ATE AND LEFT NO *CRUMBS*
Inside one of the best baking cookbooks of 2024
Happy Holiday Cookie Season, everyone! This week we’re taking a deep dive into one of the most-lauded cookbooks of 2024. Ben Mims’ Crumbs has already been named among the best cookbooks of the year by the likes of The New York Times, The LA Times, New York Magazine, and The Washington Post, not to mention popular blogs like the cookbook-focused Stained Page News.
Crumbs is a collection of cookies and sweets from around the world—think of it as a “Greatest Hits” album for almost every culture.
EK: I love it when someone we know comes out with the great new cookbook, CRUMBS is both beautiful and chock full of delicious cookies from around the world.
The author, Ben Mims, has been a cookie lover all his life, but what makes him (and this book) stand apart is that it is a collection of cookies that are not just great flavor combinations, but they are the best cookies from all around the world that have stood the test of time and are engrained in the cookie culture of that culture.
AU: When I first opened Crumbs, I immediately was drawn in by the introduction. Mims, ever the consummate journalist, meticulously researched and tested each cookie, and how it fits into that country’s culture. He even dove into the history of cookies and pondered why we eat them (because they spark joy, obvi). Like other cookbooks you’ve read, he lists common cookie ingredients and equipment that one may need to recreate any recipe in the book, but he also goes a step further by including international swaps and measurements.
EK: And Anthony got a personal tour of the book when Ben came to see him at work!
AU: Yes! Here’s a terrible picture of me (but a great pic of Ben!). He came onto California Live to showcase a few recipes from Crumbs. Ben was as charming and knowledgeable as can be, and he was an excellent TV guest. (We call that “good TV” in the biz).
I invited him to come on the show to demo the Polish Kolaczki from his book (which Elizabeth made, too—see below), as well as show off some cookies from Italy and Brazil. Each one was more delicious than the next—there are no stinkers in this book!
AU: Ben told me this is the most intensively-researched and tested book he’s ever done. It’s also the biggest, with more than 300 authentic recipes.
In the studio, I was lucky to try some Mostaccioli, which are Italian Chocolate and Spice Cookies. They are crispy, chocolatey, and perfumed with warm spices.
AU: The dough is made with a hefty amount of almonds and honey, so it’s got this wonderfully dense-yet-crispy-and-light texture to it.
AU: The other cookie we featured—earning major thumbs ups from the crew—were the Brazilian Casadinhos de Goiabada, aka Guava-Filled Butter Cookies.
AU: The dough for this cookie couldn’t be simpler, but what sets it apart is sandwiching the cookies together with guava paste. The floral/fruity paste contrasts with the crunchy, buttery cookies, resulting in an excellent bite.
The other recipe we featured was from Poland. I grew up eating Kolaches from the Czech immigrants that concentrated in Texas. Kolaches were a yeasted dough with a fruity or creamy filling. The Polish Kolaczki is a cookie that intrigued Elizabeth so much, she had to try them at home…
Polish Filled Cream Cookies (Kolaczki)
EK: When I skimmed through the book, I instantly was drawn to the Filled Cream Cookies a.k.a Kolaczki. I made them this week, and boy oh boy, my whole house smelled sooooooo good!
EK: And they couldn't be easier! There are only seven ingredients and most of them you probably already have on-hand. I decided that I wanted to fill my cookies with a poppy-seed filling, which is very old-world, but you can use any of your favorite jams as well.
I love that Ben’s dough has a little more flavor than the traditional Kolaczki dough which is typically just butter, cream cheese and flour. Ben adds a little confectioners sugar, vanilla and salt to his dough, which gives it more dimension. The dough comes together quickly and needs to chill in the refrigerator, so I made the dough at night and baked the cookies the next day.
EK: Once the dough chills, it is easy to roll out and cut. You can use a square cookie cutter, a circular cookie cutter or a ravioli cutter to make the 2-inch squares. I rummaged around in my old cookie cutters and found a 2-inch square cutter.
Next, you add a small amount of filling in the center—about 1/2 teaspoon using a measuring spoon or you can use a salt spoon like I did. The shape is made by either folding over the two flaps on a diamond shape, and pinching them closed, or by picking up opposite corners and pinching them together.
They were fun cookies to make and the baking smell in my house as they were baking was absolute heaven!
AU: And they taste amazing! I didn’t try Elizabeth’s, but I was lucky enough to try Ben’s! The cream cheese in the dough makes it supple and tender—not unlike a typical rugelach dough. They are flaky, and buttery, but with the slightest tang from the cream cheese. A TEN STAR COOKIE!!
EK: We’ve attached the recipe here so you can make it before you buy your book!
ALL ABOARD THE CHEESECAKE EXPRESS!
Mail-Order Dessert for easy entertaining this holiday season + GIVEAWAY BELOW!
If you’re all baked out, or you are looking for a sweet hostess gift, our friends at Eli’s Cheesecake have one of the most clever new products that we’ve seen in ages.
We all love a cheeseboard—and there are thousands of mouthwatering posts all over social—but have you ever thought of a CHEESE(CAKE) BOARD?!
EK: I think this is so much fun and makes dessert interactive! And while it is a perfect holiday dessert, it would also be great for New Year’s Eve or anytime you have a bunch of people over!
Eli's has taken all the guesswork out of setting up a dessert buffet with this fun kit that comes with an illustrated brown paper “map” of how to artistically set up the included cheesecakes. There are mini cuties, slices, mini rounds of classic cheesecakes, chocolate bark and candied nuts.
EK: My favorite part is that they include the brown paper map/blueprint that guides you in the plating! Plus you don’t need any serving dishes!!
AU: It takes all the guess work out of entertaining—I think it’s a brilliant idea! Plus, those cheesecakes are so darn-tootin’ good, I could probably eat an entire board myself.
EK: And, they are giving one away to one of our lucky [paid] subscribers this week! If you are the winner, you can choose whether you want the large or the small kit.
They come in two different sizes, one box that serves 15-25, $190 and a smaller giftable size that serves 6- 12 (depending on your appetite and sweet tooth), for $120. The kit also includes tips from Eli’s pastry chef for garnishing the cheesecakes, with extra topping suggestions, fresh and dried winter fruits, and any of your favorite cheese(cake) accompaniments. If you want one for the holidays, be sure to order by December 17 as the cut off for holiday shipping is December 18!
CONGRATS TO **SHANNON PHILLIPS** WHO WON LAST WEEK’S GIVEAWAY OF A NINJA CRISPI!!
*If you’d like to be automatically entered for any giveaways we feature in W4D, upgrade to a paid subscription by clicking the button below!