Olie Bollen and the Red & Yellow Skivvies - My New Year's Eve Baking Adventure, Part I

I know my “Holiday Baking Challenge” is officially over, but you really didn’t think I could go without baking for long, did you? I actually thought I’d be able to take a nice long break. Baking and blogging for twenty-four days straight is quite a task, even more ambitious than I had originally realized. But after all the fanfare from Christmas died down, I found myself on Monday morning with nothing to do. Let’s face it. The week between Christmas and New Year’s isn’t a particularly good time to look for a job. Most people are on vacation, and the few who are in the office are wishing they were on vacation. So although I sent out a few resumes, I found myself with a lot of time on my hands. And then it struck me. The 2009 holiday season isn’t yet finished. New Year’s Eve is always worthy of a good celebration. And how better to celebrate than with a tasty baked good or two?!

For years now, I’ve been listening to all the jabberwocky about foods that should be eaten at the New Year to bring luck, money, or both. And year after year I’ve eaten it up (both the words of wisdom and the foods to go with them) – first the pork and sauerkraut when I was living up North, then black eyed peas, collard greens and cornbread living in the South. Not one to mess with the fates, I figured that choking down a couple shreds of sauerkraut or spoonfuls of collard greens was sufficient penance to pay if it meant I’d be rewarded with beneficence throughout the year.

And then a few days ago I realized that none of it had worked particularly well for me. Ever. Pork, schmork. And beans? Please. There’s only one thing that beans have ever given me, and it ain’t luck or money, I’ll tell ya that!  And don’t even get me started on the collards or sauerkraut. Obviously the time for me to take this whole lucky New Year’s foodstuffs issue into my own hands is now. It seems reasonable to think that if I can find a New Year’s food tradition more suited to my taste, it might result in a better 2010.  So why not give it a go? What do I have to lose?  Possession is 9/10ths of the law, right? All I have to do is claim the best tradition as my own and embrace it wholeheartedly. Surely there must be some kindred spirits out there who think that the luckiest way to ring in the New Year is with some tasty morsel made with butter and sugar, and lots of it.

And guess what? There are!! In fact, there are numerous countries around the globe that celebrate the New Year by eating sweets. (Seriously, WHY has it taken me almost 40 years to find out about this?) According to the Readers Digest and Epicurious websites, the round and/or ring shapes of cakes and donuts represent “coming full circle” and are customary parts of New Year’s feasts in Greece, Mexico, Poland, Hungary, and the Netherlands, to name a few. Ding, ding, ringy ding ding! Jackpot!! I feel my luck turning around already! And no, I don’t mean that I’m going to Krispy Kreme for a box of hot glazed donuts to eat as the clock chimes 12 tomorrow night.  I mean that I'm going to make both a cake and donuts – Vasilopita, a Greek cake with a coin hidden in it, and Olie Bollen, donutty/frittery confections from Holland that are sprinkled with powdered sugar - and ring in the New Year right!  Since both have to be eaten warm, I'll have to finish this caper tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Holiday Challenge Day 24 - Buche de Noel

Buche de Noel (also known as a Yule Log) is a traditional European Christmas dessert decorated to look like, well, a log, complete with branches and mushrooms similar to what you'd find in the forest.  Pretty impressive, don't ya think?  If Santa saw a Buche de Noel waiting for him, I am sure he'd want to pull up a chair, pull out a fork, and stay awhile, regardless of how many more homes he had to visit.

So for this reason, twenty-five days ago I thought the Buche de Noel would be an appropriate "grand finale" to my holiday baking challenge.  The recipe seemed somewhat complex, but definitely do-able, with some time and advance preparation.  Today, though,  I wasn't so sure.  Not only had I recently watched Tyler Florence's Yule log go up in flames (so to speak) on the Iron Chef Holiday Challenge, I also botched my first attempt at making the sponge cake last night.  I had been so careful - measuring, mixing, sifting (not once, but THREE times).  Separating eggs.  Clarifying butter.  And I fully expected my efforts to be rewarded with a beautful, delicate sponge cake...the kind that springs back when lightly touched.  What I ended up with was a cake alright, but one whose texture resembled the rubber on the bottom of your favorite tennis shoe.  For a brief minute, I thought if I put the rubber on the inside of the roll, no one would would be the wiser.  But my conscience got the best of me - if I was going to do this, I needed to be able to say I'd done it right.

So this morning I got up, and armed with a different (and simpler) recipe, I baked a new chocolate sponge that didn't require sifting flour or clarifying butter.  I may have done a little elfin jig when I pulled the resulting sponge cake from the oven  - it was as beautiful, light, and moist as I'd imagined.  And when rolled with pink peppermint flavored whipped cream, frosted with chocolate ganache, and decorated with chocolate mushrooms, my amateur attempt at Buche de Noel ended up being a pretty good facsimile of a Yule log.  What it may have lacked in appearance it more than made up for in taste.  As evidenced by the fact that there was nary a twig left for Santa. 

Chocolate Peppermint Roll
Served 10-12
www.hersheys.com
(chocolate ganache from marthastewart.com)

Chocolate Sponge Roll
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar plus 1/3 cup sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Line 15-1/2x10-1/2x1-inch jelly-roll pan with foil; generously grease foil.

2. Beat egg whites in large bowl on high speed of mixer until soft peaks form; gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Beat egg yolks and vanilla in medium bowl on medium speed 3 minutes. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup sugar; continue beating 2 additional minutes.
3. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; on low speed, add to egg yolk mixture alternately with water, beating just until batter is smooth. Using rubber spatula, gradually fold chocolate mixture into beaten egg whites until well blended. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
4. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly. Immediately loosen cake from edges of pan; invert on clean towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Carefully peel off foil. Immediately roll cake in towel, starting from narrow end; place on wire rack to cool completely

Peppermint Filling
1 cup cold whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup finely crushed hard peppermint candy or 1/2 teaspoon mint extract
Few drops red food coloring (optional)

Beat cold whipping cream in medium bowl until slightly thickened. Add powdered sugar and finely crushed hard peppermint candy or mint extract and a few drops red food color, if desired; beat until stiff.

Chocolate Ganache Icing

6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream

Chop chocolate into small pieces, and place in a medium bowl. Heat cream until bubbles begin to appear around the edges (scalding); pour over chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Refrigerate until cold but not solid, stirring occasionally. Whip ganache at medium speed until it has the consistency of soft butter.

Assembling the Cake:
1.  Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cake with filling; reroll cake. 
2.  Cut two wedges off ends of cake at a 45 degrees.angle; set aside.
3.  Ice log with a thin layer of ganache. Attach wedges on diagonally opposite sides of log. Spread ganache all over log, using a small spatula to form barklike ridges. Chill until ganache is firm, about 30 minutes.
4.  Decorate cake to your liking (I made chocolate mushrooms, and some chocolate slivers to look like bark, but some people decorate Yule logs with meringue mushrooms or powdered sugar).  Chill until ready to serve. 




. 

Holiday Challenge Day 23 - Linzer Cookies

After 22 days, 51 dozen cookies, 37 dozen truffles/bark/brittle/turtles/rum balls and one pound cake, we've reached the last day of what I consider to be "regular season play" in my whole holiday baking challenge.  And I've saved my favorite holiday cookie for last.  For me, no Christmas season would be complete without Linzer Cookies, or as they're known in our family recipe books, Mrs. Perrin's Star Cookies. 

Some of the best parts of the holidays are memories - those that you make in the present, and those that you keep from moments in the past.  It's funny, isn't it, how sometimes we hold things dear not so much because of what they are, but because of the memories that we've attached to them?  That's how these cookies are for me.  They may not be at the top of my "required baking" list based on taste alone, but they are the hands-down winner when it comes to the memories that they evoke.  When I was growing up, I only ever remember having Mrs. Perrin's cookies at my grandmother's house - a place that I loved more than anywhere else on Earth, that was filled with people I adored.   My grandfather passed away before I turned five, so my recollections of him are pretty limited.  But one memory that I do have has to do with these cookies - him telling me that he made the holes in the center with his big toe.   Those are the things I think about every time I make these cookies.  And even though I'm hundreds (and at times have been thousands) of miles away, I somehow feel connected to everyone and everything I love. 

So I made some Mrs. Perrin's of my own today, although (and I know this will come as a shock to all of you) I didn't eat any.  Not a single one.  Because I actually like these cookies better when they've been around for a day or two.  On day one, they're good, but they're a little too new, too crispy, too fresh for my liking.  By day two or day three, especially if they haven't been kept in a tightly sealed container, the flavors have melded together - the jam has seeped into the cookies a little, and the cookies themselves have taken on a softer, cakier texture.  That's how I remember them from my childhood.  So tonight I wait.  But tomorrow, when I finally eat one, I no doubt will be greeted by a flood of memories with the very first bite.  

Mrs. Perrin's Star Cookies (Linzer Cookies)

Makes 6 dozen

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups shortening

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

3 tablespoons milk

4 cups all purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Fruit jam or preserves

Preparation:

1.  Cream together shortening and granulated sugar.  Beat in eggs and milk.  Sift in flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix well.  Chill dough for at least an hour.

2.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Roll dough on floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness.  Cut stars (or whatever shape you choose).  Cut a hole in the center of 1/2 the stars. 

3.  Bake for 7-10 minutes, until lightly brown.  Cool.

4.  Spread solid cookie with jam.  Top with cookie with hole.  Sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

Holiday Challenge Day 22 - Hazelnut Filled Sandwich Cookies

If truth be told, I can't really say that I was a girl of discriminating taste at an early age. Technically, I don't think I can claim to be a girl of discriminating taste now. But no matter what my age, I do usually know a good thing when I try it, especially if it's something sweet and chocolatey.   Like that magical choco-hazelnut spread called Nutella. 

When I was growing up, my friend Jen had an aunt and uncle stationed overseas with the military. I have no idea the path that it took to get there, but courtesy of those relatives, a jar of Nutella made it's way into her kitchen. And my life was changed forever.  I'm pretty sure we ate it on toast.  I'm pretty sure I wanted to eat it on everything, and no doubt shamelessly coveted her Nutella while choking down a slice of peanut butter toast for breakfast.  Because the cold, hard truth is this:  peanut butter's passe when you can put chocolate spread on your bread!

Lucky for me, Nutella is now available in most grocery stores.  Which means I can have my own jar any time.  On anything.  Like the Hazelnut Filled Sandwich Cookies that I made this morning, just in time for breakfast.  Two fresh-baked oatmeal cookies sealed with a smidgen of Nutella.  Good stuff.  Whether you eat them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any time in between. 

Hazelnut Filled Sandwich Cookies
Makes 48 sandwiches
Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Cookies 2001

Ingredients
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (Nutella or other brand)

Preparation:
1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat shortening in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt; beat til combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.  Beat in egg and vanilla til combined.  Beat in as much flour as you can.  Stir in any remaining flour and the oats.  Shape dough into 3/4 inch balls.  Place balls 1 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookies sheet; flatten with the bottom of a glass into 1-inch circles.
2.  Bake for 5 to 7 minutes or til edges are firm and bottoms are lightly browned.  Transfer to wire racks and cool.
3.  Spread flat sides of half the cookies with a scant 1/2 teaspoon chocolate-hazelnut spread.  Top with the remaining cookies, flat sides down.

To Store:  Place in layers separated by wax paper in an airtight container; cover.  Store in the refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze unfilled cookies up to 3 months; thaw, then fill.

Holiday Challenge Day 21 - Almond Crescents

After yesterday's accidental overdose on Oreo Truffles, it's obvious that this girl can only handle so much sugar.  How much that is, I'm not really sure.  But let's just say it's a good deal less than what it was in my prime.  Although a teenager might be able to subsist on a diet of Oreo Truffles (supplemented with a few pieces of leftover peppermint bark), someone of my age, apparently, can not.  Or at the very least, should not.  So I guess it's a good thing that I chose today to be the day that I made Almond Crescents.  Because not only are these delicate and ever-so-slightly sweet cookies perfect with a cup of tea (if, hypothetically, you're nursing a bit of a tummy ache), they also can be made in 15 minutes if you use "cheater dough" like I did.

Yes, I know.  Many a day you've heard me rant and rave about store-bought "cheater dough".  Don't get me wrong - I mean no disrespect to the Pillsbury Dough Boy.  I just love him in all his charming chubbiness.  But I do think homemade cookies should be just that.  Homemade.  Not buy the dough, break it apart, bake it, and claim it as your own.  Homemade.  From start to finish.  So rest easy (or sorry to disappoint, depending on which side of the refrigerator case you fall) - as of yet, the doughy dude has not added Almond Crescents to his cookie kingdom.  Which means I was inspired to make "cheater dough" of my own.  From scratch. 

A few weeks ago when I had an abundance of time on my hands, I was perusing a stack of holiday cookie magazines, and saw this little note:

"Most cookie doughs can be stored in the freezer.  However, do not freeze dough containing sour cream or cream cheese.  For drop cookies, you can place individual cookie portions on waxed paper-lined cookie sheets and freeze.  Once frozen, transfer to labeled freezer bags.  Freeze for up to 6 months.  Remove as many portions as you need and bake, making sure to add additional baking time." (Taste of Home Best Loved Cookies & Bars 2009)

Was I reading this right?  Was it possible that if you took some time to make dough in advance, you could have fresh baked cookies in a matter of minutes any time you want?  Not pre-baked homemade cookies that you've frozen and then need to thaw, but real, fresh-from-the-oven homemade cookies?  Really?  Well, of course, I had to try it for myself.  And it worked!  Four weeks ago I made the crescents as I normally would, but instead of baking them, I bundled them up and put them in the freezer.  This morning I preheated the oven, lined the frozen crescents up on a cookie sheet, popped them in the oven, and 15 minutes later they emerged...fresh, warm, and fantastic.

Almond Crescents

Makes 5 dozen

http://www.ichef.com/ (Martha Stewart recipe)

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup sifted confectioners sugar, plus more for rolling
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup coarsely chopped almonds
2 1/3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Cream together butter and 2/3 cup sugar until fluffy. Beat in extracts, then add almonds. Stir in flour and beat until well mixed.
2. Divide dough in half and roll each half into a log 1 inch in diameter. Cut each log into 3/4-inch pieces, and roll each piece into a cylinder 2 inches long. Place cylinders 1 to 2 inches apart on baking sheets, and form into crescents.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly golden. Let crescents cool, then roll in additional confectioners sugar.

Holiday Challenge Day 20 - Oreo Truffles

If I remember correctly, in the early '70s, there was only one kind of Oreo - what's no doubt now referred to in cookie circles as the "classic" -  2 crunchy chocolate cookies bound together with a creamy filling.  Surely you remember:

"Oh, oh, oh, ice cold milk and an Oreo Cookie. They forever go together, what a classic combination. When a dark, delicious cookie meets an icy cold sensation. Like the one and only creamy, crunchy, chocolate, O-R-E-O!" (Nabiscoworld.com)

Oh yeah.  Even I appreciate a good old fashioned store-bought Oreo.  Me.  The girl who snubs her nose at cheater cookie dough and mass-produced pastry.  And, apparently, so do many of you (appreciate an Oreo, that is).  Because the brand has expanded to include not only Double Stuf (1975 - remember?), but in recent years also Golden Oreos, Oreo Fudgees, Oreo Cakesters, Mini Oreos, Oreo Ice Cream Cones, Milk Chocolate Covered Mint Oreos, and Oreo Sippers (sticklike cookies that can be used as a straw), just to name a few.  Wikipedia.com claims that over 491 BILLION Oreo cookies have been sold since their debut.  Wow.  That's a lot.  But I can see how it happened.  Because right now I feel like I've eaten 491 billion Oreo Truffles.  Today.  All by myself.

Yes, just 24 hours ago I was bemoaning the fact that I'd made a cookie I didn't like.  And yes, today I'm kvetching because I made something that I did like. Too much.  Way too much.  All I can say is...ohhhhhhh....no more Oreo Truffles.  And could ya pass the Pepto, please?  But first, let me unbutton my waistband and tell you about these little gems.  If they aren't already in your repertoire of holiday sweets, they absolutely should be.  Because if you think Oreos are delightful in their natural state, as truffles, they are downright irresistible.  Crumbs from the Oreos are combined with softened cream cheese to create a velvety chocolate mixture with full-on Oreo flavor (because the cream cheese acts as a silent partner of sorts).  Rolled into balls, the mixture is then dipped in chocolate.  Last year I used semi-sweet chocolate and thought they were so-so.  But this year I dipped and swirled them in white chocolate, and the resulting truffles were absolutely irresistible - like a White Fudge Covered Oreo, with a soft center, of course.  All I can say is...Way to go O-R-E-O!

Oreo Truffles

Makes 42
Kraft Food & Family magazine

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package Oreo chocolate sandwich cookies
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 (8 ounce) packages semi-sweet or white baking chocolate, melted

Directions
1.Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.  Note:  I refrigerated the mixture for an hour prior to rolling and again after forming it into balls. 
2.Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.
3.Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

How to How to Easily Dip Truffles:  Place truffle ball in melted chocolate to coat; roll if necessary. Lift truffle from chocolate using 2 forks (this will allow excess chocolate to run off) before placing on wax paper.

Holiday Challenge Day 19 - Spritz

Beautiful, aren't they?  You'd never know this morning was the first time I'd ever used a cookie press, would you?  Impressed, aren't you?!  And why wouldn't you be?  Because these are some pretty perfect specimens of Spritz, if I do say so myself. 

Was I born with such a masterful command of the cookie press?  Not at all.  The truth is that this kind of talent is years in the making.  And I started practicing decades ago.  Because while in fact I hadn't  wielded a cookie press before today, I had spent many a day honing "press and shape" skills in my youth.  Not with dough, but with DOH.  As in Play Doh. As in the Play Dough Fun Factory Jr!!

I don't remember at what point this miracle of modern toy making entered my young life, but I do remember that it was the most exciting thing to happen to Play Doh in like, ever.   The Fun Factory Jr. was awesome, providing my brother and me with hours of entertainment.  Choose your shape, stuff in the Doh, press, and cut.  Voila.  Delightful designs in Doh.  Just like a cookie press.  So, given the back story, I guess it's no wonder that my first attempts at Spritz turned out well.

What I do wonder is why I can't seem to appreciate the subtle flavor and crisp texture of these simple butter cookies.  I am "mature" (okay, I try to be mature), and you'd think my tastes would have matured right along with the rest of me.   But I have a sneaking suspicion that my tastebuds are stuck in the '70s with the memories of my Fun Factory Jr, back when everything that tasted good was coated in chocolate or rolled in sugar, or both!

Spritz Butter Cookies

Makes 100

http://www.marthastewart.com/

Ingredients

Basic Butter Cookie Dough (see below)

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.Fill cookie press, and form cookies on baking sheets according to manufacturer's instructions.
3.If decorating, brush with egg wash, then sprinkle with sugar or sprinkles. Bake until edges are firm (not brown), 10 to 15 minutes. Cool 1 to 2 minutes on baking sheets; cool completely on a rack.
4.Store finished cookies in an airtight container, up to 2 weeks

Basic Butter Cookie Dough

Ingredients

3 cups (spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour

1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut in pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Egg wash, (optional): 1 large egg white, beaten with 2 teaspoons water
Decorating sugar and sprinkles, (optional)

Directions
1.Place flour, sugar, butter, and salt in the bowl of a food processor; process until mixture is the texture of coarse meal.
2.In a small bowl, lightly beat egg yolks and vanilla; with motor running, add to food processor. Process just until a dough forms.

Holiday Challenge Day 18 - Peanut Butter Bon Bons - A Little Bit of Elfin Magic

With only 7 days to go until Christmas, people around the world are abuzz with last minute holiday activity, whether it be baking cookies, sending cards, or buying and wrapping presents.  At the North Pole, I can only imagine that Santa and his elves are busy too, frenetically working to finish the toy making so they can load the sleigh and harness the reindeer in preparation for the most magical night of the year. 

Fortunately, though, not all the elves have been focused on toys, sleighs, and reindeer.  Four of my personal favorites - Ernie (the Keebler elf) and Snap, Crackle and Pop (of Rice Krispie fame) have combined forces in the kitchen, working some elfin outrageousness of their own, namely Graham Peanut Butter Bon Bons, a magical, mouthwatering blend of peanut butter, Rice Krispies, graham cracker crumbs, and confectioners sugar.  All wrapped up in a chocolate coating.  Five ingredients.  No baking.  Minimal muss and fuss.  That's got to be one of the best presents ever, especially if you don't yet have your cards addressed, your presents wrapped, or your tree trimmed - like me!

Graham and Peanut Butter Bon Bons
Makes 44 pieces
Keebler Graham Cracker Crumbs (back of box)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 1/4 cups crunchy peanut butter (you may need up to 1 1/2 cups if the mixture feels dry)
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
12 ounces white or dark chocolate bark coating

Preparation
1.  In large bowl stir together cereal, peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs and confectioners sugar.  Refrigerate for 1 hour. 
2.  Shape crumb mixture into balls, using 1 level tablespoon for each.
3.  In small saucepan melt chocolate bark coating over low heat.  Dip each ball in coating, letting excess chocolate drip off.  Place on wax paper.  Refrigerate at least 20 minutes or until set.  Store in airtight container.

Holiday Challenge Day 17 - Chocolate Thumbprints

 

Day 17...Can you believe it?!  Time sure flies when you're having fun.  Or when you're all hopped up on sugar...Regardless of which it might be, I'm sure you'll agree that the 2009 holiday season seems to be flying by faster than Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve. 

With only 8 days left in the Holiday Challenge, I thought I'd try my hand at making Chocolate Thumbprints.  Again.   Why, I'm not really sure.  Because I've never been particularly enamored of any of the thumbprint recipes that I've baked in the past.  (Just for the record, the execution has been nothing short of flawless, if I do say so myself).  Even the "bonus" of chocolate ganache welled on top of the cookie isn't usually enough to entice me to make or eat them with enthusiasm.  And if you can't eat a cookie with enthusiasm, what's the point of making it?! 

But, I'm all about rooting for the underdog - in sports it's the team that's least likely to win the SuperBowl or the World Series; in baking, it's the cookie that's least likely to end up on the plate left out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.  Surely there had to be something I could do to turn your run-of-the-mill Chocolate Thumbprint from "so-so" to "ho ho ho"! 

And there certainly was.  First, I found a recipe for Chocolate Thumbprints that had you roll the dough in turbinado sugar for a little extra texture and taste.  Then, instead of making the regular chocolate ganache, I made a to-die-for (TO-DIE-FOR!!) chocolate filling that normally makes its home between two homemade oatmeal cookies.  I piped it into the thumbprints on my cookies, and voila, the end result was a Chocolate Thumbprint that was definitely Santa-worthy.  And worthy of a place in my recipe book, too!

Chocolate Thumbprints
Makes about 50 cookies
modified from www. myrecipes.com (Sunset, November 2003)

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Turbinado sugar (also known as "Sugar in the Raw"), approximately 1/3 cup

Chocolate Filling
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
12 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all ingredients and stir over medium heat until chips melt.  (You can also do this in the microwave - I throw it all in a bowl and cook it for a couple of minutes on 3/4 power, stirring frequently, until everything melts together).

Preparation
1. In a bowl, with a mixer on high speed, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla until well blended, scraping sides of bowl as needed.
2. In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, beat flour mixture into butter mixture until well blended. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill until dough is firm but pliable, about 30 minutes.
3. Place about 1/3 cup turbinado sugar in a shallow bowl. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll to coat in turbinado sugar. Place 1 inch apart on buttered 12- by 15-inch baking sheets. Press your thumb into the center of each cookie to make a 1/2-inch-deep imprint.
4. Bake cookies in a 325 degrees until lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. If baking more than one sheet at a time in one oven, switch positions halfway through baking. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool completely (if indentations have disappeared, make them again while cookies are warm).
5. Carefully fill each indentation with about 1/2 tablespoon of chocolate filling (I used a disposable pastry bag without a tip and piped the filling onto each cookie).  Let cool until filling is firm to the touch. 

Holiday Challenge Day 16 - Rugelach...Fingers

Oh dear.  I knew this was going to happen at some point.  It's 7pm and my cookie of the day is just going in the oven.  Which means pictures haven't been taken yet.  Which means my blog post isn't finished yet either.  In fact, it's barely been started.  Which means it's going to be a long night. 

In retrospect,  I guess it was inevitable.  Days here are normally filled with blue skies and sun, so when the beach beckons I can't help but heed the call.  And when that happened this morning, I found myself looking for some kind of compromise that allowed for both baking and beaching.  Because I love the beach.  But at the same time I love a challenge.  And I'm sure as heck not going to give up on this baking challenge, especially since it's one that I imposed myself!

What to do?  What to do?  The challenge for Day 16 was Rugelach, and when I scanned the recipe I was just a wee bit concerned.  Because it makes 80 cookies.  Yikes.  That's 80 individual cookies that you have to sprinkle and cut and roll.  And bake!  Yikes eighty times over.  The only thing I was interested in seeing roll were the waves at the beach!   And even if I made half a batch of Rugelach, I'd be still be stuck rolling and baking 40 crescent-like cookies.  Ugh.

Being a resourceful girl, I decided to apply techniques that I use when I'm in my car and faced with a roadblock or detour on the highway.  When I'm on the road and hit traffic, I inevitably exit the highway to look for a back road or a shortcut that will get me to my destination toute suite.   I'm not sitting in traffic like the rest of you jokers.  I'm going to getter there quicker.  Faster.  Better.  And so the "quicker route" that I came up with as an alternative to traditional rugelach was Martha Stewart's recipe for Rugelach Fingers (a bar version of traditional rugelach).  All the flavor and none of the fuss, right?  What could be more perfect than that?  Because while the dough was chillin' in the fridge, I could be chillin' at the beach.  And then I'd just whip out the cookies when I got home.  Woo hoo!  Break out the sunscreen, Clearwater Beach here I come!

Dear readers, I don't know if you can see the writing on the wall, but let me just admit right here, right now that my "quicker-faster-better-when-faced-with-traffic" technique rarely if ever works.  Because inevitably, I find myself on a back road to a destination unknown, adding minutes (and at times hours) to my trip.   You'd think I'd learn, but I never do.  So, unfortunately, today's Rugelach Fingers "shortcut" wasn't really a shortcut at all.  (Guess I should have given more than a cursory glance to the recipe, huh?!)  The process that I thought would take about 10 minutes took me about four times as long.  Because the walnuts needed toasting.  The chocolate needed pulverized in the food processor.  And (horror of horrors) the dough needed to be rolled.  Precisely.  Or precisely enough to fit into a 13 x 9 pan.  Twice.  And as you may recall from previous posts, the rolling of any dough is not one of my (many and diverse) talents.  So...so much for "quicker, faster, better!".  By the time it was all said and done, it no doubt took me as long to make the Rugelach Fingers as it would to make traditional rugelach.  But despite this little SNAFU, I'm glad I made them anyway.  Because I would never have thought to combine chocolate, walnuts and orange zest (I couldn't find any currants) in the filling. Surprisingly, it was such a perfect trio of ingredients, I couldn't stop eating the filling even before it was in the cookies.  So you can imagine that when it's baked into the flaky and light butter-cream cheese dough, these Rugelach Fingers make a pretty savory snack.  Especially at midnight.  Because that's what time I finished this blog.  Well, not really.  But it feels like it.  And it's midnight somewhere.

Rugelach Fingers

Makes 5 dozen
http://www.marthastewart.com/

1 c. walnuts
1 ½ sticks cold, unsalted butter, cut into ½ in. pieces, plus 3 Tbsp. melted for filling
8 ounces cream cheese
2 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon table salt
6 ounces roughly chopped semisweet chocolate
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
¾ cup currants
Grated zest of 1 orange
3 tablespoons lite corn syrup
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons sanding sugar, or granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread walnuts on a baking sheet; toast until golden and fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

2. Place 1 ½ sticks butter and the cream cheese in a bowl. Mix on low speed until cream cheese is broken down but butter is still chunky. On low speed, add flour and salt, and mix until crumbly and just beginning to hold together, about 20 seconds. There should still be some small pieces of butter visible. Divide dough into two equal parts. Form each part into a flattened rectangle, and wrap in plastic wrap. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill 5 hours or overnight.

3. Place the chocolate in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the chocolate is very finely chopped, about 7 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl. Finely chop toasted walnuts by hand, and add to bowl. Add sugar, cinnamon, currants, zest, corn syrup, and melted butter, and combine by hand. Beat egg yolk with the water and set aside.

4. Have ready a 9 x 13 baking pan lined with parchment paper. Place one rectangle of dough between 2-9 x 13 inch pieces of waxed paper; roll dough into a rectangle the size of a baking pan. Line prepared baking pan with dough. Spread dough evenly with walnut mixture. Roll remaining rectangle of dough into a rectangle the size of the baking pan; place on top. Trim the edges of the dough so they are even. Brush the top of dough with egg yolk mixture, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden, about 35 minutes, rotating halfway through. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into 50 or 60 2 ½ x ¾ inch rectangles.

Holiday Challenge Day 15 - 7 Layer Bars

7 Layer Bars.  Magic Cookie Bars.  Hello Dollys.  Regardless of what you and yours call them, they're always a hit, whether you take them to a cookie exchange, share them with your coworkers, or keep them all for yourself, eating them over the kitchen sink in the middle of the night, under the cover of darkness. (We all do it.  Don't be ashamed if you do too.)

A quick search on the internet will reveal dozens of spinoffs of the 7 Layer Bar recipe.  Magic Cookie Bars and Hello Dollys only have six layers and don't include butterscotch chips. One recipe I saw was for a bar cookie with only 3 layers.  And do you know what that's called, my baking brethren?!  That's called L-A-Z-Y, lazy.  Because if you modify 7 Layer Bars to have only three layers, you're left with the bare essentials of butter, graham cracker crumbs and sweetened condensed milk.  Does that a cookie make?  I don't think so!  I'm all for simplifying things, but that's just ridiculous.  Especially when you're working with a recipe like this that allows for so much flexibility when it comes to the ingredients that you use.

I am not one to fly by the seat of my pants in the kitchen.  I like having a detailed recipe, and I like following it.  Because I, for one, really enjoy the precision of baking - the careful weighing and measuring that's needed to produce optimal results. There is comfort in knowing that A plus B will equal C.  So the thought of using a recipe that gives me some "creative license" makes me want to break out into a cold sweat.    But, truly, I think even I could modify this recipe with success.  It's simple really.  As long as you stick with the basic butter/graham cracker crumb crust and top everything with the sweetened condensed milk, you're really free to add, subtract, or substitute to your liking.  Don't like nuts?  No problem!  Only have white or milk chocolate chips?  No sweat!  They may not end up being true "7 Layer Bars", but I will venture a guess that people will be too busy eating them to notice.

Below is the original 7 Layer Bar recipe.  Beneath it, I've also included a recipe (from the back of the box of Keebler graham cracker crumbs) for another version, Magic Raspberry Cookie Bars. I didn't make a batch of these myself (because I refused to go back to the store for raspberry preserves), but I bet they'd be good.

7 Layer Bars
Makes 2 dozen bars

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup nuts (walnuts or pecans)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup coconut
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Layer all ingredients (in order given) in 13" x 9" x 2" pan.  Bake for 25 minutes or until golden.  Cool and cut into squares.


Magic Raspberry Cookie Bars
Makes 24 bars

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine or butter, melted
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/4 cups seedless red raspberry preserves
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

In small bowl, combine crumbs and sugar.  Add margarine or butter.  Toss until combined.  Press onto bottom of 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan.  Evenly drizzle sweetened condensed milk over crumbs.  Refrigerate for 10 minutes.  Spoon preserves over top.  Sprinkle with coconut and nuts.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown.  Cool completely.  Cut into bars.  Store, loosely covered, at room temperature.

Holiday Challenge Day 14 - Cookie Dough Truffles

Please note that these are, in fact, chocolate chip cookie dough truffles.  Apparently

the chocolate chips were a bit camera shy, because although I bit into several trying to get

a good "cross section" to photograph, not one chip revealed itself. 

Back in the good old days of making chocolate chip cookies, no one really worried about the potential dangers of salmonella from consuming dough with raw eggs in it.  At least we never did.  So many a day my brother and I would excitedly gather 'round the mixing bowl, jockeying for the best position to claim the wooden spoons when the mixing was done.  Clutching them tightly in hand, we'd lick the spoons free of every last vestige of dough.  (If you thought Jake (the dog) could lick a bowl clean, well you've never seen Mike, me, and a bowl with the remains of a batch of cookie dough.)  Mmm.  So good!  Even to this day I enjoy eating chocolate chip cookie dough more than I enjoy the cookies themselves. 

If you, too, enjoy raw chocolate chip cookie dough, I'm pretty sure you'll adore these truffles, which perfectly mimic the texture and flavor of the real thing.   I opted to make mine without nuts, so I just increased the amount of mini chocolate chips to compensate for the difference.   And while the recipe says to roll the dough into balls immediately after mixing, I chose to refrigerate the dough until it was stiff (which made it much more manageable).  I used a small ice cream scoop to portion out the dough, rolled each portion into a ball by hand, and refrigerated them again for an hour or so prior to dipping them in chocolate.

Cookie Dough Truffles
Makes 5 dozen
Foodnetwork.com (Paula Deen recipe)

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate morsels
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 1/2 pounds chocolate bark candy coating, melted

Directions
In a large bowl cream butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add
vanilla. Gradually beat in flour.  Add milk. Add chocolate morsels and pecans, mixing well. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place on waxed paper; chill 2 hours.

*Cook's Note: Since the dough is sticky, roll your fingers into flour. This will make it easier to roll.

Melt chocolate bark candy coating in a double boiler. Using 2 forks, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Place on waxed paper and chill to set. Store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Holiday Challenge Day 13 - Sour Cream Pound Cake

Hypothetically, wouldn't it be awesome if you could eat an entire pound cake and only gain a pound?  (Yes, it would no doubt make you sick, but I'm speaking in hypotheticals here).   Regrettably, that's never the case, though, is it?  In fact, you know the old saying, "A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips."?  Sadly, I am living proof that it is, indeed, a fact.  I have a sneaking suspicion that my hips are still toting around the cream cheese pound cake I made for Christmas ten years ago.  And the fudge from five years ago.  And the chocolate cream pie from three years ago.  And...well, you get the picture.  So, while my fat cells scream for joy each time I whip up another decadent dessert or sweet treat, I'm trying really hard not to bake (and eat) so much that I'll be screaming in horror when (if) I step on the scale January 2nd. 

I'm sure it's no surprise to any of you that most pound cakes are laden with butter, sugar, eggs, sour cream or cream cheese, and usually lots of it.  "Why, of course," you say, "That's what makes them taste so good!"  I agree.  Wholeheartedly.  I just love a thick slice of dense, moist pound cake, especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or drenched in chocolate fondue.   But surely there has to be some kind of culinary compromise, something both pleasing to the taste and to the waistline.  The question at hand?  Can I have my (pound) cake and eat it too? 

Well, with this recipe courtesy of Cooking Light, I pretty much can.  I am not going to lie to you and say, "Oh it's every bit as good as the original!!  I couldn't taste the difference at all!!"  Because you would know I was lying.  And I've been too good this year to risk getting coal in my stocking.  So, let's be honest.  The simple fact of the matter is that when you replace butter with margarine, use egg substitute instead of whole eggs, and swap out full-fat sour cream for low-fat, it's kind of inevitable that the texture and the flavor will change.  But don't get me wrong.  This pound cake, with it's sweet, lightly crusted top and moist, delicately dense interior (because how, pray tell, do you describe a light pound cake?!) is a pretty good substitute for the real thing, either au naturel or paired with your favorite topping. 

Sour Cream Poundcake
Yield: 24 servings (serving size: 1 slice)
Cooking Light, November/December 1993

Ingredients
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) margarine, softened*
1 1/3 cups egg substitute
1 1/2 cups low-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cooking spray

*Note: I must admit that while I was okay with using low-fat sour cream and egg substitute, I would not, could not use margarine instead of butter.  Call me a rebel.  (And, yes, I do know that at least in part defeats the purpose of trying to make a "light" pound cake)


Preparation
Preheat oven to 325°.  Beat sugar and margarine at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Gradually add egg substitute, beating well.  Combine sour cream and baking soda. Stir well; set aside. Combine flour and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in vanilla.  Pour batter into a 10-inch tube pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. My pound cake was done in about 75 minutes, so you may want to watch the time carefully. 

Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan. Let cool completely on a wire rack. 

Note: Eight egg whites can be used in place of egg substitute, if desired. Add one at a time to sugar mixture.

Nutritional Information
Calories:250 (28% from fat)
Fat:7.7g (sat 2.3g,mono 3.1g,poly 1.9g)
Protein:3.5g
Carbohydrate:41.9g
Fiber:0.0g
Cholesterol:6mg
Iron:1.8mg
Sodium:170mg
Calcium:25mg

Holiday Challenge Day 12 - Shortbread

I know what you're thinking.  Wow!!  Not one, not two, but THREE different shortbreads showcased in one blog post.  Yes, my awed audience.  It's true.  Because I am just that good. Ha ha ha.  In reality, that couldn't be further from the truth.  Reality is that I needed a contingency plan of different options in case my attempts at making basic shortbread didn't pan out. 

After a horrifyingly unsuccessful attempt at baking some a few weeks ago, I've been having nightmares about "Shortbread Saturday".  In fact, I've been so stressed about it as of late that I've been waking with an upset stomach too.  Okay, yes, it is possible that my stomach woes are from the peppermint bark.  The pecan tartlets.  The surprise cookies.  The millionaire shortbread.  Maybe the pecan-rolo-pretzel turtles or the chinese chews.  Perhaps even the coconut sandwich cookies or the popcorn brittle.  I could be in denial.  But it is possible that my gastronomic grief could be due to the stress of turning out some succulent shortbread, no?

My original intent for today was to just make a batch of classic shortbread.  Simple and unassuming, it doesn't require sprinkles, red hots, jams, jellies or frostings to taste good.   It just does, in all of it's buttery, flaky goodness.  But, as mentioned earlier, I've had some challenges with the traditional variety.  So I decided to first try my hand at Coconut Shortbread, which proved both easy on technique and pleasing to the palate.  Score!  Shortbread:  0.  Me:  1.

Fresh off my victory with it's coconut cousin, I moved forward and tried my hand at Espresso-Chocolate Shortbread.   Although the technique for this recipe was slightly different, it too, was easy to make.  Putting the dough in a resealable bag and rolling it prior to refrigerating is a stroke of sheer genius.   I only tasted a wee little piece, but I'd venture to say that this recipe has potential.  Especially if it was dipped partially in chocolate.  For those of you keeping score...Shortbread:  0.  Me:  2. 

With a mix of excitement and trepidation, I moved on to Challenger #3, Classic  Shortbread.  Sometimes, it seems, the most unassuming of things can be the most intimidating.  Such was the case with this.  At times I found myself with sweaty palms, holding the rolling pin in a death grip of anxiety.  But, I had received a great deal of coaching, and a tried and true family recipe, along with assurances that numerous friends and family had made this shortbread time and time again with success.  So I had the benefit of both good genes and a good recipe in my favor.  Right?  Right!  The dough was easy to mix, and equally easy to roll and cut.  It didn't spread while baking.  And it came out golden and perfect (except for the tray that I left in a little too long while writing this post.  Oops.).

Final score?  Shortbread:  0.  Me:  3.  Woo woo!  I'm the WINNAH!!  And how does it feel, you ask, when the "agony of defeat" is replaced by the "thrill of victory"?  In one word, it's SWEET!!

Coconut Shortbread
Makes 2 dozen
(Note:  If you cut this as directed, the wedges are huge and no mere mortal could eat a whole one by themself without getting a stomach ache.  So you may want to cut this in smaller pieces...)

4 cups flaked coconut
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate morsels, melted (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat first six ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until dry ingredients are moistened. Press dough evenly into 2 lightly greased 9-inch tart pans or cakepans.

Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes (or until cool enough to cut without burning your fingers!). Cut each shortbread into 12 wedges. Place wedges on a large ungreased baking sheet; bake 5 more minutes or until crisp. Remove to wire racks to cool. Trim coconut from edges of shortbread; drizzle with melted chocolate, if desired.

To make ahead: Place baked and cooled shortbread wedges between layers of wax paper in an airtight container, and freeze up to one month, if desired. Bring to room temperature and drizzle with melted chocolate before serving.

Espresso-Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
Makes 32 cookies
www.smittenkitchen.com
Adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon boiling water
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, or 3/4 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

1. Dissolve the espresso in the boiling water, and set aside to cool to tepid.
2. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth. Beat in the vanilla and espresso, then reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, mixing only until it disappears into the dough. Don’t work the dough much once the flour is incorporated. Fold in the chopped chocolate with a sturdy rubber spatula.
3. Using the spatula, transfer the soft, sticky dough to a gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9 x 10 1/2 inch rectangle that’s 1/4 inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn’t cause creases. When you get the right size and thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or for up to 2 days.
4. Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
5. Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the firm dough out onto the board (discard the bag) and, using a ruler as a guide and a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch squares. Transfer the squares to the baking sheets and carefully prick each one twice with a fork, gently pushing the tines through the cookies until they hit the sheet.
6. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The shortbreads will be very pale–they shouldn’t take on much color. Transfer the cookies to a rack.
7. If you’d like, dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar while they are still hot. Cool the cookies to room temperature before serving.

(Classic) Shortbread
Make about 2 dozen triangles
Time-Life Foods of the World Recipes: The Cooking of the British Isles (1969)

1 cup superfine sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter
5 cups all-purpose flour, sifted before measuring

Preheat the oven to 350°. Using a pastry brush, coat a large baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of the softened butter. Set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat the 1 pound of butter and the cup of sugar together at high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then reduce the speed to medium and beat in the flour, a cup at a time; continue beating until the mixture is smooth. (To make the dough by hand, cream the 1
pound of butter and the sugar together by beating and mashing them against the sides of a mixing bowl with a large spoon until the mixture becomes fluffy. Add the flour, a cup at a time, beating well after each addition. If the dough becomes stiff to stir, knead in the remaining flour with your hands.)

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle roughly 10 inches long by 8 inches wide and about l/2 inch thick. With a ruler and a pastry wheel or a small, sharp knife, cut the rectangle lengthwise into four 2-inchwide strips, and make crisscrossing diagonal cuts at 2x2-inch intervals across them to form small triangles (or you can just use cookie cutters).  Prick the pieces all over with the tines of a fork, making an even pattern of tiny holes on the surface. Arrange the triangles on the baking sheet and bake in the middle of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch and delicately browned. With a wide metal spatula, transfer the triangles to cake racks to cool completely. If desired, drizzle or dip in melted chocolate.  Shortbread will keep for 2 or 3 weeks in tightly covered jars or tins.

Holiday Challenge Day 11 - Peppermint Bark

I don't know about the rest of you, but even though I bake quite a bit, I'm really only familiar with a couple of types of bark.  Despite my woeful lack of knowledge on the subject, the internet will tell you that bark actually comes in a  multitude of different varieties.  Some are laden with fruits, nuts, pretzels or candies.  Others are chock full of chuffs, woofs, and whines.  (Ha ha ha - dog humor - love it).  And guess which one I know best?!

Although I could regale you with "Tales from the Bark Side", this blog is about baking.  And that means the bark we'll be discussing today is Peppermint Bark, not the bark that emanates from my overindulged and much loved canine companion, Jake. 

A classic holiday treat, Peppermint Bark is surprisingly easy to make, requiring only a handful of ingredients and less than a half hour of prep time.  And yes, this was me, throwing myself another proverbial bone. Because as much as I love to bake, I never bake every day.  I needed a little break, or by Day 24, I'll be making Buche du Noel from Yodels snack cakes instead of from scratch!

At the risk of offending die-hard bakers everywhere, I'll admit that I tried to make the process as simple as possible.  So instead of venturing out to buy a hunk of premium chocolate and chopping it, I used high quality chocolate chips (both white and semi-sweet) instead.  And I didn't melt the chocolate in a double boiler.  I melted it in the microwave.  The end result?  A decadent blend of chocolate and peppermint - some pretty dandy candy, if I do say so myself!

Peppermint Bark
Makes about 2 pounds
adapted from Foodnetwork.com (Paula Deen recipe)

1 cup crushed candy canes (or starlight mints)
2 pounds white chocolate
1 pound semi sweet chocolate (if you want a dark chocolate layer on top)
Peppermint flavoring (optional)

Place starlight mints or candy canes into a plastic bag and break into small pieces.  Melt white chocolate in a double boiler. Combine peppermint candy chunks with white chocolate, and add peppermint flavoring at this point, if desired (although the original recipe did not indicate an amount, other recipes recommend 1/2 -1 teaspoon of flavoring). Pour mixture onto a cookie sheet layered with parchment or waxed paper and place in the refrigerator for 45 minutes or until firm.   Note:  After the white chocolate layer had hardened, I melted the semi-sweet chocolate, let it cool slightly, and spread it on top, refrigerating for an additional 30 minutes (or until firm).  Remove from cookie sheet and break into pieces (like peanut brittle.)

Holiday Challenge Day 10 - Pecan Tassies

Pie.  Pie.  Pie.  I love pie.  And really, who doesn't?  Apple, blueberry, chocolate, pumpkin, rhubarb - it comes in so many different varieties, there's one for virtually every taste, whether you like it sweet or tart, custardy or fruity.  With ice cream, with whipped cream, or all by its lonesome, pie is a regular staple on most people's holiday dessert tables, including my own. 


Growing up, mine was a family of pie lovers (we even ate it for breakfast!), but as a Connecticut Yankee, it wasn't til I crossed the Mason-Dixon line that I was introduced to the wonders of pecan pie.  And wondrous it is!  Sweet and nutty with a flaky crust, it's no wonder it's a Southern holiday dessert favorite.


Seeing as it's also one of my favorites, you'd think I'd be writing about making pecan pie during my holiday challenge.  But the sad truth is that like Superman with kryptonite, pie dough brings me to my knees, rendering me powerless and a wee peevish to boot.  So, in an effort to maintain an aura of holiday cheer, I instead share with you this recipe for Pecan Tassies, miniature versions of pecan pie, and every bit as good. 


Pecan Tassies
Makes 2 dozen
Planters.com
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup flour
1 egg
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
3 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted


Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add flour; mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or until chilled.


Preheat oven to 350°F. Divide dough into 24 balls. Place one ball in each of 24 miniature muffin pan cups; press onto bottoms and up sides of cups to form shells. Set aside. Beat egg lightly in small bowl. Add sugar and vanilla; mix well. Stir in pecans. Spoon evenly into pastry shells, filling each shell three-fourths full.


Bake 25 min. or until lightly browned. Let stand 5 min. in pans; remove to wire racks. Cool completely. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Let stand until set.

Holiday Challenge Day 9 - Surprise Cookies

 As snow and ice pummel parts of the country, I find myself waxing nostalgic about winters spent growing up in Northeast Connecticut (while simultaneously thanking my lucky stars that in Florida, the temperature makes it possible for me to write this while wearing shorts and flip flops). 

Although I'm glad to live in a warm climate now, back when I was a kid, there was nothing I looked forward to more in winter than a snow day from school.  Stoked at the thought of staying home, and oblivious to the frequently bitter chill in the air, my brother and I would don our jackets, snow pants, boots and mittens and eagerly head outside for a day of play.  Snowball fights, snow fort building, sledding and tobogganing ceased only for the occasional trip back inside for fresh mittens, a bite to eat, or a warm beverage.  Too young for hot buttered rum or a nip of Rumplemints (hee hee), we settled for cups of steaming hot cocoa instead...a few mini marshmallows on top, and ahh...nirvana!

If you, like me, still find the medley of chocolate and marshmallow irresistible, the only surprise about this cookie is it's name.  After all, with a delightful combination of cake-like chocolate cookie, marshmallow, and chocolate buttercream frosting, it's no surprise at all that they're so good. 

Surprise Cookies
Makes 2 1/2 dozen
Martha Stewart Cookies

For the cookies:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (not Dutch-process)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
About 15 marshmallows, halved crosswise

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
3. Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix in flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, until combined.
4. Using a 1 3/4 inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately press a marshmallow half on top of each cookie. Bake until marshmallows begin to melt, 2 minutes or more. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.

For the frosting:
3 cups confectioners sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Put confectioners sugar in a medium bowl.  Melt butter with the cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.  Add butter mixture to the confectioners sugar.  Whisk in milk and vanilla. 

Assemble the Cookies:
Spread about 1 tablespoon of frosting on top of each cookie to cover marshmallow.  Let stand until set, about 10 minutes.  Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 days.

Holiday Challenge Day 8 - Gingerbread White Chocolate Blondies

I guess it's true what they say - we eat with our eyes first, and we're more inclined to eat things that are visually appealing.  I totally get it - I'm a faithful practitioner of the "see food" diet.  However, in the instance of gingerbread, I usually see it and shake my head in woe.  But when my eyes hit upon a picture of these Gingerbread White Chocolate Blondies, I could practically taste them (and I mean that in a good way) - with just one look.  So I knew they had to be included in my holiday challenge.  I'll admit it's a good thing that Martha Stewart Cookies has photos with each recipe, because if I was making decisions based on names alone, this would never have made the list.  In fact, it wouldn't have even been a contender.  Because a gingerbread lover I am not. 

Sure, I think gingerbread is fantastic in the form of prettily decorated houses during the holidays, or as the Gingerbread Man featured in the classic fairy tale, or Gingy, the adorable talking gingerbread sidekick in the Shrek movies.  But generally that's where my fondness for the bread of ginger stops.  You know how they say some experiences early in life shape your future?  It's true. Case in point, the squares of gingerbread they used to serve with a dollop of Cool Whip in the elementary school cafeteria. Every time I think of gingerbread, that's what comes to mind, and appetizing it was not.  I am nothing if not a girl who loves her sweets, but even I (at the tender age of seven or eight) knew enough to leave the stuff alone.  I may run after the ice cream truck when I see it, but I wouldn't be caught dead running after the Gingerbread Man. 

Luckily, these blondies are a distant cousin of traditional gingerbread.  Their flavor reminds me of my favorite ginger cookie, reborn as a bar, with the added bonus of white chocolate chunks.  I could barely wait for them to finish baking before I was cutting into them for a taste.  And I can tell you, these blondies I would run after.  Okay, maybe not run.  That's a bit ambitious.  But I'd definitely walk fast.

Gingerbread White Chocolate Blondies
Makes 4 dozen
Martha Stewart Cookies

2 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1 3/4 cups coarsely chopped best quality white chocolate (10 ounces)
Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a 12 x 17-inch rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.  Spray the parchment and set aside.

2.  Whisk together flour, soda, salt and spices in a bowl.

3.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until creamy and pale, about 3 minutes.  Add eggs and egg yolk one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Add vanilla and molasses and mix on medium speed until combined.  Add flour mixture on low speed until combined.  Stir in white chocolate.

4.  Spread batter evenly into prepared pan and bake until golden on edges, about 25 minutes.  Let cool completely in pan; cut into 2-inch squares.  Blondies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 week.

Holiday Challenge Day 7 - Coconut Sandwich Cookies

Gilligan's Island used to be one of my very favorite tv shows when I was growing up.  I think my brother and I watched it at least once a day, every day.  Although back then I was always wildly amused by Gilligan's shenanigans, I must say that in retrospect, Mary Ann really deserved some serious "props" of her own.  Because who do you know that can whip up coconut cream pie with no modern kitchen conveniences to speak of? Sure, you can cook the custard part of a cream pie over a fire (I mean really, who can't do that?!), but how many people do you know that can bake a crust over open flame?  That, my friends, is a talent, and an enviable one at that. 

I have no doubt that if Mary Ann had a real oven, a cow, and a well stocked pantry, she would have baked these delicious coconut cookies for Gilligan, the Skipper, and the rest of the castaways. They're so appetizing, I bet if she'd offered some to the cannibals, she'd have had them eating out of her hand in no time (as opposed to them trying to eat her hand, of course).

Coconut Sandwich Cookies
Makes 30
Martha Stewart
 2 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (7 ounces) sweetened shredded coconut (about 2 1/4 cups)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks set in upper and lower thirds.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.  Place 1/2 cup coconut into a small bowl; set aside.  Place remaining coconut in a food processor; pulse until coarsely ground.  Set aside.

2.  Using an electric mixer, beat butter with sugars until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and ground coconut; mix just until combined. 

3.  Drop by level tablespoons onto two baking sheets, 1 to 2 inches apart.  Bake until lightly golden around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.  Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

4.  Dividing evenly, spread filling on flat side of half the cookies; sandwich with remaining cookies.  Roll edges in reserved coconut and chill until ready to serve.

Creamy Vanilla Filling:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Using an electric mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy. With mixer on medium, beat in confectioners sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, scraping down bowl as necessary. Add vanilla; increase speed to high and beat until filling is light and fluffy, 5 minutes.

(Photo of Gilligan courtesy of www.fanpix.net)

Holiday Challenge Day 6 - Angel Wings...At Times, A Devilish Debacle

I was awakened relatively early this morning by a rumbly in my tumbly (please be assured, faithful followers, that this was indeed from hunger and not from a bout of food poisoning or stomach flu).  Remembering the Angel Wings dough I had made the night before, I excitedly got out of bed, put on a pot of coffee, and pulled out the recipe book, all in preparation for a breakfast of warm, tender, flaky cookies enhanced by the subtle, simple flavors of cinnamon and sugar.  Kind of like cinnamon and sugar toast, but all grown up. 

The recipe is really quite simple - the dough is comprised of only 3 ingredients, and to make the cookies themselves, you roll the dough out and then roll it up with cinnamon and sugar, slice and bake.  A little time in the refrigerator and freezer are required, but that's about it.  Easy, peasy, right?  Yeah, yeah, "easy peasy lemon squeezy" my a**.  I happened to find it just a wee bit tedious, and the process of rolling the chilled dough into a rectangle somewhat challenging.  But once I got them in the oven, I fully expected to tame those rumblies with some tasty little morsels, spitting images of the photo that accompanied the recipe.  And perhaps I would have...if I hadn't fallen asleep on the couch while baking the first batch.  Not for long, mind you, but just long enough for them to emerge from the oven looking like victims of a tanning booth tragedy.  I of course had to eat one anyway, just well, just because.  While baking the second batch, I tried to figure out what the recipe meant by "turn the cookies".  Did it mean turn the pan?  Or turn the cookies over?  I chose to turn over.  They came out moderately brown, flaky, and crispy.  Not bad, but still not the texture I imagined, and I thought they needed more cinnamon and sugar.  So...if you're counting, I am about to begin batch number three.  To which I liberally applied cinnamon and sugar, and did not flip, just rotated the pan after 12 minutes.  Hmm.  Not bad, but still browner and crispier than what I expected.  And honestly folks, I have no idea what happened with batch number four.  It's all a blur.   One minute I was shoving the last sheet of cookies into the oven, the next I was trying to remove said cooled cookies from a pan to which they had stuck. Like glue.  Like Super Glue. 

In all honesty I thought for a minute about having an "emergency substitution" for the Angel Wings blog post, because I really didn't want to admit that this turned out to be a devilish debacle rather than a heavenly baking experience.  Like I told one friend, I have a reputation to uphold as an awesome cookie baker!  If word of these got 'round, well, it could ruin me in an instant!  But, in retrospect, I won't say my efforts were completely in vain, because for the most part you could see a vague resemblance between my cookies and their photogenic counterparts.  And they actually tasted pretty good (I managed to "choke down" half a dozen or so trying to determine if I really liked them or not).  While I expected them to have a cookie-like texture, they truly are more like a light and crispy pastry.  Which, in retrospect, really does make them perfect for breakfast. 

Angel Wings
Makes approximately 3 dozen
Taste of Home Best Loved Cookies & Bars (2009)

1 cup cold butter, cubed
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sour cream
10 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
Colored sugar (optional)

In a large bowl, cut butter into flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in sour cream.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead 6-8 times or until the mixture holds together.  Shape into four balls; flatten slightly.  Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Unwrap a ball.  Sprinkle 2 tablespoons granulated sugar on waxed paper; coat all sides of ball with sugar.  Roll dough into a 12" x 5" rectangle between two sheets of waxed paper.  Removed top sheet of waxed paper.  Sprinkle dough with 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon (I sprinkled it with a combination of cinnamon and sugar).  Lightly mark a line down the center of the dough, making two 6" x 5" rectangles. 

Starting with a short side, roll up jelly-roll style to center mark; peel waxed paper away while rolling.  Repeat with other short side.  Wrap in plastic wrap; freeze for 30 minutes.  Repeat the process with the remaining 3 balls of dough.

Place remaining sugar (or colored sugar, if desired) on waxed paper.  Unwrap one roll of dough.  Cut into 1/2" slices.  Taking each slice, dip both sides in the sugar.  Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Turn the cookies (based on the look of the photo in the book, I am assuming this is turn the pan, not flip the cookies); bake 5-8 minutes longer. 
Remove to wire racks to cool.