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CM Christmas Cookie Bake Off - 12/9/2009 3:47:48 AM

daintydimples

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Do you bake Christmas cookies over the holidays?

I do. Here's what I am making this year:

BRANDY BALLS

1 box vanilla wafers, crushed
3 tbsp. cocoa
1 1/2 c. finely chopped walnuts
4 1/2 tbsp. corn syrup
1/3 c. bourbon - brandy or other liquor
1 c. confectioners sugar (also extra for rolling balls)

Mix together wafer crumbs, cocoa, nuts and confectioners sugar. Add syrup and brandy (or whatever alcohol you are using. Mix well and form into balls. Roll balls in confectioners sugar. Finely chopped coconut may also be added if desired. Makes 50 to 60 balls.

You can use just about any liquor, grand manier for an orange flavor, frangelica for hazelnut, creme de menthe or peppermint snappes for mint. I am doing the cream de menthe this year. The kids will love making these, plus they make a wonderful gift.

They do need to set up for at least a week, so they should be made early.

ALMOND CRESCENTS

2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup butter at room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1 cup ground almonds
confectioners sugar to roll cookies

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Beat butter until soft, gradually adding sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in extracts during the last minute.

Stir together flour and ground almonds. Pour into the batter and mix briefly to combine.

Shape the dough into logs and bend into a crescent shape, using approximately 1 tablespoon of dough for each.

Place onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. While still warm, roll gently in confectioners sugar.

PECAN SHORTBREAD BARS

1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour stirred with 2 pinches of salt (less than 1/4 teaspoon)
1/2 cup finely chopped and toasted pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Beat butter until soft, gradually adding sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in extract during the last minute.

Stir together flour and salt, then beat into butter mixture. Add nuts and beat until thoroughly blended and it forms a dough. On a work surface dusted with flour, pat the dough into a rectangle 1/2 thick, 4 inches wide, about 17 inches long. Use a knife to cut the rectangle into 2 strips (each 2" wide). Then cut each half into 17 one inch bars. use a spatula to transfer the bars to an ungreased cookie sheet, leaving one inch between the bars. Use a fork to prick each bar several times.

Bake the bars 20-25 minutes or until lightly colored. They should not brown, so do not overbake. Let the bars cool on the cookie sheet for one minute, then carefully transfer to wire racks to finish cooling

Enjoy !!.

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RE: CM Christmas Cookie Bake Off - 12/9/2009 3:50:22 AM

Aileen1968

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We're keeping it simple this year...my daughters want their favorites. Chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and peanut butter kisses.
I'm making large batches of my cranberry, pistachio biscotti.

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RE: CM Christmas Cookie Bake Off - 12/9/2009 4:14:24 AM

barelynangel

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daintydimples, i don't cook well but do you think you could use a cinnamon liquor and then roll them in sugared/crushed almonds or pecans? Would that probably taste good? Thanks. I also have Jamaican Spice Rum, that may work okay, yes? And Jamaican spice coffee liquor.

Also, you said to make them a week in advance, how would you store them? So you roll them into balls and let them sit for a week in the fridge, in the open?

Finally, if you use Creme De Menthe, do you think you can roll them in crushed mint candies? Or peppermint snaps in candy canes crushed?

I am asking because while this sounds cool i am not sure how the combination may work and i would end up screwing it up lol.

angel

Who can't cook but is thinking of making cookies this year lol to poison all those she loves. erm she means to poison all WITH love, yeah that's it.

< Message edited by barelynangel -- 12/9/2009 4:24:56 AM >

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RE: CM Christmas Cookie Bake Off - 12/9/2009 5:38:38 AM

daintydimples

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quote:

ORIGINAL: barelynangel

daintydimples, i don't cook well but do you think you could use a cinnamon liquor and then roll them in sugared/crushed almonds or pecans? Would that probably taste good? Thanks. I also have Jamaican Spice Rum, that may work okay, yes? And Jamaican spice coffee liquor.

Also, you said to make them a week in advance, how would you store them? So you roll them into balls and let them sit for a week in the fridge, in the open?

Finally, if you use Creme De Menthe, do you think you can roll them in crushed mint candies? Or peppermint snaps in candy canes crushed?

I am asking because while this sounds cool i am not sure how the combination may work and i would end up screwing it up lol.

angel

Who can't cook but is thinking of making cookies this year lol to poison all those she loves. erm she means to poison all WITH love, yeah that's it.

Brandy balls are so simple, really you can use whatever liquor you want, it doesn't matter. The main thing is to get the brandy/cornsyrup mixture is the right proportions to the cookie/nuts/sugar mixture. It should be sticky enough to hold together, not too sticky to roll. I think crushed mint candies would be awesome.

Just work out the proportions as best you can. If it seems too sticky, add more confectioners sugar, if it seem to dry, add some liquor.

They need to "cure" in a cookie jar or storage tin with a tight lid. A week is minimal, two weeks is best. They will last a several weeks and are very durable for mailing.

Let me know how they turn out.

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RE: CM Christmas Cookie Bake Off - 12/9/2009 5:39:41 AM

daintydimples

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I am going to be mailing my cookies, and I am open to ideas for how to package the shortbread so it doesn't turn into crumbs in transit.

Any ideas out there?

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RE: CM Christmas Cookie Bake Off - 12/9/2009 5:44:16 AM

LaTigresse

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When I shipped stuff overseas I placed them in baggies, layered in non buttered/salted, popcorn. Making sure everything was snug and would not move within the tins. Then packed the tins in bubble wrap and packing styrofoam within the box. They got there perfectly.

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RE: CM Christmas Cookie Bake Off - 12/9/2009 5:51:02 AM

daintydimples

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Popcorn, that sounds like a good idea. That was really what was concerning me, how to cushion the shortbread within the tin itself.

Thank you.

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RE: CM Christmas Cookie Bake Off - 12/9/2009 6:26:11 AM

daintydimples

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Aileen1968

We're keeping it simple this year...my daughters want their favorites. Chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and peanut butter kisses.
I'm making large batches of my cranberry, pistachio biscotti.

Cranberry pistachio ...I am trying to get my mind around that flavor combination.

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RE: CM Christmas Cookie Bake Off - 12/9/2009 3:52:04 PM

barelynangel

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Thank you for your help, i will see how they turn out. My boss also mentioned Pecan toopsy?? and snickerdoodles. Anyone have a good recipe for that or know what a pecan toopsy is?

angel

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