Christmas cookies

Chocolate Blooms

---

Yield: about 56 cookies

Prep 40 mins Chill 15 mins Bake 350°F 8 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup  shortening
• 1/4  cup  butter, softened
• 1  cup  packed brown sugar
• 1/2  teaspoon  baking powder
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1  egg
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla
• 1 1/2  cups  all-purpose flour
• 3/4  cup  Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1  cup  miniature semisweet chocolate pieces
• 3/4  cup  finely chopped almonds (optional)
•  Raspberry Ganache
•  Fresh small raspberries (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, beat shortening and butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, baking powder, and salt; beat until combined. Beat in egg and vanilla; beat until combined.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and cocoa powder. Beat as much of the flour mixture into the butter mixture as you can with mixer. Stir in any remaining flour mixture. Stir in chocolate pieces. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. If desired, roll balls in chopped almonds. Place balls 1-1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Press thumb into the center of each ball to make an indent.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are set. Immediately use the rounded side of a 1-teaspoon measure to press down the center of each cookie. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool. Spoon Raspberry Ganache into center of each cookie. Let stand 1-1/2 to 2 hours or chill about 15 minutes or until set. If desired, garnish each cookie with a fresh raspberry. Makes about 56 cookies.

From the Test Kitchen

• Layer plain cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw cookies, if frozen, before serving. Or, store filled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Raspberry Ganache

Ingredients

• 6  ounces  chopped (70 percent cocoa) dark chocolate
• 1/3  cup  whipping cream
• 1  tablespoon  seedless raspberry jam (optional)
• 1  tablespoon  raspberry liqueur (optional)

Directions

1. In a small microwave-safe bowl combine chopped (70 percent cocoa) dark chocolate, whipping cream, and jam, if desired. Microwave on 100 percent power (high) for 1 minute. Stir until melted. If desired, add 1 tablespoon raspberry liqueur. Stir until smooth. Let stand until slightly thickened (about 15 minutes). Makes 1 cup.

Peppermint Meringues with Chocolate Filling

 

 

Ingredients

• 3 large egg whites
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
• Red gel-paste food coloring
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 6 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Cook's Note

You can make the meringue a week ahead and store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place (though not in the freezer or refrigerator). Any humidity or moisture will soften the meringue.

Directions

1. Step 1

   Preheat oven to 175 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; secure corners with masking tape. Fit a pastry bag with a small open-star tip (such as Ateco #22). Set aside.

2. Step 2

   Make meringues: Put egg whites and sugar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of simmering water, and stir gently until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Step 3

   Transfer bowl to an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Mix in peppermint extract.

4. Step 4

   Using a new small paintbrush, paint 2 or 3 stripes of red food coloring inside the pastry bag. Fill bag with 1 to 2 cups meringue. Pipe small (3/4-inch-high) star shapes onto prepared baking sheets. Refill bag as necessary, adding food coloring each time.

5. Step 5

   Bake cookies until crisp but not brown, about 1 hour 40 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.

6. Step 6

   Meanwhile, make ganache: Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until just simmering. Pour over chocolate in a small bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Gently stir until smooth, about 5 minutes. Let ganache cool at room temperature, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes, until thick enough to hold its shape, about 45 minutes. (If ganache sets before using, reheat in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; repeat the cooling process.)

7. Step 7

   Before serving or mailing, fill a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip (such as Ateco #5) with ganache. Pipe a small amount onto bottom of 1 meringue. Sandwich with another. Repeat with remaining ganache and meringues. Transfer to wire racks; let set 30 minutes.
   
   
    Colorful Spiral Cookies
                                                         
    
   
   
    Yield: About 3 dozen

   Ingredients

   2	cups unsifted cake flour
   ½	teaspoon baking powder
   ¼	teaspoon salt
   ⅔	cup unsifted powdered sugar
   ¼	cup granulated sugar
   2½	sticks unsalted butter, cold
   1	teaspoon vanilla
   ½	teaspoon strawberry(or other)extract
   ½	teaspoon(or more)Rose food coloring
   2	tablespoon unsifted cake flour
   1½	cups multi-colored nonpareil decors

   
   
   Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugars in a food processor and process briefly to mix. Add the butter in pieces; process with on/off bursts until the mixture has the consistency of cornmeal. Add the vanilla and process until the mixture just forms a ball.
   Divide the dough into 2 equal portions then return one of the portions to the food processor. Add the strawberry extract, food coloring, and the extra tablespoons of flour to the processor and process until just incorporated.
   Roll out each portion of dough between sheets of waxed paper. You want a rectangle about 11 × 8½ inches by ⅛ inch thick. Leave the dough between the sheets of waxed paper and slide onto a baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
   Remove dough pieces from refrigerator. Pour the nonpareil decors into a shallow rectangular dish (such as a 9 × 13-inch pan.
   Peel off the top sheet of waxed paper from both doughs. Brush the vanilla dough very lightly with water. Using the waxed paper, lift the strawberry dough and flip it onto the vanilla dough so they are stacked. Press with your fingertips to seal the two doughs together. Remove the top sheet of waxed paper and trim the edges even.
   When the dough is just pliable (but still cold), roll up the dough(begin with the long side) like a jellyroll. As you begin to roll, gently curl the edge with your fingertips so you don’t get any air pockets as you roll dough into a log. As you roll, the vanilla portion may want to tear, pinch tears together as they happen and keep rolling.
   After forming the dough into a log, throw away the waxed paper. Gently lift the log on top of the nonpareil decors in the dish and roll until the log is completely coated with decors. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to slice (from 4 hours to a week, or freeze for up to 2 months; defrost in the refrigerator overnight before slicing).
   
    
    
    
    
    
   Heat oven to 325°. To bake, slice the log into ⅛- to ¼-inch-thick cookies and bake on parchment-lined baking sheets for 15 to 17 minutes, until the cookies are no longer shiny on top and the bottoms of the vanilla portion are golden.
    Copyright SprinkleBakes.com
    
    
    

   Red Velvet Whoopie Pies with Peppermint Fillin

   ---

   

   Yield: about 40 sandwich cookies

   Prep 40 mins Bake 375°F 7 mins  per batch

   Ingredients

   • 1/2  cup  butter, softened
   • 1  cup  packed brown sugar
   • 2  tablespoons  unsweetened cocoa powder
   • 1/2  teaspoon  baking soda
   • 1/4  teaspoon  salt
   • 1  egg
   • 1  teaspoon  vanilla
   • 2  cups  all-purpose flour
   • 1/2  cup  buttermilk
   • 1 1  ounce bottle  (2 tablespoons) red food coloring
   • 1  recipe  Peppermint and Cream Cheese Filling
   •  Striped round peppermint candies, finely chopped (optional)

   Directions

   1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Alternately add flour and buttermilk, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Stir in food coloring.

   2. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are set. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool.

   3. Spread Peppermint and Cream Cheese Filling onto bottoms of half of the cookies. Top with remaining cookies, bottom sides down. If desired, sprinkle with peppermint candies before serving.

   From the Test KitchenTo Store:

   • Place sandwich cookies in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

   Peppermint and Cream Cheese Filling

   Ingredients

   • 2 3  ounce packages  cream cheese, softened
   • 3  tablespoons  butter, softened
   • 1/2  teaspoon  peppermint extract
   • 3  cups  powdered sugar
   •  Milk

   Directions

   1. In a large bowl combine cream cheese, butter, and peppermint extract. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. If necessary, add milk (1 teaspoon at a time) to make a filling of spreading consistency.

   Nutrition Facts

   • cal. (kcal) 126,
   • Fat, total (g) 5,
   • chol. (mg) 18,
   • sat. fat (g) 3,
   • carb. (g) 20,
   • Monosaturated fat (g) 1,
   • sugar (g) 14,
   • pro. (g) 1,
   • vit. A (IU) 146,
   • Thiamin (mg) 0,
   • Riboflavin (mg) 0,
   • Niacin (mg) 0,
   • Folate (µg) 12,
   • Cobalamin (Vit. B12) (µg) 0,
   • sodium (mg) 79,
   • Potassium (mg) 28,
   • calcium (mg) 20,
   • iron (mg) 0,
   • Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet