Naughty lace
March 2, 2010
Brown Butter Lace Cookies
I recently paid $8 for a dozen small Florentine Lace cookies (albeit a dozen little gourmet beauties dipped in bittersweet chocolate, but $8 nonetheless). I vividly remember the screaming voices of guilt in my head as I approached the clerk. Oh, Carolyn, seriously? No, really, you can’t be serious. They’re cookies for goodness sake! Go buy another bottle of wine instead. You clearly need a drink. We expected company and my calves ached from standing in the kitchen for the previous two days in preparation. I couldn’t bring myself to bake one more thing, but feared our dessert selection was lacking. I fear not serving a dessert everyone likes almost as much as I fear running out of food. As my mother-in-law-entertainer-extraordinaire might say, people need options! Thus, I rationalized the cookie purchase. Just to be safe, I reasoned. And they were worth it. Worth every penny. Delicious.
I committed to memory their buttery aroma, irresistible crunch and toffee-esque flavor, determined to one day recreate them in my own kitchen, and thus avoid the temptation to shell out nearly ten bucks for a dozen. I was so excited when, this past weekend, these lovelies emerged from the oven. And, dare I say it? I liked them better than the bakery’s.
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