Windmill Cookie Bars Recipes

WINDMILL COOKIES

Steps:

• Dissolve the baking soda in the hot water.
• Mix together the butter, brown sugar and baking soda and water mixture.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and mace; combine with the butter mixture and stir in the almonds.
• Roll dough into 2 loaves, each 3-1/2 x 10".
• Chill overnight in the refrigerator.
• When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°.
• Slice loaves into 1/4-inch slices on a cookie sheet abotu 2" apart for 10 minutes, or until slightly browned.

SPECULAAS

Steps:

• In a medium-sized bowl, mix the flour with spices, baking powder and salt.
• In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and mix well.
• Stir in by hand half the flour mixture, then add the remaining flour and almonds. Mix with a wooden spoon or knead with hands.
• Divide dough into four parts, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for several hours. (If you are using a mold, chill it as well.)
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and grease two cookie sheets.
• Remove one quarter of the dough from the refrigerator and flatten it with your hands. Oil your mold and lightly flour it. Using your fingers, press dough firmly into the mold. Trim any excess dough from the mold with a knife.
• Transfer the cookies onto greased cookie sheets with a spatula, spacing about one inch apart.
• Refrigerate dough trimming to be rerolled later. Lightly flour but do not re-oil cookie mold.
• Repeat process with remaining dough. When cookie sheets are full, bake cookies for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Store in a covered tin.

WINDMILL COOKIE BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk. Combine the flour, cinnamon and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture. , Press into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Lightly beat egg white; brush over dough. Sprinkle with almonds., Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes; cut into bars. Cool completely.