Fix, Freeze, Feast - Kati Neville [62]
TOPPING
Scant ½ cup vanilla sugar (see Note at right)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
ON HAND FOR BAKING
Parchment paper
1. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat in eggs, milk, and vanilla. In a separate large bowl, mix all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, and salt. Add half the flour mixture to the butter and egg mixture and beat well. Beat in remaining flour mixture. The batter will be stiff.
2. In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon.
3. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll dough balls in topping and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
4. Place in freezer for 30 minutes.
5. Remove dough balls from freezer and place a dozen into each freezer bag.
6. Seal and freeze.
TO BAKE ONE DOZEN COOKIES
1. Place frozen cookies 3 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
2. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tops crack. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes; transfer to a cooling rack.
VANILLA SUGAR
Making your own vanilla sugar is easy and inexpensive: Put 1 cup sugar and ¼ piece vanilla bean into the bowl of a food processor. Process for 30 to 60 seconds. Remove any remaining large pieces of vanilla by hand or pour sugar through a strainer. Cure the sugar in an airtight container at least 1 week before using.
BRANCHING OUT
ADAPTING YOUR OWN RECIPES FOR THE TRAY PACK METHOD
Once you’ve become experienced cooking with our method, there may come a time when you will want to adapt your own recipes for making ahead. Many of your favorite recipes will be good candidates for adaptation. Here are a few suggestions to consider:
CONSIDER THE MEAT. Look at the type and amount of meat in your original recipe. Be sure that the same or a similar cut of meat is sold at the warehouse. Divide the number of pounds in the club package by the amount required in your recipe. For example, if the original recipe calls for 1½ pounds of pork tenderloin, you take the warehouse package size of 4½ pounds and divide it by 1½, giving you the number 3. This tells you that you must multiply the recipe by 3 in order to use the entire package of pork. Begin with this general guideline, but expect to have to adjust individual recipe ingredients as discussed in the rest of this section.
ADJUST AMOUNTS FOR SALT AND PUNGENT SPICES. In our experience, many recipes call for too much salt in the first place. As a rule of thumb when doubling or tripling a recipe, the salt needs to be increased by only half. For example, if the original recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of salt, use ½ teaspoon for each factor of multiplication of the recipe. So, if you’re doubling the recipe, you would use 1½ teaspoons of salt; for tripling, 2 teaspoons of salt total. Use this same rule of thumb for pungent spices, such as crushed red pepper, cinnamon, curry powder, cayenne pepper, and cumin. It’s easier to add more seasoning to an underseasoned entrée than to diminish its effect after you’ve used too much.
BE CAREFUL WITH SALTY-FLAVORED SAUCES AND VINEGARS. Take care when multiplying salty sauces such as soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and flavored vinegars. If you want to keep the same amount of liquid, consider using reduced-salt versions of these products, or use broth, apple juice, or water as a substitute for a portion of the original amount (see Firehouse Pork Skewers [page 127] as an example). If the amount of liquid is not a concern, begin by cutting the original amount called for by before multiplying the ingredient.
MULTIPLY MILD HERBS AND SEASONINGS NORMALLY. Mild herbs and seasonings can be successfully multiplied without adjustment. Basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, garlic, and ginger are not as concentrated as other spices. It’s still possible to use too much, but the probability that too much of these seasonings will ruin an entire batch of entrées is low.
TAKE NOTES AS YOU EXPERIMENT. Good record keeping will help you perfect a recipe you’re adapting. Sometimes, the right amount of sauce, marinade, breading, or topping for one recipe will be too much or too little