At a dinner at an Italian vinoteca, on the dessert menu was something I'd never seen before: ricotta-stuffed eggplant with candied orange and chocolate sauce. My curiosity piqued, I placed an order with the waiter, only to have him come back with "You won't like it. Order something else." Not one to be easily swayed from ordering an intriguing dessert, I ordered it in spite of his admonition, and you know what? I liked it—quite a bit, in fact.
With that experience in mind, when I saw a fresh fennel cake on a dessert menu at a fancy three-star Michelin restaurant, I didn't hesitate to order it. I had high hopes and was ready for anything. But so was the waiter, who informed me as he set it down that if I didn't like it, he'd replace it with something else. He saw my expression after I took my first bite, and he briskly returned to the table to make good on his offer.
Still, I do believe in giving a chance to things that are out of the ordinary, otherwise, how would we discover new flavors and tastes? I haven't gotten around to trying to come up with my own version of an eggplant dessert (and I'm not exactly chomping at the bit to come up with a fresh fennel one, either), but I've made these tomato jam-filled cookies many times and not once have I had to rush over to offer guests anything in their place.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes about 24 cookies
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, and salt.
Step 2
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a bowl by hand), beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed just until smooth. Mix in the egg yolks, then the rosemary. Add the flour mixture and mix until the dough is smooth and holds together.
Step 3
On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a log about 6 inches (15 cm) long and 1 3/4 inches (4 cm) in diameter. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and firm, at least 1 hour.
Step 4
Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Step 5
Slice the logs into disks 1/4 inch (6 mm) inch thick and place the disks about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Step 6
Bake, rotating the baking sheets midway through baking, until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely.
Step 7
Spread a scant 1 1/2 teaspoons of the jam on the underside of half of the cookies. Top the jam with a second cookie, bottom side down, to make sandwiches.
Storage:
Step 8
The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month. Once filled, the cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
