If you’re looking for me or are wondering where Angela has gone, I’m on sabbatical. I’ve finally reached my limit and have to take time off from blogging, writing, and socializing while I collect myself mentally after the writing of Broken. I’ll be back by next week on a low priority schedule, and do plan to step in now and then to check on things. In the meantime, check out Broken or Dolor and Shadow after trying out my Raisin Clove Cookie recipe!
Raisin Clove Cookie
From Angela’s “I’m Sick Of Burning My Cookies” Series
Story behind the cookie: I’m a writer. There’s always a story 🙂
My grandmother makes these DELICIOUS raisin filled cookies. To be honest, they are really pies that take two days to make. The raisin filling has to be boiled down just like minced meat pie. The “cookie” dough has to be refrigerated over night due to it’s soft and tender texture, and then rolled to a paper thin sheet. It is harder to handle than filo dough and requires years of practice. My grandmother makes this process look so easy. After rolling, this dough is cut into round shapes (1/8 to 1/4 inch deep) with a 3-inch diameter. Delicious and so worth the work, but untouchable for those of us who are too busy (or too lazy) to do the work.
My argument was “These are pies. Not cookies… Though Delicious.”
A cookie is supposed to be a mini pastry or desert that requires only “little cooking” and is ready to eat in 30 minutes. Hence Cook-Ie. So to call these delectable deserts by my grandmother a “cookie…” For a cookie connoisseur, it rubbed me the wrong way. And when you bite down into one of her mini-pies… They are SOOOO good. But they are pies, nevertheless.
My Raisin Clove Cookie is the cookie I developed based on my grandmother’s Raisin mini-pie recipe and takes only 15 minutes to make. How do they taste? My brother took one bite and said, “These are the cookies that start office wars.” Then again… so are the pies my grandmother makes.
Raisin Clove Cookie from the Chrysler Family
This recipe is adjusted for 2,087 feet (636 m) above sea level. (So says Wikipedia)
- Preheat oven: 400 degree Fahrenheit
- Cook Time: 11 Minutes
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Makes: 24 Cookies
Cream together:
- 1 and 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 stick softened butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
Add:
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tbs water (temperature doesn’t matter)
In separate bowl, whisk together these dry ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
- 2 tsp cream of tartar (optional) See note
- 1 tsp fresh baking powder
- 1 tsp cloves
Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir.
Add
- 1 cup raisins (or more based on your taste… or none if you hate raisins 🙂
Note: The cream of tartar adds a crisp “bite” in the cookie that makes this recipe what it is. It can be removed for a warm spicy variation on sugar cookie which is also delicious.
This dough will be moist, light, and very sticky.
Spoon onto a cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees F. for 11 minutes. Apply the “Cracked Cookie” Method as seen here.
WARNING: The cookie dough is ADDICTING! Sample at your own risk.
And for those of you who want to see my grandmother’s Raisin Pies 🙂 Here you are!
Raisin Filled Cookies by Angela’s Grandmother
Dough
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup Crisco shortening
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 and 1/2 cups flour
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp vanilla
Refrigerate over night.
Raisin Filling… In saucepan over medium heat:
- 1 cup ground raisins
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1 tsp cloves
- 1 tsp flour
Boil down until jelly forms from natural pectin.
24 hours later… roll into thin sheets. Dough will be soft. Handle with care. Cut in 3 inch diameter circles. Spoon hot raisin mixture into the circle and top with a second circle. Seal and close like a pie crust.
400 for 12 to 15 minutes
Makes 3 dozen pies
