Craig Strong's Raisin-Filled Sugar and Spice Cookies

It's a good thing I'll be in Pasadena next week - I have half a mind to track down Craig Strong of the Ritz-Carlton, toting my little Ziploc bag filled with a few buttery crumbs and the lingering scent of ginger and lemons, to tell him that despite the utter unwillingness of that wondrous cookie dough to allow itself to be rolled and the fact that the recipe produced far more cookies than he said it would, that I was having a Very Hard Time Indeed (or Nigh Impossible, I suppose) not to eat all of the delicious crescents of tender cookie and spicy-sweet citrus jam (the empty Ziploc bag would then be presented as proof) and that even my personal cookie expert proclaimed them to be very good and, furthermore, she asked for the recipe, which is a sign, if any, of the true deliciousness of said cookies.

And then I'd thank him, of course. I am nothing if not polite.

First published in the Los Angeles Times in December, along with nine other cookies proclaimed to be the best in the land, or at least the county, Craig's cookie recipe consists of a soft, buttery dough, speckled with vanilla bean seeds, rolled out and filled with an aromatic golden raisin jam (again with the golden raisins, I know, but once again I'm going to tell all you raisin-haters that in this incarnation, the little golden nuggets are completely transformed into something else entirely - the lemon peel and grated ginger and gentle stewing all help a bit - and I guarantee you will not regret making these, I really do). Brushed with a cream glaze and sparkling with a sprinkle of turbinado sugar crystals, the cookies may not look like the recipe says they will, but that doesn't matter in the slightest. These are fantastic cookies that pack a textural punch and hugely delicious flavor.

And? Drumroll... They're going into my permanent repertoire, for sure.

Let me just quickly tell you how I ended up improvising. First of all, I substituted vanilla extract for the seeds - and yes, I felt very badly about it. But I had everything else in the house, and I was on a cookie-making roll and at the time, subbing with the extract didn't seem so bad. And it wasn't! Like I said, these are fantastic little confections. Made with vanilla beans, they will most definitely pass even the most rigorous Christmas gift test with flying colors. I figured, in plain old March, it'd be okay if I didn't go all out.

Then, the dough. I found it too sticky to roll out, even after an overnight stay in the fridge. So, employing my Silpat, the palm of my hand, and very quick work, I decided to make crescent-shaped cookies instead of the fluted-edge, stamped cookies. I plucked off a walnut-sized piece of dough, flattened it on the Silpat with one swift movement, dolloped a teaspoon of the raisin jam on top, folded the cookie over (this required a spatula, usually), then brushed it with the cream glaze and rolled it in the coarse sugar.

You might need a few tries to get a cookie that isn't ripped open here and there. But you'll get the hang of it. Maybe have a friend help you. Or spread the work out over two days (I did - baking some Saturday night, and the rest Sunday morning so that we'd have enough for dessert on Sunday afternoon, after a most successful lunch of Russ-and-Molly inspired kale-and-goat-cheese frittata - but with a boiled Carola potato or two for good measure - and salad) - that way you don't get too irritated at the dough and the fussiness of the whole project.

Besides, I'm here to tell you that I, self-appointed queen of non-fussy cooking, think these things are worth the trouble. They really are.

After all that work, the payoff comes so quickly. A mere 10 to 12 minutes in the oven and your house will fill with this amazing scent - browning butter, caramelizing sugar, a spicy melange of grated ginger and lemon peel. You'll pull out the trays of browned cookies, let them cool as long as you're able and then bite into one. Your teeth will hit the alluring crunch of the turbinado sugar, then sink gently into the soft cookie and the gooey fruit filling that is just the right balance of sweet and spicy and bold against the creamy backdrop of the casing. You'll eat one, and another, then congratulate yourself that you had the foresight to make these in March, when the holidays are far away, and there's absolutely no reason why you should pack any of the cookies up and ship them away.

Holiday spirit, bah humbug. It's spring, and these are all for you.

Raisin-Filled Sugar and Spice Cookies
Makes 30 cookies

1/2 cup butter
1 vanilla bean, scraped of seeds
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
1 tablespoon milk
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 cup golden raisins
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Coarse sugar, such as sanding sugar

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter, vanilla bean seeds and 1 cup sugar, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Beat in the milk and eggs one at a time; mix well.

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and cardamom into a large bowl. Add to the butter mixture, beating until just incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic film and chill 2 to 3 hours, until dough is firm.

3. For the filling, mix the raisins, one-third cup sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and ginger in a small saucepan. Stir together the cornstarch and one-half cup water until smooth and add this to the raisin mixture. Heat, stirring occasionally, to boiling. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

4. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the dough in half and roll out two rectangles one-eighth-inch thick. In a small bowl, beat together the egg yolks and cream with a fork. Lightly brush one rectangle of dough with the egg yolk mixture.

5. Spoon 12 mounds, about a tablespoon each, of the raisin mixture spread 3 1/2 inches apart on the sheet of dough. Cover with the other sheet of dough and cut around the mound of filling with a fluted round 3-inch cookie cutter. Rework the excess dough, re-roll, fill and cut for the remainder of the cookies. Lift filled cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops of the cookies with the egg yolk mixture and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

Comments

[Mercedes]

Those look so good, and I happily love raisins. It seems we are both a little behind schedule- I just made the gingerbread macarons in that same article, though mine took a few tries to get right (grr). Have fun in SoCal!

[Rose]

If you think those are good, you must go to The Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton in Pasadena when you're in L.A. next week and have the chef's tasting menu. Craig will come out and talk to you before the dinner, find out any likes/dislikes, and then he will cook for you - mostly off the menu. I promise you an amazing, unforgettable experience. Full disclosure: I know Craig personally as I'm friends with his sous chef, but I had an amazing meal there even before I met him.

[Cathy]

Yum! I recently printed out that aricle and can't wait to try some of them. I'll make a note that this one has Luisa's seal of approval. Maybe you'll be reporting on a few more? :)

[shuna fish lydon]

What's that I heard?
You're sending some to me in a tin leftover from Christmas?

So nice of you to think of me so close to my birthday!

[Luisa]

Mercedes - tell me more about those macarons! I was intrigued but am perpetually scared off by the perceived difficulty of making those frilly-bottomed things.

Rose - that sounds pretty wonderful. Seems like Craig not only makes amazing cookies, but is a nice man, too! What a bonus.

Cathy - How did you know? :) Yes, I definitely plan on trying a few more. Better get my baking in before summer arrives!

Shuna - A perfect idea! Yes! Better send me your mailing address ;)

[Ales]

Hi,
I tracked your blog via Orangette and this cookie recipe sounds awsome. Must try : )

[Garrett]

Hmm... raisin filled... I am intrigued, yet wary.
*gives you a curious stare*

[Rebecca]

I believe you, these look scrumptious, and the homemade raisin jam must be delicious. It's always so much better than anything in a jar.

[Susan from Food "Blogga"]

There's something about the look of the Turbinado sugar on top of baked goods that just conveys a baked-with-love feel, you know? Thanks for the delicious recipe.

[Susan]

Luisa,
Are you going to make me bake with raisins again? I should point out, however, that since the bundt cake, I have ventured into other raisin recipes of my own with mixed results.

[Luisa]

Ales - well, welcome! It's a good cookie...and as I'm discovering several days later, keeps pretty well, too. Always a good thing, in my book!

Garrett - I know, I know. But can I tell you that the raisins really stop tasting raisiny and turn into these lemon-infused, ginger-spiked delicacies? They get all plump too. So, most un-raisin-like.

Rebecca - Homemade is always better, though your comment made me realize that raisin-haters could certainly substitute a thick jam of their choosing, though a not-too-sweet one, I'd say (maybe orange marmalade?), otherwise this cookie would turn saccharine.

Susan - ooh that sparkly sugar, I find it totally irresistible. Makes every baked good look even better. Catches the light so nicely! And crunches so perfectly under your teeth...

Susan - I know, I know! But as I told Garrett above, I swear the raisins are transformed. And the bundt raisins weren't so bad, right? Totally tolerable ;)

[sandi @ the whistlestop cafe]

Those cookies look yummy! You make them sound even better.

[Anne]

I made these this weekend. So good! I'm going to have to track down Mr. Strong myself.

[Nancy Gail Ring]

I've been baking raisin filled cookies all week for a friend and my mom who grew up with them. The old fashioned version is delicious but very plain which you can see on http://www.jellypress.com. I was thrilled to find this sister version on your site with the spice and zest added.