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Subject: "Christmas Cookies"

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Printer-friendly copy     Conferences Recipe Board Topic #170 Reading Topic #170

bignasty197800 Member since Oct-2-04 6246 posts Nov-29-08, 04:51 PM (EST)   "Christmas Cookies"   LAST EDITED ON Nov-29-08 AT 04:56 PM (EST)   Spritz Christmas Wreath Cookies 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 large egg yolks 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour Egg wash, made by beating 1 egg white lightly with 2 teaspoons water Green decorating sugar Candied cherries, sliced thin Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter with the granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, add the salt, the vanilla, and the egg yolks, and beat the mixture until it is smooth. Add the flour and beat the dough until it is just combined. Pack the dough into a cookie press fitted with the wreath disk and press cookies about 1-inch apart onto cool, ungreased baking sheets. Brush the cookies lightly with the egg wash, sprinkle them with the decorating sugar, and arrange the cherry slices decoratively on them. Bake the cookies in batches in the middle of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are pale golden. Transfer the cookies to racks and let them cool. (Do not let the cookies cool on the sheets.) The cookies may be made 2 months in advance and kept frozen in airtight containers. Christmas Crunch Cookies Cookies: 1 cup sugar 1 cup light corn syrup 1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy 6 cups puffed rice cereal (recommended: Rice Krispies) Glaze: 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted 1 cup butterscotch chips, melted Directions For the cookies: In a medium saucepan, bring the sugar and corn syrup to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Remove from heat, stir in the peanut butter, and then fold in the puffed rice. Let cool until cool enough to touch. Spread waxed paper to cover a 2-foot long area. Press cookie batter, 1/2-inch thick, onto waxed paper. Cut cookies with cookie cutters, and then transfer to a cookie sheet. For the glaze: Melt chocolate and butterscotch separately in a double boiler over barely simmering water or in the microwave at 50 percent power. In a medium bowl, combine melted chocolate and butterscotch. Using the back of a metal spoon, drizzle glaze over the cookies. Set aside until glaze sets, about 15 to 20 minutes. Swedish Christmas Cookies 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons ground cardamom 1/4 teaspoon fine salt 1 cup unsalted butter, (2 sticks), at room temperature 1 cup confectioners' sugar 1 large egg, room temperature 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest Colored sanding sugars or chopped toasted pecans Directions Whisk the flour, cardamom, and salt in a bowl. Put the butter and confectioners' sugar in a food processor, and process until smooth. Pulse in the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest until combined. Add the flour mixture and process to make a soft buttery dough. Divide dough in half onto 2 (12-inch long) sheets of plastic wrap, using the plastic, shape into rough logs. Refrigerate the dough logs for 30 minutes until just firm enough to shape into uniform logs, 8-inches long by 2-inches in diameter. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Scatter either the sanding sugars or toasted nuts on a work surface and roll the logs until completely coated. Cut into 1/4-inch thick cookies and space about 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until golden around the edges, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cookies on the pan on wire racks. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Viennese Vanilla Cookies 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1/2 cup sugar 2 cups sifted flour 1 1/4 cups shaved Almonds (not the slivered almonds, but the flat cuts w/ bits of brown on them) 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon salt Confectioner's Sugar for decoration Directions Cream butter and add sugar. Add 1/2 cup of flour mixing after each addition. Add remaining ingredients. Shape into a disk and then chill for 30 minutes. You can also put the dough in the freezer at this point. Begin to roll the dough the dough so that it is about 1/4-inch thick or a little more. Cut with cookie cutters. Place dough on parchment paper or a greased cookie sheet. I prefer using parchment paper. It's just easier. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes or until the edges are a bit brown. You may need to lower your oven to 325 degrees F. You can also freeze or chill the dough in a log shape rather than a disk. If you do this, simply cut small rounds about 1/4 inch thick and place these rounds on the lined cookie sheet. These bake for 15 minutes. (This works well, if you want to transport dough to a friend's house and have kids form the cookies.) Once the cookies come out of the oven, either cool them on the cookie sheet or move the parchment paper to a cookie rack. As the cookies cool, but before they're fully cooled, sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. Arrange on a plate and don't blink because they'll disappear before you open your eyes. Eat. Brown Sugar Christmas Trees 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 large egg 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup slivered almonds White Icing: 1 cup confectioners' sugar 2 to 4 tablespoons cream or milk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla Green Icing: 1 cup confectioners' sugar 2 to 4 tablespoons green Creme de Menthe or water Few drops green food coloring if using water Colored sugar or nonpareils Directions In large mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugars until smooth. Add the vanilla, eggs, baking soda and salt and beat until light and fluffy. Mix in the flour thoroughly until the dough is stiff and shape into a ball. Divide the ball into 4 parts and wrap separately in plastic wrap. Chill 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide each part in half. Knead each piece slightly and shape it into a roll 2 inches in diameter. Working with two rolls at a time, place rolls lengthwise on an 11 by 16-inch rimless baking sheet and flatten with palms of hands. Roll two strips of dough out right on the baking sheet to make two strips 3-inches wide and 16 inches long about 2 inches apart. With a straight-edged knife, score into elongate triangles. Leave the dough in place and press a piece of almond onto the edge of the short side of each triangle where the trunk of the tree should be. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and with a straight- edged knife cut in triangles while still warm to separate them along the scored lines but leave them in place. Trim the uneven edges to straighten while cookies are still warm. Mix the ingredients for the white icing and the green icing in separate small bowls. Drizzle the icings decoratively over the Christmas trees and while the icing is still wet, sprinkle with the colored sugar or nonpareils. English Toffee 14 tablespoons (1 stick, plus 6 tablespoons) butter 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons cold water 1/2 chopped pecans 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Dash salt 1 (6-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips or thin chocolate bars Generously butter a cookie sheet. Put butter, sugar, and water in a heavy pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Bring to a bubbling boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove spoon from pan, and cook to a very brittle stage (300 degrees to 310 degrees F on a candy thermometer). Or, make a cold water test: candy will separate into hard, brittle threads when dropped in cold water. Remove from heat and add nuts to mixture. Add vanilla and salt. Pour onto prepared cookie sheet and spread to 1/4-inch thickness. Cool slightly, top with chocolate chips or chocolate bars, and spread as it melts. Cool completely and break into pieces. Store in an airtight container. Orange Poppy Seed Wafers 2 cups cake flour 2 tablespoons poppy seeds 2 tablespoons ground allspice 1 cup butter, plus additional for greasing cooking sheets 1 large orange 1 cup sugar 2 large egg yolks 1 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons cream or milk Poppy seeds Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Combine flour, poppy seeds, and allspice in a bowl and set aside. Butter 2 heavy, large cookie sheets and set aside. Using a vegetable peeler, remove all the zest from the orange (only remove the orange part, not the bitter white pith). Save orange for another use. Place the granulated sugar and zest in a food processor. Process until peel is finely minced, about 2 minutes. Transfer the sugar-zest mixture to an electric mixer. Add 1 cup butter and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks. Add the flour mixture and mix slowly until combined into a soft dough. Using a small cookie scoop, place 1-inch high mounds 2 inches apart on cookie sheets and press cookie down using a spatula dipped in water. Bake until edges are light brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar and cream in a bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush the glaze over the cookies and then sprinkle with poppy seeds. Let stand until glaze is hardened and not wet. Store in an airtight container. Pinocatte 3 cups sugar 3/4 cup water 2 cups candied citron or orange peel 2 cups pine nuts 1 orange, zested Line 2 cookie sheets with waxed paper. In a 3-quart saucepan, melt the sugar and the water together until the sugar dissolves and you have a clear liquid. Heat the liquid to 240 degrees F and then remove the pan to a cutting board. Whisk the solution until it cools and begins to turn opaque. Working quickly, add the citron, pine nuts and orange zest and stir through. Replace the pan over the heat if the mixture becomes too stiff. Using a small soup spoon, drop irregular shapes onto the prepared cookie sheets. Allow to harden before serving. Serve with Malvasia wine and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Five Layer Bars 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1 cup butterscotch morsels 1 cup shredded coconut 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 1 jar Five Layer Bar Mix 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk In a decorative jar, layer pecans, butterscotch morsels, coconut, and chocolate morsels. Spoon graham cracker crumbs into a small plastic or cellophane bag and place on top of the layers. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove graham cracker crumbs from jar. Combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press into bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle remaining ingredients of mix over crumb mixture. Pour sweetened condensed milk over the layers. Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool and cut into bars. Baci di Dama 1/2 cup thinly sliced almonds 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1/4 cup bittersweet dark chocolate, melted Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the almonds, sugar, flour and butter. Pulse lightly until the almonds are ground and the mixture is homogenous. Place the mixture in a mixing bowl. Using a tablespoon, place small scoops of the mixture on a lightly greased baking sheet, separating each scoop by at least 1-inch on all sides. Use the tips of your fingers to gently flatten the tops of each scoop. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Once the cookies have cooled, gently melt the chocolate in the bowl of a bain-marie (a stainless steel bowl fitted over a saucepan of simmering water s that the bowl just touches the water). Remove the melted chocolate from the heat. Carefully pour or spoon a bit of melted chocolate on the tops of half the cookies. If the tops are not flat enough, simply spoon the melted chocolate on the sides of the cookies that were face down during the cooking process. Use the remaining cookie halves to form the other half of the cookie "sandwich," pressing gently so that the chocolate adheres to both sides of the sandwich. Let rest until the chocolate has cooled, holding the cookies together. Larry "But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine." Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)   Alert | IP Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

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