Southport Cookie Company
If you're looking for unique and delectable cookies to give as gifts this holiday season, please consider ordering some from Southport Cookie Company - I assure you, you'll want some for yourself too.
Southport Cookie Company launched last month and is owned by Pastry Chef Robert Twardzik - a master baker and cookie decorator. Robert, who makes some of the most stunning treats I have ever seen, now offers a new line of cookies - his renditions of the great American classics - cookies such as Derbydoodles, Lemon Chiffon Creams, Chocolate Chip Creams, Butter Crunch Cookies, Gingerbread, and more. Each cookie is made by hand, individually packaged, and then shipped or personally delivered within three to five business days. Yesterday, we visited his working kitchen in nearby Southport, Connecticut where he shared some of his baking techniques and decorating tips.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- Here is Robert in his working kitchen. It is a small space, so he remained masked for safety. Robert worked as successful business professional before he pursued his passion for baking. He trained at the renowned Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School, now The institute of Culinary Education, and was mentored by notable chocolatier Jacques Torres. He’s also been on my television show, “Martha Bakes ,” and he’s joined me in my own kitchen for a special baking Facebook LIVE.
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- Here he is during the 2017 Facebook LIVE broadcast. He showed us how he bakes and decorates his beautiful cookies. Robert and I use different baking techniques, but I was thrilled to learn some of his – he cooks with such artistry. If you want to watch the show, just click on the highlighted link.
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- Here are some of his elaborately decorated cookies with royal icing and fondant. Robert gave me the one in the middle a couple years ago. It is so beautiful, I saved it.
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- For this company, Robert wanted to add a modern twist to some American classics. Southport Cookie Company offers the perfect treat to share, gift or simply enjoy. All hand made cookies that are full of rich, natural flavor – pretty enough to look at, but also to eat.
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- This is Robert’s working kitchen, located just minutes from his Connecticut home. One corner wall is filled with beautiful cookie cutters, pastry supplies, molds and rolling pins.
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- He showed some of his favorite rolling pins – your collection is almost as big as mine, Robert. A couple of them are also custom made.
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- Because of its size – 36 inches – this rolling pin was kept hung behind the door. It belonged to Robert’s mother who was an avid baker who taught and inspired Robert from an early age. Robert says, “she’s always with me when I bake.”
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- When Robert set-up this kitchen, most of the peg board was already in the room so he painted it and added more hooks and holders to store and display his books, tools, and other keepsakes. Hanging them saves time from rummaging through a drawer or bin to find what’s needed.
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- In the back of the kitchen, shelves of ingredients – pure honeys, syrups, spices, fruit flavored waters, and more.
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- On another shelf, stacks of almond paste, jams and spreads, and ghee which is clarified butter that originated in ancient India. It is commonly used in Indian cuisine, Middle Eastern cuisine, Southeast Asian cuisine, traditional medicine, and religious rituals.
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- Southport Cookie Company offers a variety of flavorful hand baked cookies – all baked by Robert. These are Hideaways® – Triple Chocolate Brownie Cakes with a choice of rich chocolate ganache in the center or a creamy coconut center. And, his tip – stick these cookies in the microwave for about six to eight seconds and then serve with fresh whipped cream or ice cream.
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- This is called the Buckeye – a French couverture chocolate and imported black cocoa cookie combined with organic peanut butter cream. Couveture is chocolate made with extra cocoa butter to give it a high gloss. These cookies average about four inches in diameter and are so decadent, one could even be cut in half and shared.
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- A big favorite is his Lemon Chiffon Cream cookie which incorporates lemon in four separate ways – using zest, juice, oil and extract. It also has lemon cream filling and lemon glaze with mimosa sugar. Robert says his cookies are packed with ingredients – if it’s a lemon cookie, it will have lots of lemon, and if it’s a chocolate cookie, it will include lots of pure and delicious chocolate.
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- Robert likes to inspire others to explore and use different ingredients. This is the edible sugared mimosa flowers which are part of his Lemon Chiffon Cream cookie recipe. These offer a sweet crunch and mild, momentary floral flavor.
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- Robert uses only the freshest, purest ingredients he can find. In his chocolate trifecta cookies, he also uses three different types and grades of chocolate.
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- Here he is cutting an already chilled piece of his Derbydoodle® cookie dough. The Derbydoodle® is Robert’s twist on the traditional Snickerdoodle. It includes cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and a craquelin butter crunch topping.
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- Robert explains that the important thing to remember when making any rolled cookie is not to over-process the cream and butter, which could aerate the mixture too much and cause the cookies to spread.
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- Robert never rolls out dough without a metal ruler close at hand. He says he never worries about the dough sticking to the surface – a straight edged metal ruler pulls it up perfectly every time.
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- Robert likes his cookie dough thicker. He says a lot of his cookies are for special occasions, so he doesn’t want to chance breaking them.
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- Robert chills his cookies before he bakes them to keep their form – from hours to overnight.
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- Here he is brushing on a coat of maple syrup, which acts as a glue and an added layer of taste and crunch to the finished cookie.
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- This is a traditional grated craquelin butter crunch recipe for the topping with added gold leaf powder, so the cookie shimmers. The literal translation of craquelin means cracker, but when referring to French pastries, Craquelin is a cookie topping that offers a distinct sweet and crunchy texture.
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- Robert always places the cookie cutter back onto the cookie before drizzling with the topping, so the cookie is covered evenly. This also keeps all the topping pieces from splattering.
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- The cookies are baked until golden brown. Here they are fresh from the oven.
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- Robert’s cookies do spread a little, so he recuts the cookies with the cutter while they are still warm – this gives them a clean and uniform look. It takes a little longer to do, but it’s these small details that set his cookies apart from all the rest.
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- For the holidays, Robert will also make festive Butter Crunch Christmas Star cookies.
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- Robert also personally selected all his packaging supplies. Each cookie is placed into an individual cellophane envelope – this makes it easy to share.
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- And each box of six cookies, is hand-packaged with a decorative ribbon on top.
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- Such a lovely box of treats – baked to perfection and beautifully wrapped. Congratulations on the new business, Robert – I can’t wait to taste your wonderful cookies! To learn more, go to Southport Cookie Company web site and find Southport Cookie Company on Instagram. Click on the highlighted links.
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