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Making some Xmas cookies today -- just the basics though. My next day off will be Thursday, and I thought I'd make some of those types you decorate with icing then. Those of us what have to work Xmas Eve are having a Pot-Luck Dessert, so I'm going to take some of each of the cookies.
Here are my recipes:
Date Balls
Ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup white sugar
1 cup chopped dates
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon butter
3 cups crispy rice cereal
1 cup flaked coconut
Directions:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the eggs sugar and dates. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Mix in crispy rice cereal. Butter hands and roll the mixture into walnut sized balls. Roll the balls in coconut. These also store well in tightly covered containers.
Chocolate Meringue Biscuits
Ingredients:
3 large egg whites - at room temperature
1/3 teaspoonful cream of tartar
1/3 cup sugar
Optional:
1/2 teaspoonful almond extract
1/2 cup ground blanched almonds
4 ounces semisweet chocolate
Directions:
In a bowl with electric mixer, beat egg whites at moderate speed until they are foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until the whites hold soft peaks. Add the sugar a little at a time - if desired, add almond extract also - and beat meringue until it holds very stiff peaks. Then fold in almonds, if desired, a little at a time.
Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (attach it to the sheets by putting a dab of meringue on the underside of each corner). Drop rounded teaspoons of the meringue - or pipe from pastry bag if desired - 2 inches apart on the sheets. Bake on the lower third of preheated very low oven - 200 degrees - for 45-50 minutes or until firm and dry. Loosen meringues from paper with the tip of a small knife.
At this point, you may store the meringues in airtight containers for up to two weeks.
Prepare the biscuits by spreading a thin layer of the chocolate, melted and cooled, onto the bottom of each meringue and attaching two meringues bottom to bottom (this makes a nut-shaped biscuit) - do not allow filling to harden before sandwiching the meringues together. Transfer biscuits to a rack in a cool, dry spot and let stand for one hour, or until chocolate is hard.
and the Thursday set:
Christmas Ornament Cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup molasses
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup butter
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Cream 1/2 cup of butter or margarine. Add brown sugar and beat. Beat in egg and molasses. In a separate bowl, combine 2 3/4 cups of flour, soda and spices. Add to butter mixture. Blend well.
Roll dough out 1/8 inch thick on floured surface. Cut into shapes. Bake for 6-8 minutes.
To Make Frosting: Cream 1/3 cup butter. Gradually add 2 cups sifted confectioners sugar, 1 tablespoon milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until smooth. Put in a pastry bag with small tip and decorate cookies.
Here are my recipes:
Date Balls
Ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup white sugar
1 cup chopped dates
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon butter
3 cups crispy rice cereal
1 cup flaked coconut
Directions:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the eggs sugar and dates. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Mix in crispy rice cereal. Butter hands and roll the mixture into walnut sized balls. Roll the balls in coconut. These also store well in tightly covered containers.
Chocolate Meringue Biscuits
Ingredients:
3 large egg whites - at room temperature
1/3 teaspoonful cream of tartar
1/3 cup sugar
Optional:
1/2 teaspoonful almond extract
1/2 cup ground blanched almonds
4 ounces semisweet chocolate
Directions:
In a bowl with electric mixer, beat egg whites at moderate speed until they are foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until the whites hold soft peaks. Add the sugar a little at a time - if desired, add almond extract also - and beat meringue until it holds very stiff peaks. Then fold in almonds, if desired, a little at a time.
Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (attach it to the sheets by putting a dab of meringue on the underside of each corner). Drop rounded teaspoons of the meringue - or pipe from pastry bag if desired - 2 inches apart on the sheets. Bake on the lower third of preheated very low oven - 200 degrees - for 45-50 minutes or until firm and dry. Loosen meringues from paper with the tip of a small knife.
At this point, you may store the meringues in airtight containers for up to two weeks.
Prepare the biscuits by spreading a thin layer of the chocolate, melted and cooled, onto the bottom of each meringue and attaching two meringues bottom to bottom (this makes a nut-shaped biscuit) - do not allow filling to harden before sandwiching the meringues together. Transfer biscuits to a rack in a cool, dry spot and let stand for one hour, or until chocolate is hard.
and the Thursday set:
Christmas Ornament Cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup molasses
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup butter
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Cream 1/2 cup of butter or margarine. Add brown sugar and beat. Beat in egg and molasses. In a separate bowl, combine 2 3/4 cups of flour, soda and spices. Add to butter mixture. Blend well.
Roll dough out 1/8 inch thick on floured surface. Cut into shapes. Bake for 6-8 minutes.
To Make Frosting: Cream 1/3 cup butter. Gradually add 2 cups sifted confectioners sugar, 1 tablespoon milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until smooth. Put in a pastry bag with small tip and decorate cookies.