Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut

Sometimes you don't :) You'll never hear me say that I'm craving nuts, as I dislike most types of nuts. If you pay attention, you'll see that I omit the nuts from almost every recipe in my blog. I do, however, enjoy ground nuts in baked goods and nut-flavored concoctions like Nutella :)


I recently stumbled across Elise's food blog, Simply Recipes. She has beautiful photos, and a great variety of both savory and sweet recipes. If you have not seen her blog yet, definitely make your way over there for a visit :) There are several recipes that I have added to my 'must try' list that are in her blog. Among them was this recipe for almond tea cookies. These just seemed perfect for the holidays. They basically taste like an almond shortbread cookie. Everyone loved them.


This recipe calls for almond flour. You can purchase almond flour from any specialty foods store, or you can buy it online here. Almond flour is really just ground almonds. It is usually made with almonds that have been blanched and no longer have their skin. Almond meal is made with either blanched or skin-on almonds. You can easily make your own almond meal using your food processor. Just pulse slowly until the almonds become a fine powder. Be careful not to over do it though, or you will end up with almond butter.


I took half of the cookies and covered them in powdered sugar, and then the other half I dipped in chocolate. I used the same chocolate recipe for dipping these as I did with my chocolate covered pretzels.


I decided to submit these cookies for the "Eat Christmas Cookies" blog event, hosted by Susan of Food Blogga. Click on the logo below to visit her blog and see all the other wonderful cookies being submitted!

Almond Crescent Cookies
from Simply Recipes


1 cup of butter, room temperature
2/3 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of almond extract
2 1/2 cups of flour
1 cup of almond flour
1/4 cup of powdered sugar for sprinkling


Cream the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the extracts and mix.


Add the flour and almond flour. Mix thoroughly.


Take generous tablespoons of the dough (it will be slightly crumbly) and roll it into a small ball, about an inch in diameter, and then shape into a crescent shape. Place onto parchment paper and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until a light golden brown.


Dust with powdered sugar.

For added decadence let the cookies cool and dip one end of them into some melted chocolate, then let the chocolate harden.

Yield: 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

My Confession...

The first time I ever had peppermint bark was a few years ago. I was doing some Christmas shopping and Williams Sonoma wasn't even on my list of stores to visit (this was before I was a true foodie). I'll admit it... I love free samples. I love going to Costco or Sam's Club around lunch time, as that's the time of day when they hand out the most free samples! So here is my confession: it was the samples that brought me into the Williams Sonoma, not their bakeware or cook's tools ;) They were handing out samples of their peppermint bark so I tried a piece. I was instantly hooked.


So last year when I did my holiday baking, I set out to make some peppermint bark. I browsed through several online recipes and finally came up with my own. Peppermint bark is so easy to make, but everyone will be so impressed that it's homemade :)

Peppermint Bark
from Good Eats 'n Sweet Treats

12 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
20 oz white chocolate chips
2 candy canes, coarsely crushed
7 candy canes, finely crushed (approximately 3/4 cups)


Crush the first 2 candy canes coarsely by placing them in a ziploc bag and pounding them with a pan or the flat side of a meat tenderizer. Set aside for the topping.

Crush the remaining 7 candy canes using the method described above until they form a fine powder. Or, pulse them a few times in a food processor until finely ground. Set aside for use with the white chocolate.

Melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a double boiler. If you do not have one, melt them in your microwave on high heat for 1 minute, at 30 seconds intervals, stirring well between each interval. If the chocolate is not completely melted, continue heating it in your microwave in 10 second intervals, stirring well between each interval, and being careful not to burn the chocolate.

Spread the chocolate in a parchment paper or foil lined 13x9" baking sheet. Place in refrigerator for 5-10 minutes or until almost completely set.


In the meantime, melt the white chocolate chips as you did the semi-sweet chips. Stir in the finely crushed candy canes. Spread the white chocolate candy layer mixture on top of the semi-sweet chocolate layer. Sprinkle with the coarsely crushed candy canes and lightly press them into the white chocolate layer. Refrigerate until set. Remove from pan and break into large pieces.

Nothing Short of Wonderful

When I saw these on Kyla's blog, I knew I wanted to make them part of my holiday gift packages. I love shortbread cookies, and discovered my love for chocolate dipped shortbread when we got married. We were married in Hawaii, so we gave our guests these wonderful macademia nut shortbread cookies dipped in chocolate from Big Island Candies in our 'Out of Town' gift bags as a token of our thanks to those who came all the way to Hawaii to join us. If you're looking for a sweet gift idea and don't want to spend your time in the kitchen, I would highly recommend the cookies from Big Island Candies!

Make sure you use the mini morsels in these cookies unless you are a super chocolate lover; I think they would be too chocolately (is there such a thing?!) otherwise. Using Kyla's tip to freeze these before dipping, I was able to make a whole batch and only have two cookies break on me :)

Chocolate Chip Shortbread Sticks
from Kyla's Cookies


1 cup of butter (2 sticks)
1/2 cup of confectioner's sugar
2 cups of flour
1/2 cup of Nestle mini chocolate chips

For dipping:
1/2 bag of milk chocolate chips (I used 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 tsp shortening)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Beat all ingredients together, except chocolate chips. Stir in chips.

Shape heaping tablespoons of dough into 3" think logs. Place on non-stick or lightly greased cookie sheets.

Bake until the bottoms are lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet and place on waxed paper, carefully, to cool. Freeze overnight or longer.

Melt a half bag of milk chocolate chips in a double boiler. If you do not have a double boiler, melt the chocolate in your microwave on high heat for 1 minute, at 30 seconds intervals, stirring well between each interval. If the chocolate is not completely melted, continue heating it in your microwave in 10 second intervals, stirring well between each interval, and being careful not to burn the chocolate. Dip each stick into the chocolate about 1/3 the way up. Immediately place on waxed paper. Chill to solidify chocolate.

Yield: Approximately 24 cookies.

A Little Taste of the Holidays

Ginger snaps are good, but molasses spice cookies are so much better :) When I saw these cookies on Katie's blog, Good Things Catered, I knew I wanted to try them. When I think of Thanksgiving, I think pumpkin and cranberries. When I think of Christmas, I think gingerbread. These cookies are soft and chewy, and they have the perfect combination of spices. They're a little taste of the holidays. Everyone loved them, and you can easily whip them up in no time.


I did not have any allspice, but I found these two different substitutions online. You can use whichever one suits your taste better :) One teaspoon of allspice can be substituted with:

* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon ginger
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Molasses Spice Cookies
from Good Things Catered


2-1/4 cup lower-protein unbleached all-purpose flour (like Gold Medal or Pillsbury) (I used bleached flour and they still turned out great)
1 tsp baking soda
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1-1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
12 tbsp unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/2 cup for rolling
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup molasses


Preheat oven to 375F and line a large baking sheet with parchment.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, spices, pepper and salt together.

Either by hand or with electric mixer, beat the butter with brown sugar and 1/3 cup granulated sugar at medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium low and add yolk and vanilla. Increase speed and beat until incorporated, about 20 seconds. Reduce speed and add molasses. Beat until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping the bottom and sides once with a rubber spatula.


Reduce speed to lowest setting and slowly add flour mixture and beat until just incorporated, scraping the bowl once. Give the dough a final stir by hand to ensure no flour pockets are at the bottom (dough will be soft).

Place 1/2 cup sugar in a shallow bowl for rolling. Fill a small bowl with cold tap water. Dip hands in water and roll heaping tablespoon of dough into scant ball. Drop ball in sugar and roll to coat.


Set on prepared baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. Bake about 11 minutes (cookies will "crack", edges are puffy and inside of cracks look raw). Do not over bake.

Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling. Serve when cooled to room temperature.

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

One of the simplest things I made to include in my holiday gift packages was chocolate covered pretzels. The saltiness of the pretzels is wonderful with the chocolate. You can use the regular sized pretzels, or for more deluxe gifts, use the jumbo ones. I made approximately 50 chocolate covered pretzels using the amount of chocolate indicated below. You could probably get more than 50 intact pretzels out of a store-bought bag, but 50 was more than enough for what I needed.

Chocolate Covered Pretzels
from Me!

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tsp shortening (i.e. Crisco)
1 bag of pretzels

Melt the chocolate chips and shortening in a double boiler. If you do not have one, melt them in your microwave on high heat for 1 minute, at 30 seconds intervals, stirring well between each interval. If the chocolate is not completely melted, continue heating it in your microwave in 10 second intervals, stirring well between each interval, and being careful not to burn the chocolate.

Dip each pretzel completely in the chocolate, carefully shaking off the excess. (I find that using a fork or chopsticks works really well.) Place each chocolate covered pretzel on a baking sheet lined with wax or parchment paper. Refrigerate until set.

Yield: 50 pretzels

Maamoul: Middle Eastern Treat

I found these cookies on the 2004 list of the Food Network's 12 Days of Cookies. Maamoul are Middle Eastern cookies that are typically served during special occasions/holidays. The three most traditional fillings are dates, walnuts, or pistachios. They are normally molded into specific shapes, but these are made by hand.


I had some dates in my pantry, so I thought I would give them a shot. They weren't too difficult to make once I got the hang of it, but they aren't as universally appealing as some of the cookies I included in my holiday gift packages... not everyone likes dates! Still, I wanted to include them so I would have a little more variety in my treats. I think next time I may try the alternative filling of apricot and raisin (listed at the bottom).


I did take the time to poke the tops of my cookies (with a toothpick), but by the time the powdered sugar went on top, you couldn't really make any of the designs out. So, next time I'll just save myself the hassle and omit that step altogether, or use something larger like a skewer.

Maamoul: Stuffed Date-Orange Cookies
From Food Network Kitchens


Filling:
1/2 pound pitted soft Medjool dates
2 tablespoons water
Pinch fine salt
1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

Dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar, plus about 1/2 to 2 cups more for dusting
Pinch fine salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), plus 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons neutral flavored oil, such as canola
1/4 cup milk


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

To make the filling: Puree the filling ingredients in a food processor until evenly combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and set aside. Clean the processor bowl.

Put the flour, baking powder, the 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar, and salt in the bowl of food processor and pulse 3 to 4 times to mix. Add the butter, oil, and milk pulsing until the dough just comes together. Take care not to overwork the dough; it will be slightly wet.

Remove dough from the processor, and roll into 20 equally sized balls. In the palm of your hand, press and pat each ball of dough into a 2 3/4-inch round. Place a rounded teaspoon of filling (I used a cookie scoop to save time) in the center of each round and draw the edges up and around the filling. Pinch the dough together to make a sealed ball, and then carefully roll the cookie between your palms to make a smooth round ball (see my tips below). Press gently to flatten the cookie slightly, then place them seamed side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Gently prick the cookies with a fork or a wooden skewer in a decorative pattern taking care not to pierce the dough to the filling.


I found that the easiest way to make these was to start by pushing up the 'north' and 'south' ends of the cookie dough circle:


Then, push up the 'west' and 'east' ends of the circle:


Then, push the 'NW', 'SW,' 'NE', and 'SE' edges of the circle over the top of the filling and then pinch everything together to seal it.

Bake the cookies until firm and slightly puffed, and the tops are pale but the bottoms are just beginning to turn slightly golden, about 25 to 30 minutes. Dust generously with confectioners' sugar, cool and dust again.


Alternative fillings:

Apricot Golden Raisin Nut Filling:
1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped (other nuts can be substituted)
1/3 cup golden raisins
3 tablespoons apricot jam
Pinch fine salt

Puree in a food processor until evenly combined.

Quince-Walnut Filling:
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
1/3 cup quince jam
Pinch fine salt

Puree in a food processor until evenly combined.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Delights

I found this recipe while I was flipping through some of my mother-in-law's cookbooks over the Thanksgiving holiday. I am so glad it caught my attention, because it is definitely something I plan to make again.


This was one of my favorite things that I made during my holiday baking extravaganza. It's a layer of marshmallows sandwiched between chocolate cake and chocolate peanut butter rice krispies -- what more could a chocolate and peanut butter lover ask for? :) These delectable delights are best served chilled and I promise they will not last long once you take them out of the fridge.


Deluxe Chocolate Marshmallow Bars
from Esther Shank, Taste of Home's Holiday Get-Together 2006


3/4 cup butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups all purpose flour
3 tbsp baking cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional (I omitted these)
4 cups miniature marshmallows

Topping:
1-1/3 cup chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter
3 tbsp butter
2 cups crisp rice cereal

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until fluffy. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture. Stir in nuts if desired. Spread in a greased 15 x 10 x 1" pan. (I used a 13x9" pan)

Bake at 350F for 15-18 minutes. Sprinkle marshmallows evenly over cake; return to oven for 2-3 minutes. Using a knife dipped in water, spread the melted marshmallows evenly over cake. Cool. (I did not have to spread the marshmallow layer because I used a 13x9" pan, so the 4 cups of marshmallows amounted to an even, single layer of marshmallows)

For topping, combine chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted and well blended. Remove from heat; stir in cereal. Immediately spread over bars. Chill.

Yield: 3 dozen