“Cookies for Grown-ups” Ushers in New Entertaining Trend for the Holiday Season

Nov. 19, 2012 - PRLog -- Red Rock Press is proud to announce the release of Cookies for Grown-ups by Kelly Cooper, the critically-acclaimed cookbook sensation of unique and easy cookie recipes that yield sophisticated flavors for the mature palate. With the holidays fast approaching, Cookies for Grown-ups has something for everyone – it’s the perfect way to bring family and friends together this year (http://redrockpress.com/delicious.html#cookies). Try one of these delicious cookies for yourself – the recipe for A Sweet Moment & A Salty Tongue, (an irresistible chocolate, caramel, and coarse salt creation), is at the bottom of this release.

Food critic Sylvia Carter says that no baker creates better savory cookies than Kelly Cooper does. The upcoming “Cookies for Grown-ups” is also praised by critic Gael Greene, Gramercy Tavern pastry chef Nancy Olson and San Francisco food writer Chris Milano (see below).

Not only does this book offer dozens of extraordinary cocktail cookies, it also offers original breakfast cookies and uniquely sophisticated coffee-break and dessert cookies, such as a chocolate-thyme concoction called Dark Desire. Each cookie is paired with a cocktail, wine, beer or other grown-up drink. “Cookies for Grown-ups” is so rich in both new concepts and tastes that it’s bringing people together across the country to enjoy amazing new flavors in a totally new take on cookies. Its California-based author will be doing events on both coasts as well as the Southwest and West, including signings and cooking demonstrations.

The book is already receiving advance praise from culinary critics around the country!

“Kelly Cooper’s Cookies for Grown-ups is bold and quirky, savory yes, but sweet, too, and full of surprises. Her creations pair with cocktails and wine; one sandwiches a chocolate habanero after-kick between orange-vanilla layers, another links pear and blue cheese.”

— Gael Greene, InsatiableCritic.com

“Ms. Cooper’s inventive names and unique flavor combinations beckon us to dive into her book and begin baking. Her recipes are a map to a baking adventure as rewarding as eating the little treasures at its end.”

— Nancy Olson, Pastry Chef, Gramercy Tavern, New York City

“Kelly Cooper isn’t the first baker to come up with savory cookies but she might do it best, for example, in kebab cookies or in one that combines the flavors of pesto. Her sweet cookies also dazzle taste buds with unexpected flavors: chili in a chocolate-hazelnut confection or pumpkin seeds in a spice cookie. The proof is in the baking, and the eating.”

— Sylvia Carter, ex-Newsday columnist, dining guide, Raleigh/Durham

“Baking cookies isn’t known as the manliest thing to do in the kitchen but with the flavor combinations that Kelly Cooper has put together, Sundays at my house are now all about football, beer and . . . grown-up cookies!”

— Chris Milano, Foodie Adventures, San Francisco

This one-stop guide to indulging your adult cookie cravings, sweet or savory, will arrive in ample time for the holidays. Each recipe pairs a cookie with an adult beverage, such as a wine, beer, cocktail, coffee, or tea.

In her quest to breach the boundaries of baking and divine new cookie creations, Kelly expertly brings together figs with caramel and balsamic vinegar, maple syrup with bacon, and chocolate with habanero or thyme, to name just a few of the delicate and adventurous mixtures. The 90+ recipes are divided into 9 sections to match cookie cravings to any occasion, including Seduction, Guy’s Night In, All Night Long, and A Toast to the Good Life. With Cookies for Grown-ups, it’s always easy to find the perfect recipe to add a special something to any occasion.

The book is available at an opening discount for just $19.99 through Red Rock Press on the web at http://redrockpress.com/delicious.html#cookies, by phone at 1-212-362-8304 or by fax at 1-212-362-6216. It's also available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and your local bookstore. Please contact Dan Kleinman at Daniel@RedRockPress.com for a review copy of the book, art, or more information. Happy holidays and bon appétit!

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A SWEET MOMENT & A SALTY TONGUE

Chocolate, caramel and coarse salt

The milk-chocolate, caramel and salt combination brings this dense cookie to a new level. Creamy caramel and coarse salt entice and entertain with each bite. This recipe never fails to evoke, “This is my most favorite cookie ever” comments which is why you’ll probably find yourself craving it at 2 a.m.

Pairing: Tawny Port

INGREDIENTS:

● 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
● ¾ cup sugar
● 2 cups all-purpose flour
● 1 teaspoon baking powder
● ½ teaspoon baking soda
● ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
● ½ cup chopped high-quality milk chocolate bar
● 2 tablespoons milk
● 30-36 caramels
● 3 tablespoons heavy cream
● 2 tablespoons coarse salt

1. Preheat oven to 325° F. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder in a medium bowl and add to butter mixture. Beat until just incorporated. Fold in chopped chocolate. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dense but not sticky.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch diameter balls and place 1. inches apart on a parchment-lined or nonstick baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, then using your thumb or a teaspoon, press a small indentation into each. (If you prefer a lot of caramel, deepen the thumbprint with the back of a teaspoon when the cookies come out of the oven.) Continue baking for an additional 10 minutes. The cookies do not brown; they are cake-like. Let sit for a few of minutes and transfer to a cooling rack.

4. In a medium bowl, microwave caramels and heavy cream on high for 30 seconds. Stir, then microwave for an additional 15 seconds or until soft. Place a dollop of caramel into each cookie thumbprint. Sprinkle coarse salt on top of each as desired.

Yields about 3 dozen