AFTER A hearty session of
carolling, break out the cocoa, coffee or tea, and enjoy the sweet sensations of the season -- buttery, chocolately, delicate festive cookies. Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies, Christmas Caramel Brownies, and Christmas cookies in holiday colours make
a great treat.
SUCCESS TIPS
Let baking sheets cool between uses.
If you drop cookie dough onto a hot baking sheet, it will begin to spread or even bake before all the cookies are in place.
Dip cutters in flour before each use.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
Cookie sheets or pans Cookie cutters - look for Alphabet and Christmas Cookie cutters Disposable decorating bags Various icing colours to tint dough in desired colours (tint icing sugar with
colouring).
Check local home stores or go online to www.wilton.com for baking items.
Basic Cookie Dough
1 cup butter of margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsps. baking powder
3 cups flour
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 400 degree F.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with a mixer. Beat in egg and vanilla.
3. Add baking powder and flour, one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. The dough will be very stiff. (Do not chill dough).
For chocolate cookies: Stir in 3 ounces melted, unsweetened chocolate.
4: Divide dough into 2 balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball into a circle about 12 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick.
5. Bake cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet on top rack for 6-7 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned.
Makes 20 to 24 medium-sized cookies.
Colour them Christmas
Prepare cookie dough. Tint portions of dough separately in desired colours.
For Outlined Cookies: Cut cookies out of plain dough. Place dough in disposable decorating bag fitted with a wide enough tip (Tip 2). Outline and pipe in desired designs. Bake. (If too thick, thin down dough with 1 teaspoon of water at a time.)
For Alphabet Cookies: Roll out four 12-inch logs of tinted dough about 1/4 inch wide. Place all rolls close together horizontally. Roll out dough with rolling pin to blend together. Cut out and bake.
For marbleised Cookies: Place flattened 1 1/2 inch diameter-tinted and plain dough balls side-by-side on cookie sheet. Place smaller balls of contrasting colours on top of large pieces of dough. Roll out mixture of colours. Cut out and bake.
Candy Cane Cookies
Basic Cookie Dough (recipe above)
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract, added to the dough
METHOD
Divide the cookie dough in half. Tint one half pink. Roll a small piece of pink dough and a small piece of white dough separately into 6-inch logs. Twist and bend into a rope candy cane shape. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, bake 10 minutes or until edges just begin to brown. Remove and cool on rack.
Christmas Caramel Brownies
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 ozs. (4 squares)
unsweetened chocolate,
melted
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup semi-sweet
chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans,
toasted
1/2 cup almond
brickle chips
1/2 cup caramel ice cream
Topping, divided
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Line pan with aluminium foil, leaving 1-inch overhang at each end.
3. Combine butter and sugars in large bowl; beat until smooth and creamy. Stir in melted chocolate, eggs and vanilla.
4. Mix flour and baking soda; add to creamed mixture. Stir just until combined. Add chocolate chips, pecans, brickle chips and 1/4 cup caramel topping.
5. Spread batter into prepared pan. Top with remaining caramel topping; lightly run small metal spatula across surface to incorporate topping into batter.
6. Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
7. Cool on rack; sprinkle with additional confectioner's sugar.
8. Cut into 1 1/2-inch squared or wrap in foil and freeze.
9. Using melted candy melts and a cut disposable bag, pipe decorative shapes on top of brownies.
Makes about 4 dozen brownies.
Orange Spritz Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg yoke
2 tbsps. orange juice
2 1/4 cups all-purpose
flour
1 tbsp. orange rind,
finely chopped
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg yolk and orange juice. Mix in flour, orange rind and optional pecans. Mix until combined. Dough should be soft, but not sticky.
3. Place dough into cookie press, and using desired shapes, press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
4. Cool 2 minutes on cooling grid and remove from cookie sheet.
Makes about 5 dozen cookies.
Make lots of mmmms with these oohey, gooey, chewy caramel brownies.
