Dorians

In January of 2024 I had a dream in which my dear friend Gina was known to always be carrying, and snacking from, a basket of Dorians. Dorians, as everyone in the world of the dream already knew, were a beloved European cookie, as reknowned and revered as the Madelines and Financiers of our world.

Now, before I describe them, I have to admit that I have been talking about them with Martha and our friends so intently (fig 1) since this dream that what follows is not a direct account of my dream as much as it is a confection of the collective, half-awake dream of Dorians that my friends and I have cultivated.

Figure 1

Born during the final days of the Austrio-Hungarian empire in a small family bakery (which, according to dream logic, was still operating out the of original location while simultaneously being long-since closed), Dorians were created to offer an uncompromisingly refined pastry experience that could be enjoyed by the cosmpolitan citizens on the go in the modern city, whether socialite, worker, child, artist, or nobility. They are a sandwich cookie consisting of two dense but airy almond flour discs, held together by a thin layer of chocolate ganache with hints of orange zest. The top cookie has a circular hole in the center, like a Linzer cookie, which holds extra ganache. In the dream they were served individually wrapped in a clamshell of two pieces of wax paper, crimped on the sides like a muffin wrapper. The top piece had an ornate, art-nouveau design stamped in pale green or orange, sinuous vines and snake-like ornaments surrounding the word “Dorians” in stylized letters in the center.

Like espresso, they are meant to be enjoyed on the go – not idly munched, but savored in a brief lacunae between the demands of the day. They are said to be best shortly after cooling – neither too soft nor too stale, so they were baked throughout the day in small batches. Only one batch per day of “Famous Dorians” would be made, which were fully covered in a shell of chocolate. In many cities, these were almost all reserved for the children of influential citizens and for the classier brothels, which would serve them to their regulars with a shot of chartreuse.

Though a simple recipe and sold at a modest but fair price, Dorians provided a sophisticated moment of private delight to anyone who stopped to buy one after glimpsing a fresh batch in the window on their way to and from appointments in their cosmopolitan life.

Thanks to Martha, we can see what Dorians look like today. Thanks to me and excitement at being surprised with real Dorians on my birthday, we can only see what half of one looks like.

These are almond sable held together with chocolate ganache dressed with wisps of candied orange peel in the center. Three changes from my dream that Martha made that I highly approve of are the square, open envelopes, the candied orange peel, and the egg wash on the top cookie. I think these all make sense.

• the open envelope says, yes, these are to-go, but not to be thrown in a purse or a pocket and forgotten about. They are to be eaten on-your-way
• the candied orange peel is an excellent dash of extra luxury
• An egg-wash is not something my dream brain knows about, and it is something that actual pastry chefs do know about and recommend. Maybe it even makes them less crumbly?

She surprised me with these for my 43rd birthday, and the first bite was incredible!

We will make more so that perhaps one day, all of you can enjoy a Dorian.