shortbread cookie sandwiches

a few weeks ago, i got the random urge to find my ideal chocolate buttercream frosting recipe. it came out of nowhere and wouldn't be settled until i had a bowl of the perfect frosting in front of me. thankfully, my life now allows me to drop everything and make frosting when the urge sneaks up! i landed on the recipe below after adding a hefty pour of whipping cream to a more classic buttercream recipe. the cream allows for extra aeration of the frosting - so even though the ingredients read like a list of the world's heaviest whole foods, the frosting is silky and surprisingly light. the perfect texture for accidentally eating WAY too much frosting in one sitting. 

about half a sleeve of graham crackers later, each slathered lovingly with frosting, i knew i needed a project for the frosting - stat. thankfully, i had my first round of indiegogo supporters to make treats for, and so was born these simple shortbread sandwich cookies! along with a slew of other goodies, i packed each person a half-pint ball jar stacked full of cookies. keep this one in mind next time you want to give away small bundles of cookies, because not only are they delicious - they look absolutely beautiful packed up this way! 

as for the shortbread cookies, this dough is a classic i've had in my toolkit for years. you'll likely be seeing more of it as time goes on as it offers great flexibility for flavors. simple buttery sweetness shines through in this basic application, but i'm known to fill it with lavender or rosemary, dip it in chocolate, make a tart crust, the list goes on. but best of all, this dough is a dream to work with, an absolute dream. so if you roll a lot of cookie dough and have had your fair share of frustrating high-butter doughs like i have, you're in for a real treat! lightly flour your counter and rolling pin, and you'll likely not experience a single sticking spot!  

scrolling through this recipe might seem a little intimidating - but i promise, none of the steps take very long, and you'll be happily surprised at how easily these come together. plus, they're a crowd-pleaser with children and adults alike! 

the shortbread cookies 

ingredients: 

2 cups white flour 

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup powdered sugar 

pinch of salt 

instructions:

using a stand mixer, electric hand mixer with the paddle attachment, or a strong arm, cream together butter and powdered sugar until it reaches a nice fluffy texture. if my butter is fully softened, i usually run the stand mixer for a minute or so. longer if i'm starting with butter that is still a little cold. 

add the flour and salt, and mix until fully combined. 

using your hands, reach into the bowl and clump your dough together, dividing it in half and form two discs. wrap your discs in plastic and refrigerate for an hour. if you prefer, you can keep this dough in the refrigerator for a few days, just let it warm up a bit before trying to roll it out or it will crack. use your senses, you'll know when it's ready because it'll be easy to roll! 

when you're ready to bake the cookies - roll the dough out to about a quarter inch thick on a lightly floured surface. using a ribbed edge cookie cutter, or even just a glass for simple circles, cut as many cookies as you can. continue rolling and cutting the scraps until you're down to the last bits, refrigerating the dough if it gets too warm to work with. when i get down to the bitter end, i just put the scraps from between my cookies right on the sheet to bake. no one will turn down cookie scraps! 

bake the cookies on parchment or silpat lined cookie sheets at 360 for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to turn a golden brown. 

let cookies cool completely on a wire rack. 

dreamy chocolate frosting 

ingredients: 

4oz butter 

1 cup powdered sugar 

1 tsp vanilla 

heaping 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips 

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

instructions: 

first, melt the chocolate. i like to do this in a double boiler (or simply a heat-proof glass bowl over an inch or two of water in a pot), but you can also do it in the microwave. once melted, set aside to cool slightly. 

next (or while the chocolate is melting), whip the butter using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a hand mixer. it will get nice and fluffy if you give it enough time - the key to the light texture of this decadent frosting. 

add the vanilla and powdered sugar, whipping until fully combined. lastly, pour in the cooled chocolate and heavy whipping cream. continue to whip frosting for a few minutes longer. it will take in a lot of air during this final stage, adding to that light fluffy texture! 

if you won't be assembling the cookies right away, store the frosting in the fridge. before assembling, set it on the counter for about 20 minutes to let it soften. you can re-whip if it's lost any of the lightness! 

assembling your finished cookies 

once you have your two parts prepared, it's time to assemble your cookies! this is pretty simple, but it is important to keep in mind the temperature of your ingredients. 

make sure your cookies have cooled fully (as in, not a hint of warmth left!) or the frosting will melt the second it touches them. believe me, i tried to rush this. it was a finger-lickingly delicious mess, but a mess none the less!  also make sure your frosting is at about room temperature, so you can dollop it on the cookies easily. 

now, you're ready! grab a cookie, and place a dollop of frosting in the middle of the bottom side (about a tablespoon, but you can stuff these with as much or as little frosting as you like!). take another cookie and press the bottom side of it onto the frosting, gently pressing the two cookies together until the frosting reaches the edges. 

set each assembled cookie on a tray or cookie sheet in one layer, and refrigerate for about an hour until the frosting is solidified and each cookie is sturdily held together. at this point, you can stack them in a container without worry of them falling apart. these cookies should be stored in the refrigerator, but taste best when they're taken out a half hour or so before you plan to eat them. lets be real though, you'll probably eat plenty of them without waiting that half hour... and there is no shame in that! 

if you fill your cookies lightly and have leftover frosting, i highly recommend spreading it on graham crackers. just don't taste it this way before you start assembling the cookies. if you're anything like me, you'll end up eating way too much and having to whip up a second batch. yum! 

an ode to country life

my heart belongs in the rural hillsides of michigan, where town isn't too far away but life moves at a slightly different pace. value is placed on the simple things that take time to bring to fruition. days of boiling maple sap down into the sweet nectar of syrup, caring for chickens to earn that meal made with a still-warm egg, taking a walk in the woods without having to travel to the woods. many people might consider my home in traverse city living a rural life, but even the traffic and bustle of our little town feels rather city-like at times. so i place inexplicable value on getting away every once in a while. 

while hens are allowed in the city, giving them more space to roam is a big bonus of living away from town! 

one day, we'll have our own home in the country - but for now, d and i find escape in housesitting for friends who live out of town or spending a bit of time backpacking. it is this time each year when we are able to sit without the sounds of cars passing or planes overhead - really without the sounds of anything but ourselves, the fire, and the animals! 

i think it is so important for everyone to experience this type of escape regularly throughout their life, be it a week in a country house or a week backpacking totally removed from society. for it is in this escape from the world constructed around us that we're able to connect within ourselves. and to feel the power and wonder of nature around us, for we are a part of this world. 

a few snuggles from an animal like this sweet cat are key to a joyful afternoon

the springtime temperature swings from cold nights below freezing to sunny afternoons with the inklings of warmth bring maple syrup season to the country in michigan and other states where sugar maples abound. this temperature swing alerts the trees that spring is coming, and they begin pulling their slightly sweet sap up from the roots to the tips of each branch. this step begins their growth towards budding and leafing out for their summer of growth. 

that movement of sap in the trees allows us humans to tap the trees and siphon off a bit of the sap for ourselves. nothing about this process hurts the trees, but it brings the sweet joy of maple syrup into our lives! for me, taking part in the cycles of the season as the natural world experiences them ties me to the land in a unique and special way.  taps like the metal one below pull the sap from the trees drop by drop. 

maple syrup really takes the cake as my favorite sweetener. not only is the flavor something to swoon over, the simple yet time consuming process of boiling sap over a raging fire for long hours ties me to this treat in a special way. here is the simple outdoor setup our friends jim & kelly have in their yard at a full boil. 

for every gallon of finished maple syrup, forty gallons of sap has to be collected and boiled down. in this rustic yet efficient system, there is about 10 hours of boiling over the fire, and another few of finishing the syrup on the stove for that gallon of syrup. it is a labor of love making your own maple syrup, and once you've done it, you'll surely understand why folks want you to fork over such a hefty sum of money for it.  

a few other little joys of our week spent in the country include: 

life handing us 3lbs of amazing bacon and a little bunch of asparagus needing to be used... so, of course the logical next step is to wrap the asparagus in bacon. thank you instagram for this glorious idea! simple, beautiful, delicious! just wrap small bunches of asparagus in a slice of bacon each and bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of your bacon and asparagus spears! i can't wait for springtime to make this a regular indulgence : ) 

taking the time to notice the little things, like the simple strands of steam wafting through the afternoon sunlight. 

black cherry bourbon sorbet

i know i've mentioned it before, and probably will another million times - i live in cherry heaven, the cherry capital of the world (really, our airport is even called the cherry capital airport). tart cherries are where we garner our fame, but my favorite part of cherry season is the abundance of incredible sweet black cherries. country roads, no matter where you're headed, are dotted with stands selling bags of sweet cherries. subsequently, no late july drive through the country is complete without a bag full of cherries in my cupholder, spitting the pits out the window as i drive. pure heaven, you'll have to come visit and try it out sometime! 

springtime in the cherry capital brings seemingly endless miles of cherry blossoms - washington dc has nothing on us! 

all year round, tart cherries are easy to find in the freezer of every grocery store, but it is rare to find frozen sweet cherries. so each summer, i spend hours (or days, if i'm lucky) pitting cherries to squirrel away in my freezer so i can enjoy this sweet beautiful flavor all winter long. and share it with friends, of course. for quite some time, i was hooked on cherry almond smoothies, but this sorbet has won out as the best use of sweet cherries to date. 

of course, i can't help but make it all months of the year, but come july - this is going to be my hot day savior. maybe we'll even toss a scoop in a glass of champagne for a grown-up drink! 

grab yourself a spoon, and sit down to some big flavor! 

a note about the bourbon: you don't have to use if it you want to keep your sorbet free of booze, but the alcohol helps create the perfectly silky texture of this frozen treat. you can use vodka to get the texture without the flavor, but bourbon and cherries go together like peaches and cream. so if you don't mind a boozy flavor, stick with the bourbon. i usually use traverse city whiskey for a smooth flavor, but have been known to use some 100 proof wild turkey for a really intense kick! 

ingredients: 

3 cups pitted black cherries, defrosted if frozen 

1 cup cane sugar 

1/4 cup water 

2 tsp bourbon (optional) 

3 Tbsp lemon juice 

instructions: 

puree cherries and sugar in a blender or food processor until the sugar has dissolved. i usually crank my vitamix up to high and let it run for at least one minute. dissolving the sugar is key to getting a smooth texture in your sorbet! 

with the blender or food processor running (keep your blender on a lower speed, so you don't spay everywhere!), add water, bourbon, and lemon juice. let it run for a few moments until fully combined. 

follow your ice cream maker's instructions and churn mixture for about 30 minutes, or until it is thick and icy. scoop into a chilled container, and freeze for at least two hours before serving. 

for optimal enjoyment, serve with thin shortbread cookies!