Crisp lacy rolled cookies that are rich with spice and brandy and a luscious brandy-flavored whipped cream filling. The cookies are rolled into cylinders by wrapping around a wooden dowel or wooden spoon handle while still warm; as the cookies cool they become crisp yet chewy. I’ve added an optional sprinkling of toasted chopped pistachios on the ends. Lyle’s Golden Syrup, imported from Britain, is pure cane sugar syrup with a mild caramel flavor. It is available in grocery stores and online at the Kitchen and Baking Store.

Brandy Snaps

Ingredients: Dough: ½ cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground ginger 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest 6 tablespoons unsalted butter ¼ cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup (or use dark corn syrup or light molasses) ¼ cup granulated sugar 3 tablespoons brandy Whipped Cream Filling: 1 cup whipping (heavy) cream ¼ cup confectioner’s (powdered) sugar 1 or 2 tablespoons brandy Garnish (optional:) About 2 tablespoons lightly toasted, finely chopped pistachios Directions: Dough: In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, ginger, and orange zest; whisk together to mix. Set aside. In a medium heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, combine butter, Lyle’s Golden Syrup, and sugar; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the brandy. Add the flour mixture; stir until the mixture is blended and smooth. Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or until the dough is chilled and firm. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; line with parchment paper, or line with a non-stickbaking mat. Have ready a wooden dowel, wooden pencil, or round wooden spoon handle ¼ to ½ inch in diameter, and at least 2 layers of paper towels to use after the cookies are baked. Remove dough from refrigerator and shape the dough into small balls, using 1 teaspoon of dough for each ball. Keep remainder of the dough in the refrigerator until ready to use.  Place the balls on one of the prepared cookie sheets spacing them at least 4 inches apart because they spread to about 3 inches during baking, and making only 3 to 4 cookies at a time. Flatten the top of each ball slightly with the back of a spoon or a damp finger. Tip: Bake only 1 or 2 cookies at a time to practice baking and shaping into a cylinder before baking up to 4 at a time. Bake: Bake one pan of cookies at a time. Bake until the cookies are golden brown and the surface is bubbly, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 1½ minutes, or until the cookies have cooled just enough to be lifted and handled without tearing but are still warm enough to be pliable. Working quickly with one cookie at a time, slide a thin flexible metal spatula under the cookie and transfer it to the paper towels, turning the cookie upside down. Place the wooden dowel at the edge of the cookie and roll the cookie around the dowel, pressing the edge to seal, and then slide the cookie off the dowel and place on a wire cooling rack to cool. Repeat with remaining cookies. Tip: The first cookies will be pliable but the remaining baked cookies may begin to set. If the remaining cookies are too firm to roll, return the cookies to the oven briefly to warm. Wipe the parchment paper with a paper towel to remove any melted butter before baking the next batch. Continue baking and shaping cookies until all the batter is used. Whipped Cream Filling: In a medium mixing bowl, using an electric mixer beat the whipping cream until soft mounds form; add the powdered sugar and brandy and continue beating until thick and stiff.Tip: the cream will whip easier if the mixing bowl and beaters are first chilled; place in the refrigerator to chill until ready to whip the cream. Spoon the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a small star or plain decorating tip. Pipe filling about 1 inch deep into both ends of the brandy snaps. Garnish (optional:) Sprinkle some of the chopped pistachios onto the whipped cream ends. Storing: Unfilled brandy snaps can be stored in an airtight container layered between strips of wax paper in a cool dry place for a few days. Filled brandy snaps should be served immediately or refrigerated until ready to serve. TheBakingPan.com ______________________