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