0

I am making my favorite Christmas cookie. They are called Venetians. They are a layered marzipan bar cookie.

enter image description here

Here is a recipe.

So, I just took them out of the oven -- and while the tops are perfectly cooked -- the bottoms got too toasty. I have taken them out of the pan and put they on cooling racks. I expect to let them cool well before putting on the jam and layering. I will then let them set overnight before putting on the chocolate top and cutting.

But darn-it -- the bottoms are too toasty. In fact they are just this side of being burned. I am not sure why. The oven must have gotten way too hot, or the greasing pan before I put the wax paper on must have gotten too hot too fast. Whatever -- now I need to figure out what to do. And they are suppose to be delicate -- not have a crunchy layer!

I would "cut the layer of burn off" -- but there isn't a layer to do this. The layers are less than 1/4 of inch think as it is. I honestly don't think I can without wrecking it. I could try to "scrape it" -- but they are so delicate. I could add some sweetened whipped cream to the toasty side. I could . . .

Ideas? What should I do to save these delicate "masterpieces" so that I can still enjoy the results (even if I don't give them away anymore).

Community
  • 1
Joseph Barisonzi
  • 131
  • 4
  • Can we get a picture of your actual problem cookies? – rfusca Dec 12 '11 at 03:12
  • Sorry, the description will have to do! I am sorry. It is currently three pans with a cool pattern of dark brown sitting on cooling racks. – Joseph Barisonzi Dec 12 '11 at 03:58
  • 3
    I hope when you say "wax paper" you mean parchment paper - wax paper is not meant for oven use! – Cascabel Dec 12 '11 at 05:47
  • 1
    I've never tried this, but if you have one, it strikes me that a microplane zester/grater might work for that. Much more delicate touch than even the finest holes in a cheese grater. – derobert Dec 12 '11 at 16:57
  • 1
    Sorry, but you can't save overcrisped pastry. Bake a new bottom layer properly, make cookie masterpieces with it, and snack the crispy one as it is, eventually adding something moist (ice cream, yogurt, etc.) – rumtscho Dec 12 '11 at 17:29

2 Answers2

3

Well, here is what I did to "save the cookies" --

With one batch I put them together with the jam, pressed them overnight, cut them in squares, put them in a pan with EggNog, let them soak overnight,turned them over and soaked them a little more.

With a second batch I did the same as above-- but I also added some Amaretto during the soaking process.

I served them with a sprig of mint. and a drizzle of dark chocolate. They were a hit. The overcooking created a biscotti-ness prior to the soaking-- and left the final desert, yummy, and of a firm enough texture to still hold together as a dessert!

So, that is how I ended up saving the over-cooked Venetians.

Joseph Barisonzi
  • 131
  • 4
1

As the commentators have mentioned, you can't really save overcooked cookies. It is as impossible to cook something less as it is to unburn something. But of course any sort of filling between the cookies with moisture(namely the jam that you mentioned) can help ameliorate the problem. Make sure to have the overdone side be where the jam is layered.

What you should now focus on is how to fix the problem for future baking. Is this the first time you have baked this type of cookies?

Generally a lighter colored or shiny cookie sheet heat up slower than a darker cookie sheet. This can help in more even baking a cookie that is very thin as you have explained. On top of that lowering the temperature and baking slightly longer will also help with uneven baking.

Jay
  • 8,833
  • 19
  • 57
  • 97