Saturday, December 8, 2007, 09:28 AM [
Yule]
Today is COOKIES!!! I compiled a list of, I think, nine kinds of cookies I want to make. Time and Money said to choose only four. The recipes posted here are what I'm actually making. The hyperlinks are the ones that didn't make the cut. Sorry, runner-up cookies, maybe next year.
Peppermint Marshmallows*
3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
½ cup water
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup corn syrup
¼ cup water
¼ t salt
1 T vanilla extract
Powdered sugar
Grease a 9 x 13 pan and lightly coat with powdered sugar.
In mixing bowl, mix gelatin with ½ cup water and let stand 10 minutes.
Measure sugar, corn syrup and ¼ cup water into pan and boil until mix reaches 250°F.
Slowly drizzle sugar mix into gelatin mix, with mixer on low setting.
Turn up the speed a little and add salt.
When mix starts to fluff, scrape the sides of the bowl and turn mixer to high speed.
Once the volumes stops increasing, mix in the vanilla extract and stop the mixer. Mixing should take about 10 minutes, start to finish.
Pour the mix into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a spatula or lay plastic wrap on the top to smooth it, and let set up overnight.
Dust a cutting board with powdered sugar and turn the marshmallow out by gently pulling.
Use a pizza cutter to cut into squares. Dredge pieces in more powdered sugar (or a mix of powdered sugar and corn starch for a less sweet marshmallow).
Yield: about 40 large marshmallows
* I'm replacing the vanilla with peppermint extract, so not sure if a whole tablespoon is needed. I'm also adding some red food coloring and dipping one end of the marshmallow in dark chocolate.
Ginger Cookie
This is one of my favorite cookie recipes. They're gingery and chewy and so yummy!
2 ¼ c all-purpose flour
1 ½ t ground ginger
1 ¼ t baking soda
1 t ground cinnamon
½ t ground allspice
½ t ground mustard
½ t salt
5 cracks freshly ground black pepper
¾ c (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp
½ c sugar, plus extra for rolling the cookies
¼ c dark brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 t vanilla extract
½ c unsulphured molasses
2 T ginger preserves
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Whisk flour and next 7 ingredients in a medium bowl.
Beat the butter and sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy and scrape the sides of the
bowl.
Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat on medium ‘til just incorporated.
Add the molasses and ginger preserves and mix until batter is an even light brown color.
Add the dry ingredients all at once, beating slowly to make a soft, smooth dough. Cover the bowl and refrigerate about 25 minutes, or until firm.*
Portion dough into slightly heaping tablespoons and roll into balls. Roll the balls in sugar and place on (non-stick or lightly oiled) cookie sheet about 2" apart.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes - until the top is crackly and the insides peeking through are dark and moist. Briefly cool on baking sheet and transfer to cooling rack.
Store in sealed container up to 3 weeks.
*The refrigeration gives these cookies the crackly tops and chewy centers.
Cinnamon Graham Crackers
4 T butter, room temp
4 T maple syrup or honey
1 egg
2 c whole wheat pastry flour
½ t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
½ t salt
Preheat oven to 350°.
Beat butter and syrup together ‘til light and fluffy.
Add egg and beat ‘til smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.
Use low speed on mixer to beat flour into wet mixture.
The dough will be crumbly but should hold together when pressed together. If it's too dry, add a little water.
Press dough into a 9 x 13" baking sheet. Score into squares a little over 2 inches. Prick each square several times with a fork.
Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are golden.
Cool and break into squares.
Yield: 2 dozen
Fudge Brownies
This is the best brownie I've ever tasted. I especially like them because they won me the ... if not affection, at least the acceptance of my boyfriend's older son.
½ c butter
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
¾ c all-purpose flour
½ c (or so) chocolate chips*
Grease an 8x8 baking pan.
Melt butter and chocolate.
Remove from heat and stir in sugar.
Add eggs and vanilla. Beat lightly, ‘til just combined or brownies will rise and fall (and not be quite as tasty too!)
Stir in flour and chocolate chips.
Spread in pan and bake in 350° oven for 30 minutes.
Cool thoroughly before cutting.
Yield: 16 (Ha ha! This is funny! We only get 9 out of an 8x8 pan!)
* The chocolate chips push this recipe over the edge. They're very fudgy and the flavor has been compared to chocolate mousse.
One more I had to add ... a friend of mine makes these and I think these little balls of deliciousness could be a perfectly acceptable replacement for sex! (I could go on about the whys, but I will refrain ...)
Oreo Snow Balls
CDKitchen http://www.cdkitchen.com
1 package Oreo cookies
8 ounces cream cheese -- softened
a package of almond bark (I do white) -- melted
Crush 1 pkg. (1 lb. 4 oz.) Oreo cookies. Mix with 8 oz. softened cream cheese. Roll into balls; chill. Dip in 18-20 oz. melted almond bark to coat. Made 75.
NOTES: Crush Oreos in food processor (Ziploc bag & rolling pin wasn't as easy) and add in cream cheese cubes to mix. Recipe called for 12 oz. cream cheese but I use 8 oz. I also chill this mixture before rolling into balls.
Chai-Spiced Almond - These are a twist on Mexican wedding cookies, so they're messy but so tasty!
Chocolate Coma - Haven't we all been there at least once?
Spiced Oatmeal - I'm still looking for the ultimate oatmeal cookie. These might be it!
No-Bakes - No-bakes remind me of my Nana!
and cut-outs - I think everone knows how to make those. If the girls want to make them, we still might. They are, after all, a tradition in my family, going back to my Nana.
