Smart Cookies

Smart Cookies

At the VIU / SD47 Birch Tree Café & Bistro- now open at Ecossentials–chef instructor Avi Sternberg is helping both high school dual-credit and adult learners step up their holiday baking game. Now you can, too. Or just head over to the café to buy some.

Chai Shortbread with honey-toasted walnuts and orange zest

1 cup (340 g) Butter 1 cup (225 g) Sugar Pinch Salt 6-7 Egg yolks 3.5 cups (450 g) Pastry flour, sifted

3 tbsp Chai Tea (powder form found in tea packets) 2 cups walnut pieces 1/3 cup honey Zest of one orange

For the cookies: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, salt and incorporate. Add flour and blend, do not overmix. Transfer to a floured surface and shape into a prism (brick) shape. Wrap in plastic wrap for 30 minutes until dough becomes firm. For the honey toasted walnuts: in a small stainless steel bowl, toss walnuts with honey. Place on a parchment lined tray and bake at 300°F for a total of 10 minutes, turning after five minutes. Remove walnuts from oven and put aside. Remove dough from refrigerator, cut into 1/4” width cookies. Lay on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 13-15 minutes. Sprinkle cookies with Chai tea, honey-toasted walnuts and orange zest.

1.5 cups (360 g) All-purpose flour 9 tbsp (150 g) Pastry flour ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp ground nutmeg ¼ tsp ground cardamom ½ tsp kosher salt 9 tbsp (150 g) brown sugar ½ cup (120 g) granulated sugar 1 tbsp honey 1.5 cups (350 g) unsalted butter, room temperature Powdered sugar for dusting Sift 2 flours into large stainless bowl.

Sift in baking soda and cinnamon. Add the salt and whisk together. Combine both sugars in separate bowl and stir in honey using a fork. Place the butter in the bowl of a stand-up mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn to medium-low speed and cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar mixture and mix for 2 minutes until fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the dry ingredients in 2 additions, mixing on low speed for 15-30 seconds after each or until just combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to incorporate any dry ingredients that have settled there. Mound the dough on a work surface lightly dusted with flour and using a pastry scraper, shape it together into 4x6 inch discs.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours. Preheat oven to 325°F (300°F in bakeshop oven). Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Unwrap the dough and place it between 2 pieces of parchment paper. With a rolling pin, roll out until 1/8 inch thick. Using a decorative cutter, cut out the cookies and arrange them on the prepared sheet pan, leaving about ¾ inch between them.

Bake the cookies until golden brown, 13-15 minutes, reversing the positions of the pans halfway through baking. Place cookies on cooling rack until completely cooled before storing.

COOKIES FOR CREDIT: VIU-SD47 Professional Cook Program dual credit students Jerome Jessup and Ce’Nedra Dube kick back a little after baking up a storm in the new Birch Tree Café & Bistro . Photos by Avi Sternberg