Ingredients, page 2

Flour
Almost all the recipes call for all-purpose flour. Always level off the top of your measuring cup for an accurate measure. Bread flour had more gluten while cake flour has less. All-purpose is a nice combination in-between.

Fruit Zest
Zest or rind of citrus adds concentrated flavor of the given fruit. Use a zester or peeler. Be careful to only peel the rind of the fruit and not the pith (the white part) as the pith is bitter.

Jams, Jellies, & Preserves
For the most part these are interchangeable. Use the flavors you enjoy the most. The recipes suggest the flavors that are most authentic for the region and type of cookie.

Nuts
Use fresh nuts. The oil in nuts quickens the aging of nuts. Older nuts will taste bitter once baked. Blanching nuts is done to remove the skin. To blanch, place nuts in boiling water for 30 seconds, run under cold water, then place in clean towel and rub off the skins. Toasting nuts enriches the flavor. Toasting hazelnuts will help remove their skins. To toast, place nuts on a greased cookie sheet in a 325-350F oven, cook until slightly brown and fragrant. Nuts will vary on cooking times, shredded coconut takes only a couple of minutes while hazelnuts take 15-20 minutes.

Powdered Sugar
Same as confectioners' sugar.

Salt
You will notice that many of the recipes call for just a pinch of salt. This is to accommodate those with low salt tolerance. Typically you add 1/4 teaspoon just add to taste.

Spices, Extracts, and Other Flavorings
Spices have a shelf life of approximately 6 months (some are shorter, like curry). The fresher, the more flavorful the spice will be. Always use pure extracts as imitations just don't have a the flavor. Some recipes include liqueur but you may always use vanilla or another flavoring in its place.

Vanilla Sugar & Vanilla Powdered Sugar
Vanilla sugar can sometimes be found in gourmet shops. However, it is quite simple to make. Put 2 cups of granulated or powdered sugar in an jar. Add 1-2 rinsed and dried vanilla beans, and shake. Let jar stand for at least 3 days before using. The vanilla will infused the sugar the longer it sits. Shake the jar occasionally. As the sugar is used add more so you'll always have some on hand. Experiment and try this sugar in place of the regular sugar in your favorite recipes.

Vegetable Shortening
Vegetable shortening refers to solid vegetable shortening.