Title: CHRISTMAS COOKIE BONANZA (22 VARIETIES) PART 1
Categories: Cookies, Snacks, Christmas
Yield: 3 servings
2 c Unsifted all-purpose flour
1/4 c Sugar
1/4 ts Salt
1/2 c Butter, softened
From McCall's magazine Dec 1991
BASIC COOKIE MIX
In large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt; mix well. With pastry
blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse
cornmeal. Place in airtight container; store in refrigerator
(mixture will keep for up to 8 weeks). Bring to room temperature
bofore using. Recipe can be doubled or tripled.
ROLLED SUGAR COOKIES
1 recipe basic cookie mix 1 large egg 1 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
In large bowl of electric mixer, combine ingredients; at low speed,
beat until mixture forms a dough.
Divide dough into thirds. Working with one third at a time, on
lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/8" thick; cut out
with 3" cookie cutters. Transfer to prepared baking sheets. Bake 8
min or until golden. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool; if
desired, decorate with icing, candies and colored sugars.
Makes 3 dozen.
CANDY CANE COOKIES
1 recipe basic cookie mix 1 large egg 1 tsp vanilla extract red paste
food color 1/2 c (2 1/2 oz) crushed peppermint candy red edible
glitter
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
In large bowl of electric mixer, comibine cookie mix, egg and
vanilla. At low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough. Divide
dough in half; remove one half from bowl. With food paste, tint
dough in bowl red; add candy. Mix well.
On work surface, divide each half dough into 20 equal pieces; working
with one piece at a time, roll dough into 8" rope. Place a plain and
red rope side by side; press together lightly and twist. Place twist
on prepared baking sheet; curve top to form cane. Repeat with
remaining dough. Bake cookies 10 to 12 min or until golden. Sprinkle
with glitter; transfer to wire rack to cool.
Posted by Theresa Merkling.
Title: CHRISTMAS COOKIE BONANZA PART 2
Categories: Cookies, Snacks, Christmas
Yield: 4 servings
1 Recipe Basic Cookie Mix
1 lg Egg
1 ts Vanilla extract
2 tb Unsweetened cocoa powder
CHECKERBOARD SQUARES
melted chocolate or chocolate icing and white icing
In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg and vanilla.
At low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough. Divide dough in
half; remove one half from bowl. To dough in bowl, add cocoa powder;
knead to mix well.
On work surface, on separate sheets of waxed paper, roll each half of
dough to 9x6" rectangle. Using paper to lift dough, invert plain
dough onto top of chocolate dough. Remove paper from plain dough.
Using long chef's knife, cut doughs lentghwise into 2" wide strips.
Stack strips, removing waxed paper and alternating colors. Cut stack
lengthwise into three equal strips. Stack strips so colors
alternate; gently press stack so dough layers stick together. Wrap
stack in plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
Remove plastic wrap from dough; cut stack crosswise into 1/4" slices.
Place slices checkerboard side down on prepared baking sheets; bake 8
min or until golden. Transfer to wire rack to cool. With pastry bag
and writing, decorate cookies with dots of chocolate and icing.
Makes 4 dozen cookies.
GINGERBREAD PEOPLE
1 recipe basic cookie mix 1/3 c molasses 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp
ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground cloves 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp
grated nutmeg white icing red cinnamon candies
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie ingredients; at low
speed, beat until mixture forms a dough.
Divide dough into thirds. Working with one third at a time, on
lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/8" thick; cut out with 3"
cookie cutter. Transfer to prepared baking sheets. Bake 8 min or
until just beginning to brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
Decorate with icing and candies.
Makes 3 dozen cookies.
Posted by Theresa Merkling.
Title: CHRISTMAS COOKIE BONANZA PART 3
Categories: Cookies, Snacks, Christmas
Yield: 42 servings
1 Recipe Basic cookie mix
2 lg Egg yolks
1 tb Water
Topping
1/2 c Packed light-brown sugar
1/3 c Dark corn syrup
1/4 c Butter
1/4 c Heavy cream
2 c Unsalted finely chopped
-dry-roasted peanuts
12 oz Semisweet chocolate
3 tb Vegetable shortening
CHOCOLATE-DIPPED PEANUT-BRITTLE FINGERS
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 15 1/2x10 1/2x1" jelly-roll pan; line
bottom and sides with sheet of aluminum foil. Grease foil.
In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg yolks and the
water. At low speed, beat just until mixture forms a crumbly dough.
Pat mixture over foil on bottom of prepared pan; bake 20 min or until
dough is golden brown. Remove pan from oven.
Make peanut-brittle topping: In heavy med saucepan, combine brown
sugar, corn syrup, butter and heavy cream; over med heat, bring to
boiling, stirring. Cook, stirring constantly, until butter melts and
mixture is smooth. Stir in peanuts.
Spread peanut-brittle topping mixture over cookies in pan; bake 15
min or until topping is brown and bubbly. Remove pan from oven; cool
cookies slightly. Using ends of aluminum foil, lift cookies from
pan; cut crosswise into thirds. Cut lengthwise into 14 strips;
remove cookies from aluminum foil. Cool cookie "fingers" completely
on rack.
Line another wire rack with waxed paper. In top of double boiler
over hot, not boiling, water, combine chocolate and shortening. Over
low heat, cook mixture, stirring, until chocolate and shortening are
melted and mixture is smooth. Dip each cookie finger into chocolate
mixture to cover halfway; place cookie on prepared rack to dry.
Makes 42 cookies.
LEMON LINZER COOKIES
1 recipe basic cookie mix 1 lg egg 1 tsp grated lemon zest (colored
part of peel) 1 tsp fresh lemon juice 1/2 c seedless raspberry jam
Confectioners' sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease two baking sheets.
In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg, lemon zest
and lemon juice. At low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough.
Divide dough in half. Working one half at a time, on lightly floured
surface, with lightly floured rolling pin, roll out dough 1/8" thick;
cut out with 3" round cookie cutter, cut out centers of half of the
cookies. If desired, reroll dough centers for additional cookies.
Transfer dough rounds and rings to prepared baking sheets. Bake 8
min or until cookies are golden; transfer to wire rack to cool
completely.
With 1 tsp jam each, cover flat sides of rounds. Place a cookie
ring, flat side down, on top of each filling-topped round. Dust tops
of cookies with confectioners' sugar.
Makes 2 dozen cookies. Posted by Theresa Merkling.
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