Greasy Duck

This is a duck.....duhhhhhhh

I have tried duck one time and have come to the conclusion that you will NEVER find a recipe in this blog having to do with duck. I found it tough and greasy and blechhhhh. Anyway...I haven't posted here in awhile and it's about time to come up with something else scrumptious to let you know about. It will NOT, however contain duck.

Brandied Cranberry and White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here is, without a doubt, the best tasting cookie I have ever made and eaten.  

Brandied Cranberry, White Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup of brandy (to soak the cranberries in, then saving 1 1/4 teaspoons of it for later)
• 1 cup of dried cranberries
• 1 cup (two sticks) of butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup of lightly packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of white chocolate chips

Method

1 Put the cranberries in a wide and shallow bowl, pour in a bit of brandy. Enough so they're surrounded by it, but not drowning. Cover and place in the fridge for an hour or more. Afterwards, place a colander over a bowl and pour the cranberries and brandy through, putting the cranberries and the brandy they soaked in aside.
2 Preheat oven to 375°F. Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and beat again until light, fluffy and well incorporated.
3 Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and add 1 1/4 teaspoons of the brandy that the cranberries soaked in (as for the rest, I suggest popping it in a glass and topping it off a bit for yourself). Beat well until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl midway through to ensure even mixing.
4 Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt, then add to the mixture a bit at a time, beating until just mixed. Fold in the brandy soaked cranberries and white chocolate chips. Let chill for 15 minutes in the fridge.
5 Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (a baker's best friend) and place rounded spoonfuls down on the sheet. Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for a minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.


I made these for Christmas and EVERYONE loved them. I'm thinking they might be really good with dried cherries in place of the cranberries. And maybe a cherry liquor in place of the brandy??? Or maybe dried apricots/peaches with peach schnapps?? Well, you get the idea. Lots of room with these cookies to experiment and I'd bet they're delicious no matter what your flavor combination preference.