The Four Schools of Cookie

We all have our own special memories of cookies: freshly baked Toll House cookies on a rainy afternoon, bitter almond and anise cookies eaten in an Italian cafe, or the special baked treats provided at holiday parties. In fact, some people prefer a plate of cookies to almost any other dessert or sweet. To them, there is something more satisfying about lingering over conversation while dipping cookies in coffee than in committing to a full-blown dessert that is often just too rich.

The four recipes below offer a range of classic cookie types. They are lovely for afternoon tea, as an accompaniment to fruit or sorbet, as a dessert unto themselves with a cup of coffee, or for serving family and friends when celebrating Halloween. An assortment of these cookies--one of each--would offer the satisfaction of chocolate, nuts and butter at less than 250 calories.

The almond and pine nut biscotti is a variation of the Italian twice-baked nut cookie that is traditionally dunked in espresso or in a sweet dessert wine, such as vin santo , before being eaten. In this recipe the lightly sweetened dough is flavored with ground almonds, fennel seeds, lemon zest, hazelnut oil and grappa, the Italian brandy. Whole toasted pignoli , or pine nuts--less caloric than many nuts--spike the dough with added flavor and texture. The buttermilk, an unorthodox ingredient, helps leaven the dough slightly and also enriches the taste.

In hazelnut wafers, the addition of imported French hazelnut oil and a little sour cream creates a rich cookie with a crumbly short texture. The haunting flavor of hazelnuts in the little bit of oil comes without the calories one would get from the nuts themselves.

Chocolate-currant cakes are our response to the all-American brownie, which has more than 300 calories. These rich little cakes offer something in chocolate without shocking amounts of butter and sugar. Semisweet chocolate, cocoa powder, espresso, Cognac and vanilla all combine for an intense flavor.

You make tuiles (crisp, paper-thin cookies that look like curved terra-cotta roof tiles) by molding them over a bottle or rolling pin while they are still warm. In this recipe, they are laced with sliced almonds. Toasting the almonds brings out their flavor and makes it possible to use fewer nuts and still get good flavor. Some of the butter is replaced with cream to reduce the fat calories by half.

*

For a chewy and somewhat crumbly cookie, eat these after the first baking.

ALMOND AND PINE NUT BISCOTTI

1/3 cup pine nuts

1/3 cup whole almonds

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups unbleached flour

2 eggs

1 1/2 tablespoons grappa or Cognac

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon hazelnut or walnut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons buttermilk or plain low-fat yogurt

Roast pine nuts and almonds separately on baking sheets or in pie pans at 375 degrees, tossing occasionally, until golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes for pine nuts and 9 minutes for almonds. Set aside to cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Process toasted almonds and sugar in food processor or blender until medium-fine powder. Transfer to medium bowl. Using wooden spoon, stir in baking powder, fennel seeds, baking soda, salt and all but 2 tablespoons flour.

Using fork, lightly beat eggs with grappa, lemon zest, oil and vanilla in small bowl. Make well in center of dry ingredients and pour in egg mixture. Add buttermilk. Stir with fork until coarse dough forms. Knead dough with hands until all dry ingredients are incorporated. Knead in pine nuts until evenly distributed.

Divide dough into 4 parts and cover with kitchen towel. Line large baking sheet with wax paper and set aside. Sprinkle work surface with about 1 1/2 teaspoons remaining flour to keep dough from sticking. Using palms, roll 1 part of dough at time into log, about 18 inches long and 1/2 inch in diameter. Halve log crosswise and transfer both halves to prepared baking sheet, parallel to short side of sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and flour to make 8 logs, spacing 1 inch apart on baking sheet.

Bake logs at 325 degrees until lightly browned, 20 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to rack to cool 2 minutes. Using serrated knife, trim ends off each log and cut on sharp diagonal into 8 slices each.

Arrange slices, cut sides down, on 1 or 2 baking sheets. Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees. Leave oven door ajar about 2 minutes to cool oven. Return cookies to oven and bake until hard to touch but not browned, about 1 hour. Transfer to rack to cool. Biscotti will keep 1 month in airtight container. Makes 64 cookies.

*

In this recipe, use the best French nut oil you can find. Try Huile de Noisettes from J. LeBlanc, imported by Select Vineyards Ltd. and available in specialty food shops.

HAZELNUT WAFERS

1 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons imported hazelnut oil

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Combine 1 cup flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Whisk together oil, sour cream and vanilla in small bowl and pour mixture over dry ingredients. Using fork, stir until thoroughly incorporated.

Lightly knead dough in bowl several times until smooth. Flatten dough into 5-inch square, wrap well and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

Let dough stand 10 minutes at room temperature before rolling out. Cut dough into 4 equal parts. Sprinkle work surface with about 1 teaspoon remaining flour to keep dough from sticking. Roll out 1 part of dough into 5-inch square, straightening edges by pressing metal spatula against dough. Using large knife, cut square into quarters, then cut each quarter in half to make 8 rectangles.

Using metal spatula, transfer rectangles to large ungreased baking sheet, spacing evenly apart. Repeat with remaining flour and dough. Bake cookies at 350 degrees until golden and edges are just tinged with brown, about 15 minutes.

Using metal spatula, immediately transfer cookies to rack to cool. Just before serving, sprinkle cookies with powdered sugar. Cookies will keep in airtight containers up to 3 days. Makes 32 cookies.

Note : Walnut oil may be substituted for hazelnut oil.

CHOCOLATE-CURRANT CAKES

Unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sifted flour

3 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

2 teaspoons Cognac or other brandy

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup dried currants

3 whole eggs

1 egg white

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup dark-brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Evenly coat 13x9-inch baking pan with butter. Dust lightly with flour.

Combine 1/4 cup butter with chocolate in top of double boiler. Cook over simmering water over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until completely melted and smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in espresso powder, Cognac and vanilla. Set aside to cool.

Sift together remaining flour and cocoa powder in small bowl. In separate small bowl, toss currants with 2 tablespoons of flour mixture until coated. Set aside.

Place whole eggs, egg white (save egg yolk for another use) and salt in medium bowl. With electric mixer, beat at high speed until frothy, about 30 seconds. Gradually add brown and granulated sugars and beat at medium speed until mixture is thick and has tripled in volume, about 12 minutes longer.

Using rubber spatula, gently stir in cooled chocolate mixture until just blended. Fold in flour mixture until just incorporated, then fold in currants until evenly distributed. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth surface with spatula. Bake at 350 degrees until set but soft when lightly touched in center with finger, 15 minutes. Do not over-bake.

Let cake cool in pan 5 minutes before inverting onto rack to cool completely. Cut into 16 equal bars. Cakes can be wrapped individually and frozen up to 2 weeks. Makes 16 cakes.

*

Don’t try to make this recipe in humid weather because the shape and texture of the cookies will not hold up. Prepare the batter at least eight hours before baking the cookies. Tuiles are best eaten within a few days of being made.

TUILES

2 egg whites

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon whipping cream

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon or lime zest

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup sliced almonds

Using wooden spoon, beat egg whites and sugar in medium bowl until frothy and sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in 3 tablespoons melted butter, cream and lemon zest. Sift flour over batter and stir until smooth. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 3 days.

Scatter almonds on baking sheet and toast at 450 degrees, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. Let cool.

Brush nonstick baking sheet with some of remaining 1 teaspoon melted butter. Drop teaspoon of batter onto baking sheet. Using back of teaspoon, moving in circular motion, spread batter into 3 1/2-inch circle. Scatter heaping 1/2 teaspoon toasted almonds over batter. Repeat process until there are 6 cookies on sheet, spaced 2 inches apart. Bake until edges are browned, 3 to 4 minutes.

Using thin metal spatula and working quickly so that cookies do not harden, remove 1 cookie from sheet and place on rolling pin or bottle turned on side. Press cookie gently until curved shape is achieved. Repeat with remaining cookies. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to rack to dry out and crisp, about 15 minutes.

Wipe baking sheet and brush with little more melted butter. Repeat process with remaining batter and almonds. Store cookies in airtight tin. Makes 28 cookies.