How to bake yummy things for the holidays

[Saucyminx]

Thanks to everyone for the great recipes. . . Nip, you know I'm going to have to try those now. . . .

[Rainshine]

Originally Posted by Saucyminx

My mom's sandtarts
1 lb flour
1 lb confectioner's sugar
3 eggs
1/2 lb butter, softened


Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until combined. Add the flour gradually. Dough will be sort of stiff. Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic and chill overnight. (Can also be frozen at this point for later.)

Take 1/2 of dough and let sit for about 10 min. Break off a piece and roll out very thin on a floured surface. Cut into desired shapes (can use cookie cutters or you can just cut into diamonds with a knife.)

Place on cookies sheets lined with parchment paper. Decorate with colored sugar or other cookie decorations. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 - 10 min or until just starting to brown around the edges. Let cool on sheet for 2 minutes and then move to rack to cool.

Makes a whole bunch of cookies but they never last too long. Store in a tin at room temp. Best if made a few days ahead but good still warm too.

Saucy what do you mean by coloured sugar? I mean crystals or just sugar?

[themilf]

Originally Posted by TeaforMe

Oreo Balls

1 package Oreo Cookies
1 block cream cheese, softened
1 package Chocolate Almond Bark or Bakers Chocolate Baking Squares


Place Oreo Cookies in a baggie and smash until it is the consistency of dirt. Mix softened cream cheese into smashed cookies. Form into balls. (I like to put mine on wax paper.) Melt chocolate according to package directions in microwave. Cover balls in chocolate. Place in refrigerator.


Pete Schweddy: Well, there's no beating my Balls. They're made from a secret Schweddy Family recipe. No one can resist my Schweddy Balls.

Ahhh you beat me to it! I LOVE these - They are amazing but... how DO you dip them in chocolate and keep them pretty? These are photos of mine!

[themilf]

Oh and these! I love pretty cookies!


Chocolate Crinkles are a deliciously soft, fudge-like cookie that are encased in a generous coating of confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar. The name "Crinkle" probably refers to how the powdered sugar "crinkles" or "cracks" as the cookies bake, revealing a little of the chocolate underneath. This must be why they are often referred to as "Black and Whites". I love to eat these Chocolate Crinkles warm from the oven when they are so wonderfully soft and just seem to melt in your mouth.

Chocolate Crinkles:

4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter

8 ounces (230 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

and...

1 cup (110 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted


Chocolate Crinkles: In a heatproof bowl, placed over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of your electric mixer,, beat the eggs and sugar until thick, pale, and fluffy (about 3 to 5 minutes). (When you slowly raise the beaters the batter will fall back into the bowl in slow ribbons.) Then beat in the vanilla extract. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and beat until incorporated.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to shape into balls (several hours or even overnight).

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place the sifted confectioners sugar in a shallow bowl. First, form the chilled dough into 1 inch (2.5 cm) balls, and then roll each ball in the sugar. Make sure each ball is completely coated, with no chocolate showing through. Place the sugar-covered balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.

Bake cookies for about 8 to 10 minutes or just until the edges are slightly firm but the centers are still soft. (For moist chewy cookies do not over bake. Over baking these cookies will cause them to be dry.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. These cookies are best eaten the day they are baked.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

[Miles Long]

This is probably my favorite thread in the history of Lit. *happy sigh*

[Saucyminx]

Originally Posted by Rainshine

Saucy what do you mean by coloured sugar? I mean crystals or just sugar?

Either. I use colored sanding sugar, or cinnamon sugar (that is really good) with these cookies.

This here stuff, just maybe not quite so much.

Originally Posted by Miles Long

This is probably my favorite thread in the history of Lit. *happy sigh*

Yay!

[Twlightdreamer]

Well, I'm going to take a cheaters way out and just post the links to the candies that I make every year for Christmas. They're tasty, easy, and everyone loves them.

Bailey's Fudge
http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/dess...stachio-fudge/

Chocolate Bark with Bacon
http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/dess...n-and-walnuts/

Bourbon Balls- Note- I let my pecans sit in the bourbon overnight.
http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/dess...bourbon-balls/

Buckeyes! Mmm.. nomnomnom.
http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/buckeyes-6/

And lastly- Peppermint Patties. I add just a bit more peppermint extract than they call for in the recipe.
http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/dess...int-patties-2/

[Saucyminx]

Ok, Twilight dreamer, the nomnomnom cracked me up. My daughter says that exact thing when she sees buckeyes.

This is a simple ball cookie, but one of my favorites. I got it from an Afternoon Tea cookbook somewhere in my travels.

Dream Cookies
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
48 sliced almonds

Sift the flour, and baking powder together. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the vanilla. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Chill 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Put on ungreased cookie sheet. Press one almond on to each cookie ball. Bake for 25 min. Makes 4 doz cookies.

[Saucyminx]

Simple Bread Pudding

10 slices of Challah bread, cut into cubes
1/4 cup butter melted
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cherries
6 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups of milk scalded
fresh nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put the bread cubes in a big bowl. Drizzled with the melted butter, and sprinkle with the cinnamon. Toss with the dried cherries and put in a buttered, 10 cup baking dish. In a bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until combined. Add the vanilla and mix. Gradually add the hot milk, whisking constantly until combined. Pour through a fine mesh sieve over the bread. Sprinkle with fresh nutmeg. Bake for 25 min. Let cool for at least 30 min. Can be served warm with whipped cream or ice cold, with whipped cream.

[Twlightdreamer]

Enjoy Peanut Butter Icing? Here's an AWESOME recipe for it just keep in mind- you'll have to double or quadrople it considering this recipe was originally meant for a dozen cupcakes.

3 Tbsp smooth peanut butter
4 Tbsp Mascarpone
1/3 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted


Mix the peanuter butter and mascarpone together then slowly add the sugar. Trust me- try a small amount of this and you'll thank me.

[Saucyminx]

Why oh why oh why did I make these? This is the one cookie I can't leave alone.

Snickerdoodles
1/2 cup vegetable shortening*
1/2 cup butter, softened*
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 2/3 cups flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

3 Tblsp sugar
3 tsp cinnamon

Cream together the veggie shortening, butter, and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and beat until combined. Sift together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture.

Combine the sugar and cinnamon on a plate or in a wide bowl.

Roll dough into walnut sized balls and roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake at 400 degrees on ungreased cookie sheets (I use parchement) for 10 - 12 min.

*Ok, I know but hear me out. All butter gives you a crisper cookie so if you like that, use 1 cup butter. Shortening gives you a softer cookie, but you miss out on some flavor. Combining the two gives you a nice snap when you initially bite into the cookie, but a nice chewy center. That is how I like my cookies so perfect for me--but your mileage may vary.

[Rainshine]

Saucy, I burnt your mums sandtarts the other day. I forgot I had them baking. OOpsie. Will be trying again tomorrow I hope!

[Saucyminx]

Originally Posted by Rainshine

Saucy, I burnt your mums sandtarts the other day. I forgot I had them baking. OOpsie. Will be trying again tomorrow I hope!

That's funny. She always burned at least one tray herself so don't feel bad.

I'm out of eggs, so I'm grounded until tomorrow.

[Rainshine]

Originally Posted by Saucyminx

That's funny. She always burned at least one tray herself so don't feel bad.

I'm out of eggs, so I'm grounded until tomorrow.

I babysat last night, and as my reward I got 12 fresh eggs from their chickens! I'll send you some over.

[Miles Long]

Originally Posted by Rainshine

I babysat last night, and as my reward I got 12 fresh eggs from their chickens! I'll send you some over.

You babysat chickens?

[Rainshine]

Originally Posted by Miles Long

You babysat chickens?

4 of them! Oh, and one threenager.

[Miles Long]

Originally Posted by Rainshine

4 of them! Oh, and one threenager.

Sounds like a busy night!

[Saucyminx]

Originally Posted by Rainshine

I babysat last night, and as my reward I got 12 fresh eggs from their chickens! I'll send you some over.

Please do! Whenever I get eggs that fresh, I can't help it, I have to make creme brûlée or something custardy. YUM

[Emerson40]

Thanks everyone for your contributions - there are several from this thread that we have added to our holiday baking / entertaining. Yum-dilly-icious!

Threads such as this keep the manufacturers and sellers of elastic waist-banded pants in business.

Everyone have a lovely holiday & Happy Christmas!




Now where did I set down that eggnog....

[themilf]

Good Morning all and Happy New Year!
Now that I don't have the flu and Christmas is a delightful memory, I'm going to do some baking and sharing!

I want bread pudding and custard, think I'll bake some bread pudding and serve custard sauce on the side.

I found the greatest "make your own vanilla" kit, you are able to choose which country of origin for your bean, they were out of Tahitian but I'm going to follow up with them!

http://www.beanilla.com/blog/homemade-vanilla-extract

Has anyone ever made their own vanilla? The instructions say you can add vodka, rum, Bourbon or whatever you choose. Because it's a 6-8 week process, I don't want to be disappointed in two months. Ideas?

And lastly, since this thread was so very successful, I'm considering a "comfort food/slow cooker" thread. Which I will focus on when the bugs are removed from the laptop. That will teach me to share.

[Rainshine]

Tollhouse Cookies




175g (6oz) Unsalted Butter, softened
140g (1/4 cup) brown sugar
110g (1/2 cup) sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla essence
310g (2 1/2 cups) plain (all purpose) flour, sifted
1 tsp bi-carb soda
350g (2 cups) chocolate chips
125g (1 cup) macadamia nuts (or nut of your choice), chopped

Cream the butter and sugars in a until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, beating well. Stir in the vanilla, then the sifted flour and bicarbonate soda until just combined. Mix in the chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop tablespoons onto back trays, leaving room for spread while cooking! Bake at 190c (375f or Gas 5) for about 10 minutes. Cool slightly on trays before transferring to a wire rack.

Makes about 40 small, except I made them big accidentally.... and got 25. Oops. They are better smaller. So my three year old tells me.


Oh and... these are definitely not clean eating.

[Bramblethorn]

Ingredients: 1 peach per person, honey, cinnamon, slivered almonds.

Preheat oven to 180C (360F).

Halve peaches and remove the stone. Place cut-side up in a baking dish.

Sprinkle the peach flesh with cinnamon, then drizzle honey over it, then sprinkle almonds over that. Bake for half an hour. Eat alone or with ice cream/yoghurt as preferred.

[Saucyminx]

Banana Pastry Swirls

I'm being lazy instead of retyping it out but yum oh yum. The caramel was guilding the lily a bit, but my kids didn't agree. Then again, they would just eat an entire bag of sugar if they had permission. . . .

[bailadora]

Originally Posted by Saucyminx

Why oh why oh why did I make these? This is the one cookie I can't leave alone.

Snickerdoodles

So Snickerdoodles are your kryptonite, huh? Then you're gonna LOVE Snickerdoodle Poppers. A cross between a creme puff and a snickerdoodle. *swoon*

[dougsan]

All of you wonderful cooks! I don't envy your skill but I do appreciate the time and thought which are required by proper cooking. I will bring some of your recipes to a restaurant chef for discussion if you don't mind.