First attempt at a new craft and a medium-sized baking disaster

[wiseheart]

So, I finally gathered my courage and gave the glass-painted, recycled CDs a try.
Here are the results:



Admittedly, they are far from perfect, but for a first attempt they aren't too bad, I think. Oh, and BTW, the one with the bells is completely coloured, it just looks funny because the light fell on it in an odd winkle.

And then, since I was feeling adventurous, I gave the lemon-pecan shortbread cookies a try.



Lemon-Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
• 1/2 cup butter
• Sugar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a medium bowl combine flour, nuts, the 3 tablespoons sugar, and the lemon peel. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling together (dough will still be crumbly). Knead until smooth; form into a ball.
2. On a lightly floured surface roll dough until 1/2 inch thick. Using 1-1/2-inch to 3-inch cookie cutters, cut into desired shapes. (Or roll into 1-inch balls.) Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with additional sugar.
3. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes for small cookies or 20 to 22 minutes for large cookies or until bottoms start to brown and centers are set. Transfer to wire racks; cool.
4. Makes: 20 cookies
5. Prep: 25 mins
6. Bake: 18 mins 325°F


And this was the result:



As you can see, I didn't get to roll out the dough and cut out any shapes. Hell, I didn't get the dough to stay in one piece! Crumbly doesn't even begin to describe its consistency. So I kneaded little balls from it (using brutal force and sheer determination) and put them into the oven. They aren't really bad, save for the fact that I can't find the taste of lemon at all. Granted, I used dried lemon zest, as I didn't have fresh lemons at home, but I even added lemon juice for moisture when the dough totally refused to cooperate, but it still went completely over. *sigh*

I think the sewing group would be willing to eat them nonetheless.

Comments

[akane42me.livejournal.com]

The painted CDs turned out well! I have absolutely no talent for drawing and painting, and I am quite impressed:)

Hmmm, that cookie recipe sounds great. I love shortbread. If you try it again, maybe cutting back a little on the quantity of flour will do the trick.

I laughed at your comment about the sewing group being willing to eat them nonetheless. Yes, all treats are welcome, I imagine!
They must be so glad to see you coming to the group bearing goodies:)

[motodraconis.livejournal.com]

That's a really clever idea with the CD's!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

TBH, I cheated. After cleaning the CDs, I laid the pattern under them and used it as a guide. Even so, the contour lines are bent and crooked and generally, messy.

Actually, I added more butter and even lemon juice to the shortbread mix, but it still didn't work. I don't know why. *sigh*
I'm very disappointed, because I've found a very festive version, with orange zest instead of lemon, and cinnamon and nutmeg added to the mix, and even glacing the finished cookies with red jam and decorating it with sparkling sugar, but if I can't wrangle the dough into obedience, all the additional touches won't help me.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Not mine, but I fell in love with it when I first saw that YouTube video.

[bk_forever]

They're all impressive, especially as a first attempt. I really like the candle one.

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

I love the brutal force and sheer determination. lol But go you!

[wanderingmogwai.livejournal.com]

If those cookies were dusted with confectioners sugar they'd be very similar to something I used to have an old recipe for... "Russian Tea Cakes". Yum!

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

I love the CDS

[meathiel]

As long as the cookies taste okay, all is well. ;-)
Maybe the pecans weren't chopped finely enough - that's my idea about the disaster. Because we always had this problem with our Vanillekipferl when the almonds weren't small enough.

[elwenlj.livejournal.com]

I love shortbread and it's the only thing I can make with any degree of success when it comes to baking. If it helps in future I discovered that you have to keep rubbing it until it starts to get sticky.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

I like that one, too, although I think my favourite is the one with the little bells.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

As Captain Janeway put it: sometimes you just have to punch your way through. *g*

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

I think it's a basic recipe with countless variations for every single country.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :)

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Wir mahlen die Mandeln für die Vanillekipferl, aber nicht immer das hilft immer!

Sorry, English speakers, putting that sentence together in English would have required more dictionary research than I feel up to at the moment.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Ah! Sounds reasonable. If I give the deluxe version a try, I'll remember that. Thanks for the suggestion!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

The pained CDs are really a good idea.

Your baking reminds me that I must do some baking for my knit and natter ladies this week!

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

I loved her.

[wanderingmogwai.livejournal.com]

I love'um!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Baking is always more fun when you have people to share the results with. Better for the caloric intake, too. *g*

[mirasaui.livejournal.com]

I think the CD's look really nice. If you lift them from the paper, are they transparent like true stained glass? For a disaster, your cookies still look delicious :0)