GATHER JOURNAL

Photograph by Olivia Bee Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero Prop Styling by Theo Vamvounakis
    

Pecan Thins

Desserts from Issue 5 – Spring / Summer 2014 – Caravan

Like the desert climate, an affogato is both scorching hot and sharply cold. In lieu of espresso, we drowned our vanilla scoop with cardamom-laced Turkish coffee. Pair with slender pecan cookies and keep the grounds for fortune-telling—if you see a flying bird, there is good news in your future; trees, happiness; a ring, a love affair.

makes about 50 cookies



  • 2 sticks (8oz) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar plus more for sprinkling
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • 1 large egg, separated
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 Tbsp whole milk
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup pecans, finely chopped

  • 1

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat butter, sugar, and salt until pale and fluffy. Beat in yolk, then vanilla and milk. Add flour, beat to combine. Form dough into two 1¼-inch logs, using parchment to roll. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
  • 2

    Cut logs into ⅛-inch thick rounds, cutting as many as you’d like to bake. Arrange rounds 1 inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Remaining dough can be refrigerated for 1 week or frozen up to 3 months.
  • 3

    Whisk egg white with 1 tsp water, then use it to lightly brush tops of cookies. Sprinkle each with a little sugar and some pecans. Bake until lightly golden around edges, about 10-12 minutes. Let cookies cool slightly, then carefully transfer to a rack and cool completely.