Apple Turnover Murder

SESAME SEED TEA COOKIES

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

3 cups all-purpose flour (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)

¾ cup white (granulated) sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

¹/₈ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter, softened (1 stick, 4 ounces, ¼ pound)

2 large eggs, beaten (just whip them up in a glass with a fork)

¼ cup whole milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¼ cup whole milk in a bowl (not a misprint-you need ½ cup total)

¾ cup sesame seeds

Grease your cookie sheets or spray them with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray. You can also use parchment paper, if you prefer.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix them up until they’re well blended.

Cut the butter into pieces and add them to the bowl. Blend them in with a pastry blender, or a fork, or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.

Hannah’s 1 ^st Note: You can do the above in a food processor with the steel blade by putting in the flour, cutting COLD butter into 8 pieces and adding them, and then covering the butter with the sugar, baking powder, and salt. All you have to do is process with an on-and-off motion until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Then transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and complete the recipe by hand.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the beaten eggs, ¼ cup milk, and the vanilla extract. Mix with a spoon until a soft dough forms.

Divide the dough into 4 pieces. (Just eyeball it-this doesn’t have to be perfect.)

With your hands, roll each dough piece out into a long roll ( resembling a snake) that’s approximately ½ inch in diameter. The rolls should be about 24 inches long.

Cut the rolls into 2-inch pieces with a sharp knife.

Put the sesame seeds in a shallow bowl. Dip each piece into the bowl of milk, and then roll it in the seeds. (The milk will make the seeds stick to the cookie dough.)

Place the sesame-covered pieces one inch apart on greased or Pammed cookie sheets. (Parchment paper or baking paper works well also.)

Bake the cookies at 375 degrees F. for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they’re golden brown.

Let the cookies sit on the cookie sheets for one or two minutes, and then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: Approximately 4 dozen, depending on cookie size.

Hannah’s 2 ^nd Note: These cookies are light, crispy, and not too sweet. Mother loves them with strawberry ice cream, and Carrie likes them with sweetened herbal tea.