Holiday Baking: Espresso Thins
Written By Natalie Hester
Adult Services Librarian
Welcome, dear reader and patron, to Page to Plate! This is the first of a new series here on the library’s blog where I’ll be trying out a recipe from one of the cookbooks in our collection. If you don’t know me, I’m Natalie, one of the librarians here at the Trenton Free Public Library. I have always enjoyed cooking and baking, but have found that the older and busier I get, the less I do it. I hope that this series will help me branch out and try new recipes from the amazing cookbook collection we have here at the library, and that you consider joining me in the journey.
This first recipe came from the book Holiday Cookies by Elisabet der Nederlanden. It is the holiday season, after all, and the perfect time for making and enjoying baked goods. “Espresso Thins,” which you can find on page 60, jumped out at me because they are very different from any other cookies I’ve made before. And I’m a sucker for coffee (I admire the working professional who isn’t).
So let’s get into it! This recipe is actually kind of great because it has so few ingredients (and no, I won’t give you the recipe – that’s what checking out the book is for!). Chances are you already have most of them in your kitchen: flour, salt, butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, chocolate, and cocoa powder. The only two things I had to really search for at the store were instant espresso powder and cacao nibs.
Combining everything was very standard for baking, which was pretty quick and easy once I had everything measured and prepared. After that you’re instructed to roll the dough into logs and then roll those into cocoa powder. After chilling, you slice them into small cookies. I’ve actually never done slice-and-bake cookies, so this was fun. At this point they looked like little sausage pieces, which was kind of strange and unappetizing to me. I’d rather my sweets not resemble savory food (I’m definitely not one of those “but is it cake” people). On the other hand, it was nice to not have to roll or shape out all of the cookies by hand.
Then you just put them on the pan and bake! The recipe says 18 to 20 minutes, but I would cook them on the lesser side of this time frame. Since I had two pans in the oven, I rotated them halfway through baking. My cookies came out good but maybe slightly overdone and a bit dark on the underside. They look cute, though, and definitely passed the taste test! And yes, I know they’re not perfect circles (which might be the point of slice-and-bake), but I never said I was a perfectionist! Since they don’t have any rise to them, their consistency is somewhere between a butter cookie and biscotti and they’re pretty crunchy. I’m usually more of a soft cookie person, but I still like them enough to make them again.
The “espresso thins” got a positive review from library staff, who probably needed the coffee boost by the afternoon (even if it’s just placebo effect). Cal, a library associate, said the cookies would be good with coffee or hot chocolate, and I’m inclined to agree. Even security guard James, impossible to please, tried them and appreciated their homemade taste. If James doesn’t hate them, that’s basically a glowing review. In any case, I hope you come down to the library for this cookbook or another this holiday season. You’ll find it on the second floor in our non-fiction collection. If you do try a recipe we highlight, let us know how it went!
Happy reading and happy baking!
So Good! I am going to try this recipe!
Looks wonderful, but I’m a suburbanite and am allergic to parallel parking. I would really appreciate if you could post the recipes. I love the chocolate, coffee combo.