Distractions

Distractions… for once I need distractions. When faced with uncertainties, my mind often wanders to the darkest, most terrible scenarios. A constant loop of perpetual nonsense leading to zero gratification. In terms of staying busy, I’m trying to avoid the whole Netflix catatonia route. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love a good TV marathon, but I need something that leaves me feeling a little more accomplished. So, I bake. Baking gives me all the reassurance I need (or almost). There’s something reassuring in knowing that, even when life throws us its uncertainties, if you mix flour, butter, sugar and eggs, and bring it to a high temperature, you will get something fantastic. This time, I made Joy the Baker’s Grapefruit White Chocolate Brown Butter Cookies. That Joy Wilson, she knows what’s up. They are definitely unlike any other cookie I have made, and I was looking for something new. These cookies have a combination of buttery comfort, with an unexpected touch of citrus surprise to brighten up your winter.  I happened to have all the ingredients, so it was meant to be. If you are in need of a change from your regular chocolate chip, I recommend you try these. Here’s a tip I learned a while back and has saved me tons of time and energy: freeze your cookie dough! If you don’t need a few dozen cookies that day, save them for a later time. If you’re feeling really ambitious, double the batch. Here are my tips for freezing cookie dough:

• once the dough is ready, roll them into little balls. I usually use the a measuring spoon as a scoop (the Tbs size)
• place them on a plate or cookie sheet leaving space between each dough ball and put it in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes. This will keep them from sticking together.
• once out of the freezer, transfer them into resealable bags. Press the air out of the bag to avoid freezer burn.
• To bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 320 degrees, place them on a greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet, pop them in for 12 minutes (10 if I want a really soft cookie, and i usually do) and DONE! Little effort, great result.

P.S.: for a little extra flavour power, I like to sprinkle on a little sea salt before baking.