Cookie Christmas Gifts Are Excellent in Decorated Gift Baskets (Jade Willsmith)

Cookie Christmas presents can definitely be home made in order to produce a divine cookie gift basket. Cookie Christmas Gifts are available in shapes, costs and sizes. Connoisseur gift basket cookies are relatively cheap also as a pleasure to take delivery of. Nonetheless for anyone who's feeling the pinch this Xmas doesn't allow the very idea of no having the capability to have the money for to purchase gifts bring you down. Try to get your own Cookie Christmas Gifts and friends and family and relations probably will admire the idea besides the moment which you devote.

You need to pick a holder (These bins are certainly not as expensive as you may presume to shop for. I purchased a lovely one using a handle for my mother-in -law's fruit basket last week. It cost less-than $ 5) you could decorate a box to maintain your Biscuit Christmas Gift if you choose.

First you'll need to have the crucial ingredients together. It is possible to actually divide all the ingredient parts by 3 and only prepare around 24 cookies if 72 cookies are far too many for your needs then.

Cookie Christmas Gifts - Christmas Cheer Biscuits
72 1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup brown sugars
3 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 pound dates, chopped
1 pound walnuts, chopped
1/2 pound golden raisins
1/2 cup whisky
1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained and cut in halves

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cream the butter and sugar together, this does need to be mild and comfortable. Add the three eggs in to the mix. Beat until every one of the components are combined together. Add the flour as well as the soda then mix in the raisins, walnuts, dates and whiskey.

The mixture should be inflexible by today. Decrease the combination using a teaspoon on to an ungreased cookie sheet. Best every one with one with cherry halves. Cover the base of the cookie Christmas basket or box with tissues or kitchen roll. Of course, this does not just offer a nice foundation to put your biscuit Christmas gifts on however it may also load any spaces. A piece for your cookie Christmas gift can found fairly promptly and inexpensively by exploring around the stores or maybe you could even have something appropriate within your house. Not long ago I used decorative candles in the type of a snowman and Santa which were incredibly successful and expense almost no.

Position the gift cookies either is cellophane bags or shield with cling film. Create your gift cookies within a prepared basket in addition to your center piece. Contain a gift tag together with a pretty ribbon bow and also the cookie Christmas gift is ready for delivery.
There are actually plenty where to choose free of charge by going online and also intelligent tips for decorating snacks and making baskets, if you want a less expensive cookie recipe. Digital books featuring numerous cookie recipes are also affordable.
Should your fortune get better previous to Christmas and also you believe that you need to purchase gift baskets - biscuits or otherwise you'll find yourself spoilt for pick. Quite often cookie Christmas presents are associated with desserts and mini treats and ordered in individual appealing boxes to create a tower; this can only be explained as a feast! This type of biscuit Christmas gift does make a fantastic corporate gift as there is definitely plenty enough to share.

Cookies are known for being a thing of joy for ever. It is but natural that it has just the right merits to suit a lovely occasion like marriage. Wedding Cookies have a perfect blend of taste and flavour and the element of fun that is eternally associated with romantic fortunes make it a perfect treat for the guests and augment the delight of the occasion. Fun is associated with decorated cookies in every step right from making or procuring it to eating. Visiting peanutbutterandjulie.com can help in making more delicious recipes.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Vanilla - Almond Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

Today was a nice day with my daughter and mother-in-law as they came over and decorated Christmas cookies.  Frosted cookies are a favorite of ours.  Every year I go searching for the perfect recipe and  I'm  excited to say  I finally found the recipes I will use for cut out cookies and royal icing for now on.  I found the recipe on the blog Bake at 350.  The dough is easy to roll out and it doesn't have to be chilled first.  The icing uses meringue powder instead of egg whites (purchased at Michael's Craft Store), it's easy to work with and sets up nicely on the cookie. Most importantly they taste good with a touch of almond flavoring.  You'll have to check out the amazing blog, Bake at 350,  it's written by Bridget.  She has great step by step instructions about decorating and baking cookies.  Also here is a video showing Bridget making the cookie dough, video on University of Cookie.

Vanilla-Almond Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

3 c unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 c sugar
 2 sticks (salted) butter, cold & cut into chunks
 1 egg
 3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pure almond extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine the flour and baking powder, set aside.

Cream the sugar and butter. Add the egg and extracts and mix. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the bowl, especially the bottom.

The dough will be crumbly, so knead it together with your hands as you scoop it out of the bowl for rolling.

Roll on a floured surface to about 1/4" to 3/8" thick, and cut into shapes. Place on parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let sit a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.


Royal Icing
(This will cover 2-3 dozen)

4 TBSP meringue powder
1/2 c. water
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp light corn syrup
few drops almond extract

Combine the meringue powder and water. With the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, beat until combined and foamy.


Sift in the powdered sugar and beat on low to combine. (Do NOT skip the sifting!)


Add in the corn syrup and extract if desired. ( The corn syrup helps keep the icing shiny.)

Increase speed to med-high/high and beat for about 5 minutes, just until the icing is glossy and stiff peaks form.

Do not overbeat.

Cover with plastic wrap touching the icing if not using right away or divide and color using gel paste food colorings.

This "stiff" icing is perfect for outlining and detail decorating. To fill in your cookies, add water to your icing a teaspoon at a time, stirring with a rubber spatula, until it is the consistency of stiff syrup. This technique of filling a cookie with thinned icing is called "flooding.


I didn't use piping decorating bags but instead I used squeeze bottles (purchased at Michael's craft Store) to decorate.  If using squeeze bottles don't use the "stiff" icing but thin out a little but not too thin.  With the squeeze bottles you can't do the fine detailed work but  otherwise work GREAT! 

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Christmas Mince Pies

Christmas Mince Pies

This crumbly, fruity mince pie recipe is a Christmas classic. Serve warm with lashings of brandy butter

Makes 12 (but enough mincemeat for many, many more)

Prep time:  2 hours (including chilling time)

Cooking time:  20 minutes

Ingredients

200g raisins

200g sultanas

1 Bramley apple, peeled & chopped

100g mixed peel

75g glace cherries

75g stem ginger in syrup, drained & chopped

1 lemon, zest & juice only

200g suet

200g dark brown muscovado sugar

200g currants

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp grated nutmeg

2 tsp mixed spice

½ tsp ground ginger

100ml brandy

100ml sherry

For the pastry

200g plain flour, sifted

40g golden caster sugar

75g ground almonds

125g unsalted butter, cubed

1 large free-range egg, beaten

Milk to glaze

Preparation method

1.  Place the raisins, sultanas, apple, mixed fruit, mixed peel and lemon zest into a blender a blitz to a paste.  Place in a bowl and add the suet, sugar, currants, cinnamon, nutmeg, mixed spice, ground ginger, brandy and sherry.  Mix together well and set aside.  This mincemeat can be stored in a dark, cool cupboard for up to a year.

2.  For the pastry, place the flour, sugar, almonds and butter into a food processor.  Blend until it resembles breadcrumbs and slowly add the egg.

3.  Bring the mixture together with your hands, wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for an hour or so.

4.  Lightly butter a 12-hole pie or patty tin.

5.  Thinly roll out the pastry onto a floured surface.  Cut out 12 circles with a fluted pastry cutter, large enough to fill the base of the prepared tin. Press gently into each hole, then fill with the mincemeat.

6.  Cut out another 12 slightly smaller discs and use to cover the mincemeat. Press the edges together to seal. Make a small slit in the top of each, then brush lightly with milk. Chill for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.

7.  Bake the pies for 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and serve warm with brandy butter.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Florentines

Florentines

This recipe for chewy, sticky Florentines is absolutely foolproof. Whip up a batch for a party or make as edible Christmas gifts.

Makes 20

Prep time:  15-20 minutes

Cooking time:  45 minutes

Ingredients

25g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

70g unrefined caster sugar

15g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

4 tbsp double cream

50g whole blanched almonds, roughly chopped

50g flaked almonds, toasted

50g mixed peel, chopped

50g undyed glace cherries, chopped

50g preserved stem ginger, drained and chopped

70g plain chocolate, broken into pieces

70g white chocolate, broken into pieces

Preparation method

1.  Preheat oven to 190°C/Gas Mark 5.  Lightly grease 2 baking sheets with butter and dust with flour.

2.  Put the butter, sugar and flour into a saucepan and heat gently, stirring well, until the mixture has melted.  Gradually add the cream, stirring constantly, then add all the remaining ingredients, except the chocolate and stir thoroughly.  Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

3.  Drop 5 teaspoons of the mixture onto each of the prepared baking sheets, space well apart to allow for spreading, the flatten with the back of a spoon.

4.  Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes.  Leave the biscuits to harden on the sheets for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.  Repeat with the remaining mixture, again using the 2 baking sheets.

5.  When the biscuits are completely cool, put the plain chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until melted.  Using a teaspoon spread the base of 10 of the biscuits with the melted chocolate.  Repeat with the white chocolate for the 10 remaining biscuits.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Christmas Spiced Loaf

Christmas Spiced Loaf

This festive bread can be made ahead and frozen and makes a lovely treat for breakfast on Christmas morning

Serves 6-8

Prep time:  2 hours 40 minutes

Cooking time:  1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

450g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting

Pinch of salt

2 tsp mixed spice

115g unsalted butter, chilled & diced

7g sachet easy blend dried yeast

115g unrefined caster sugar, plus extra for dusting

115g currants

115g raisins

50g mixed peel, chopped

1 orange, zest only

1 egg, beaten

150ml milk, warmed

Vegetable oil, for oiling

1 egg, beaten for egg wash

½ tsp ground cinnamon 

Preparation method

1.  Sift the flour, salt and mixed spice into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Stir in the yeast, sugar, dried fruit, mixed peel and orange zest, then add the egg and the warm milk and bring together to form a soft dough.

2.  Knead the dough briefly on a floured work surface.  Flour a clean bowl and add the dough.  Cover the bowl and leave to rise in a warm place for 2 hours.

3.  Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and oil a 900g loaf tin.  Knead the dough again briefly then pace it in the tin, cover and leave to prove for 20 minutes.  Use a little egg wash to brush the loaf, and sprinkle with a little caster sugar and ground cinnamon.

4.  Bake in the oven for 1 hour 10 minutes, the loaf should be golden and well risen.  Leave to cool in the tin.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Cranberry & White Chocolate Cookies

Cranberry & White Chocolate Cookies

The perfect Christmas cookie, absolutely delicious!

Makes 30

Prep time:  20 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

140g/4 ½ oz plain flour

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

75g/2 ½ oz rolled oats

125g/4 oz soft butter

75g/ 2 ½ oz dark brown sugar

100g/3 ½ oz caster sugar

1 egg

½ tsp vanilla extract

75g/ 2 ½ oz dried cranberries

140g/ 4 ½ white chocolate chips

Method

1.    Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

2.    Place the flour, baking powder, oats and salt into a bowl. 

3.    Add the butter and sugars into another bowl and beat together until creamy with a blender or mixer.  Beat in the egg and vanilla essence.

4.    Mix through the flour mixture and fold through the cranberries and chocolate chips.  Place the cookie dough in the fridge for 15 minutes.

5.    Roll tablespoons of dough into a ball with your hands and place onto a greased baking tray and squash with a fork.  You may need to bake the cookies in two batches.

6.    Cook for 15 minutes until the cookies are golden.  Let the cookies cool and then place on a wire rack, enjoy!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Pecan Tartlets

My Mom gave me this recipe. They are like eating a miniature pecan pie.  Makes 24 but I  doubled the batch so I could share these with friends.  I did keep a few for my husband as these are one of his favorites. 

INGREDIENTS:
3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 cup all-purpose flour

Filling:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter (melted)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
dash salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees

2. To Make Crust: In a medium mixing bowl blend softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup butter or margarine until thoroughly combined. Add flour and mix well. Place in refrigerator to chill. (1 hour is enough)

3. In a medium mixing bowl combine brown sugar and 1 tablespoon butter. Add egg and vanilla, and blend well. Stir in pecans.

4. Shape dough into 24-1 inch balls. Press into bottom and up sides of ungreased nonstick miniature muffin tins. Pour in filling, distributing evenly between all cups. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.

Hint: You should use nonstick miniature muffin pans for these to come out perfect.

I have this neat tool that I got from Pampered Chef.  Makes this step a lot easier but you can do this by hand because they are worth the effort.

Fill cups with filling almost to the top.  Not too much so they don't overflow when baked.

Using a  non-stick pan they will pop right out. 

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Pecan Crescent Cookies

I've been making these cookies as long as I can remember or should I say my Mom has. They are my Dad's and husband's favorite. They have many names, Mexican wedding cookies, Swedish tea cookies and as I like to call them pecan crescent cookies because of the way I shape these cookies. They are buttery, nutty, not too sweet and a perfect cookie for the holiday.

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 c. butter, softened

2 tsp. vanilla

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. finely chopped pecans

1/8 tsp. salt

Powdered sugar


Heat oven to 325 degrees. In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour, pecans, and salt. Mix until dough holds together. Shape into crescents. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until set but not brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets. Cool slightly; roll in powdered sugar. Cool completely; roll again in powdered sugar. Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad