Golden Fruit Cookies, Sunshine/Keebler

Fruit in the Kitchen
1

I’m glad to find this topic heading as I cook…but am no baker. I baked only two loaves in my life, first was delicious, the dogs liked the other. Mother baked cakes and cookies, no breads, so I didn’t learn too good.

Have been reading baking books of late from the public library, bought a few things to get started, still need to choose a pan, but, I really want to try and recreate my all time favorites the Sunshine Golden Fruit, later Keebler.

These things could be warmed and paired with a fresh fruit bowl and scrambled egg, what a wonderful breakfast. Good anytime and healthy.

Included is a link to a cookie recipe, maybe someone here can share a similar one or give directions to recreate this wonderful and healthy snack? The fruits can be switched too. The Sunshine didn’t have powdered sugar, just an egg wash to make them brown and shiney.

3 Likes
2

I think the directions they offer are pretty good. It’s one of those “just do it” things. Once you get a batch made you can start to make adjustments to suit yourself. I’m not so big on raisins, but finely chopped dates or dates/nuts would certainly work for me, for example. Or some thick apricot or raspberry jam or marmalade …

The crust is the thing. I love that they use orange juice in it. You could also add a little orange or lemon zest, or even some grated ginger. I wouldn’t hesitate to work in a touch of nutmeg, or a fair amount of cinnamon, maybe some allspice. A hint of vanilla wouldn’t hurt my feelings, either, but don’t let it dominate too much.

There are as many crusts like this as there are bakers: I’ve worked with oatmeal, graham, or just shortbread crusts. Once you get the idea down you can do all sorts of variations.

1 Like
3

The zest idea sounds refreshing! What does the orange juice do for the crust?

4

Aside from flavor the acid will help tenderize any gluten that develops while you’re forming the crust.

1 Like
5

Don’t know where to start to learn baking, not sourdough, like the Boule and the Baguette. Is there a book or two you might suggest for a beginner?

Very Best!

6

There are books, but I’m not real familiar with them now. I like the King Arthur Flour website (good on sour, much other stuff) and there are Youtube videos. And I liked this website enough to save it, but haven’t really followed it too much: The Science of Sourdough Starters

Feel free to ask questions, pm me if it gets too weird. I don’t know everything but I worked in the trade for most of my working life and have something of a feel for much of it.

7

Thanks, gives me a place to start, I bought a book that’s been around forever, it is slim on detailed instruction but a good read. The library had four and I lean to the ones with pictures.

1 Like
8

This is my friend and neighbor, once again, over in Vashti. Tass and father Roger are still building mills, teaching and baking. Roger taught me to sharpen/dress mill stones at Meadows Mills, that was 81/82? I do remember my hourly wage was $4.75/hr fresh out of college.

I couldn’t find an active link to son Larry Jansen’s site, his mills were on his facebook page. His shop and bakery are nearby Paradise Cal.

1 Like