Photo by Alicia Griffin.Dish of the Week: Christmas cookies
Where: Le Caprice Bakery, Heller’s Bakery, the Ritz-Carlton West End, your kitchen
If you haven’t already started gorging yourself on an endless stream of sugary treats, you’re doing the holidays wrong. At no other time of year is the impulse to eat fistfuls of gingerbread, peppermint sticks, and sprinkle-dusted sugar cookies so strong.
For those that eschew baking, there are a few places in D.C. to procure holiday treats. Le Caprice Bakery in Columbia Heights is a veritable wonderland of tiny, jewel-like cookies filled with jam or topped with nuts, not to mention a dazzling array of delicate French macaroons. In stark contrast is Heller’s Bakery, a D.C. institution that has stood the test of time in more ways that one. Eating a Heller’s cookie is kind of like taking a trip to your grandma’s house: no one else makes Christmas tree-shaped cut-outs slathered with enough green frosting to make your teeth hurt.
However, nostalgia often looks better than it tastes, and there’s no greater example than the gingerbread house. Making one is a lot more fun than eating it, especially after it’s been sitting a table for a week. Nonetheless, the Foggy Bottom Ritz-Carleton has tapped into our fascination with gingerbread architecture by crafting a life-size gingerbread boutique out of 560 gingerbread “bricks” and 35 pounds of royal icing. The walls are lined with baked treats for sale (including smaller gingerbread houses), as well as a table where a party of six can enjoy a four-course gingerbread-themed meal ($110/person, available now through Christmas).
If this all sounds like too much, this weekend also presents the perfect opportunity to squeeze in some of your own holiday baking. Here’s my go-to recipe for a grown-up version of gingerbread. Decorate if you like, but I think these crispy, spicy cookies are best on their own.
Moravian Crisps
Adapted from Gourmet
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses (not blackstrap)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon five spice powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Beat butter, brown sugar, and molasses using a stand or hand mixer until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Turn mixer to low and gradually add flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Dough will be sticky.
Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead briefly. Divide dough in half and form into two flat circles about half an inch thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill overnight (if you’re pressed for time, you can chill for a few hours in the freezer).
Preheat oven to 325°F with rack in middle. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll out 1 piece of dough on a floured pastry cloth using floured sleeve-covered rolling pin until very thin (~1/8 to 1/16 inch thick). If you don’t have this equipment, roll on a very, very well-floured work surface, rotating the dough a quarter turn after each roll. You will need to sprinkle flour on the surface of the dough as well, or try wrapping your rolling pin in parchment or wax paper to prevent sticking.
Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and, using spatula to transfer, arrange about 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets. Re-roll scraps and cut out more cookies.
Bake cookies 7-10 minutes. Let stand 1 minute on sheet then loosen with spatula and transfer a rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.
Makes 40-80 cookies, depending on the size.
Small Bites
Just ducky
The Source is featuring a special holiday tasting menu centered around everyone’s favorite fowl. Diners can select from locally-sourced whole roasted Peking duck or holiday goose, accompanied by drunken noodles, stir-fried brussels sprouts, and a slice of 15-layer carrot cake. The duck dinner ($55/person) and goose dinner ($65/person) will be available now until December 29. Call 202-637-6100 to make a reservation.
Where to eat out on Christmas
If you’re in town for the holidays, there are a whole host of restaurants that would love to serve you a fancy dinner on Tuesday. Washingtonian has a comprehensive line-up here.
Truffle shuffle
With news that global warming is threatening the world’s supply of truffles, now is the time to indulge in these delicious fungi. Luckily, Bibiana is ready to meet your truffle-gorging needs at their truffle dinner on December 29. The three-course tasting menu ($60/person) features items such as tortelloni with browned butter, Tallegio cheese, almonds, and black truffle and hubbard squash flan with bitter chocolate and black truffle. Call 202-216-9550 to make a reservation.
