Lets start with.....
Divinity. These lovely feather light candies are rarely seen, but they're quite phenomenal. Hints of vanilla with a crunch of nut...to die for. Here's what you'll need.
2 2/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup of water
2 Large Egg Whites
1 tsp of vanilla
2/3 cups of chopped pecans
Cook sugar, syrup and water over lowheat. Stir constantly until sugar is dissolved. Continue cooking without stirring until 260* is reached on a candy themometer.
In separate bowl, beat egg whites to hard peaks, then beat in syrup mixture into egg whites. Beat approximately 10 minutes. Add vanilla. Beat until it holds shapes. Fold in nuts.
Drop from buttered spoon onto wax paper, let stand 5 hours.
Cookies:
This whole section is dedicated to the cookie. I've linked in the chocolate chip, egg free chocolate drop cookies, russian tea cakes and PB cookies for convience as well. But here are two of my favorites!
Double Chocolate Dreams:
5 oz unsweetened chocolate chopped
1/2lb of semi sweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into four pieces
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups plus two tblsps flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Melt the unsweetened chocolate and 4 oz of the semisweet chocolate and butter in saucepan.
Using a whisk, beat eggs and sugar for 10 minutes. Add vanilla and melted chocolate; mix until well blended.
Fold in remaining ingredients and remaining chopped chocolate. Refridgerate 1.5hours. By spoonfuls, drop cookies onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350* for 15minutes. Let cool on cookie sheet for five minutes before moving to wire rack.
Cut outs:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 large egg
2 1/2 cups of flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tarter
Mix powdered sugar, butter, vanilla and almond extract and egg in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and refridgerate for at least two hours.
Lightly grease cookie sheets. Preheat oven to 375*.
Divide dough in half. Roll 1/4 inch thickness on well floured surface. Cut and bake 7-8 minutes. Remove cookies immediately and let cool before frosting.
Sugar Cookie Frosting:
1 cup of powdered sugar
2 tsps milk
2 tsps corn syrup
1/4 tsp almond extract ( I also know folks that use vanilla, or lemon extract)
In small bowl, stir together sugar and milk. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing smooth and glossy. If you want a thicker frosting....add more sugar. Want a thinner one? Use 1 tsp milk and 1 tsp corn syrup until you get to your desired consistency.
Peanut Butter Bars:
1 1/2 cups of crushed graham crackers
1 stick of butter
1 lb of powdered sugar
1 cup of peanut butter
1 stick of butter
12oz chocolate chips
Mix PB, 1 stick of butter, graham crackers and powdered sugar. Press firmly into a 13x9 pan.
Melt 1 stick of butter with the chocolate chips. Pour over top. Refridgerate until firm. Cut into bars.
Gingerbread Men:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup of shortening
1 1/2 cups dark molasses
2/3 cup cold water
7 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp all spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
Mix brown sugar, shortening, molasses and water in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. If your batter looks too crumbly, try adding some water and beat with a mixer. It should be somewhat stiff, but not crumbly.
Cover and chill for 1.5 hours. Roll 1/4 inch thick, cut, place about two inches apart from each other on the cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. A good rule of thumb with these, is if you can touch them and there isn't an indentation left, then they're done. They need to have just enough give to them as they seem to keep baking even after they come out of the oven. Cool on a wire rack.
A little note with this recipe, you will have PLENTY of dough for a few dozen gingerbread men and even a small house. So don't double it unless you've got a lot of gingerbread lovers in your home.
Snickerdoodles:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cream of tarter
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
2 Tblsps sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
In a medium mixing bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1 cup sugar, baking soda and cream of tarter. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you with the mixer. Grab the heavy duty mixing spoon....stir in the remaining flour. Cover and chill for 1 hour.
Combine the 2 Tblsps sugar and the cinnamon. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll balls in sugar-cinnamon mixture to coat. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375* for about 10 minutes until they're lightly golden on the edges. Remove from sheet and let cool on wire rack.
Clothes pin cookies/Mini Cream Horns (My Favorite!)
These are a slight pain to make, but well worth the effort. If you have no self discipline, click that tiny X at the upper right hand corner and don't ever come back to this post ;) But if you're like me and have no shame....here you go...
About 100 wooden clothes pins, the old school ones, without the metal springs.
Pastry:
4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon butter or 1 tablespoon margarine
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
2 cups shortening
Filling:
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup shortening
1 tablespoon vanilla
CRUST: Mix flour, salt, powdered sugar, and butter for pie dough; then add beaten egg and water to mixture. Roll on a floured surface and spread 1 cup shortening on top of dough, fold up and place in fridge for 30 minutes. Roll out dough again on floured surface and spread remaining cup of shortening on top, fold and place in fridge for 2 hours. Roll out small batch of dough on floured surface (I divide dough into fourths).Cut into 6 x 1/2-inch strips and spiral wrap around clothes pins (overlap the dough, don't leave spaces).Bake on ungreased cookie sheets for 12-15 minutes at 370°. Remove from clothes pin while still warm (about 5 minutes after taking from the oven) to prevent breakage.
FILLING: Place all ingredients in bowl, mix well.Use a piping bag or cookie press to fill each cooled cookie. Dust with powdered sugar.
Links to more holiday baking goodness!
Russian Tea Cakes: http://sixdirtydishes.blogspot.com/2012/11/russian-tea-cakeswedding.html
Chocolate Chip Cookies: http://sixdirtydishes.blogspot.com/2012/11/chocolate-chip-cookies.html
Fudge: http://sixdirtydishes.blogspot.com/2012/11/fudge-chocolate-and-peanut-butter.html
Peanut Butter Cookies: http://sixdirtydishes.blogspot.com/2012/11/peanut-butter-cookies.html
Egg Free Chocolate Drop Cookies: http://sixdirtydishes.blogspot.com/2012/09/egg-free-chocolate-cookies.html
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