My name is Cassandra Tooley, and I made this blog to chronicle my year abroad in Ireland. I am a student at the University College Dublin (UCD), currently working on a masters degree in International Political Economy. I will be blogging about my adventures in Dublin, Ireland, and Europe for the next twelve months. Additionally I will rant about subjects like the inefficient transportation system in Dublin, or the sadistic amount of readings masters students are expected to complete.
You may be wondering, why the title “Irish Lace Cookies” for the blog? (If you’re not wondering, you should stop reading now, because I am going to tell you about it anyway)…
Despite being a proud Canadian, I have always felt that Canada lacked any real culture. I remember this causing frustration as early as the second grade when we had to do cultural presentations in class. I so badly wished that I could have been born Greek, or Indian and participated in the traditions, festivals, and ceremonies that my fellow classmates held so dear. Fast forward to grade nine geography, and the same frustration remained when we had to contribute an item to a cultural food day. Being a fifth generation of an incredibly diverse and multicultural country, I felt that I had nothing special or unique to contribute. Sure, I could have brought maple syrup, but it felt too cliché. Instead, my parents helped me and my queen of last minute self to quickly whip together some Irish Lace Cookies. I made a presentation about these “traditional Irish snacks” that our family would always eat when celebrating new beginnings (we had just moved houses at the time so it wasn’t entirely lies HA). From that moment on I began to cling to my Irish heritage, and I became nostalgic for a country I had never even been to. Here I am in Ireland nine years after the cookie debacle, and I have never felt so fiercely Canadian in my life. (No, I am not American, sorry). I am still very excited to explore this beautiful country and to learn more about the history of my ancestors. If you are still reading for some reason, I really hope I don’t bore you to death.
Here is a recipe for Irish Lace Cookies, in case you ever find yourself in an identity crisis similar to that of my fourteen year old self:
Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Quick Cooking Irish Oatmeal
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar, cream, corn syrup, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour, oatmeal, and salt. Beat together until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto waxed paper, shape into a ball, and chill for 30 minutes.
Shape the dough into approximately 12 one tablespoon balls. Place 3 balls on the baking sheet and flatten with your palm. Bake until golden brown and “lacy,” about 10 minutes. Cool for at least 2 minutes before removing with a spatula (cookies are delicate and must harden slightly before being removed). Repeat, 3 cookies at a time. Makes 12 cookies.
(Recipe from:http://www.irishabroad.com/culture/kitchen/Recipe.asp?RcpID=127)
irish lace cookies 