COTW: Avery Williams

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This week’s Cooks of the Week is Avery Williams. She is an employee at Citizens Bank of Swainsboro. In her spare time, Avery enjoys shopping, spending time with family and friends, and trying new recipes. Here are three recipes she would like to share. Enjoy!

Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies
cookie dough:
1 c. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 and 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
pecan pie filling:
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. light corn syrup
1 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Cookie Dough: In bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add flour and beat on low until just combined and then on medium-high until well combined and a thick, soft dough is formed. Pinch off small portions of the dough and form into 1-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Pecan Pie Filling: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter and vanilla. Stir in pecans until well combined. Lightly press your thumb into the center of each ball and fill the well with 1/2 teaspoon of the pecan pie filling. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the filling starts to caramelize on top and the cookies start to turn a light golden brown. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Mini Mason Jar Lid Strawberry Pies
Crust
1 c. (2 sticks) salted butter, cubed and chilled
1/4 c. granulated sugar
2 2/3 c. all purpose-flour
1/4 c. ice cold water
Assembly
18 Tbsp. (a little more than a cup) strawberry jam, jelly, or preserves
1 Tbsp. heavy cream
1 Tbsp. sparkling sugar

Place chilled, cubed butter, sugar, and flour in a food processor and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add water slowly as you process until a dough forms, add more or less water as needed. Pour the dough (may be a bit crumbly) onto a piece of plastic wrap, knead to bring together, and wrap into the shape of a disk. Chill for at least 2-3 hours. When you are ready to assemble and bake the pies, allow the dough to set out at room temperature for 15-20 minutes, and then roll it out on a well-floured surface. Check to see if the dough is sticking often, adding more flour as needed.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking sheet with nine mason jar lids laid out. Use another small mason jar ring (not the wide mouth size) to cut out 18 circles in the dough. Roll each circle out so it is slightly larger, and then place it in the jar lid, letting the dough come up the sides.
Spoon about one tablespoon of strawberry jam into each pie. Gather and roll remaining dough into a rectangle and cut out strips to weave the lattice top. Cut six 1/2 inch by 3 inch strips, weave them together, and then use a mason jar ring to cut the latticed dough into a circle. Use a metal spatula to transfer the circle onto the top of the pie. Repeat the process for each pie.
When pies are assembled, brush each one with heavy cream and sprinkle sparkling sugar generously on top. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the top of the pies are just beginning to brown. Let the pies cool for 5-10 minutes in the ring, and then press from the bottom to remove the ring and lid.

Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Turtle Thumbprint Cookies

1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. cocoa powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c., plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for a sweeter cookie, roll dough in more sugar before baking)
1 egg
1 Tbsp. heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 to 1/2 c. caramel sauce (depending on how large you make your cookies)
1/4 c. pecans, chopped
1 to 2 ounces dark chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 350°F Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat mats; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg, cream, and vanilla, stirring on medium until combined. Scrape the bowl, as needed. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Roll balls using 1 to 2 tablespoons dough for each. If you want a sweeter cookie, roll each in sugar. Place about 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Using your thumb, a spoon, or the handle of a wooden spoon or small rolling pin, gently press in the center of each cookie to create an indentation. Bake until the cookies are just set, about 10 minutes. Once you remove the cookies from the oven, gently press centers again to maintain the indentation. Let cool for 2 minutes on baking sheets. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.
Once cooled, place several chopped pecan bits in each cookie. Spoon caramel into center of each cookie, covering the pecans. Drizzle the cookies with melted dark chocolate. Sprinkle with more chopped pecans. Let stand until set, about 15 minutes. Cookies will keep, covered, for up to 3 days.