Hi guys! I apologize for the extend absence but I'm back now and I though I'd kick it off with some of my old holiday favorites.When I think of the Holidays I think of decorating the tree,
spending time with family, watching Christmas shows and of course baking. The
love for baking started with my great granny, who passed it to my mom, who
passed it to me. My family bakes a variety of sweet treats during the holiday season. Every year we make goodies for our
friends and neighbours we look forward to making up platter and bags for the
special people in our lives. What better way to say thank you for being my
teacher, my friend, my neighbour than something homemade and yummy.
Butter tarts
2 eggs
½ cup melted butter
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
1 tbsp vinegar
1 cup craisins
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and then scoop into tart
shells filling about ¾ full. If using frozen, Tenderflake are my favorite. Or you
can make the pastry from scratch. Bake in 400 degrees for approx 15-20 or until
filling and shell are golden, the filling will puff up but settles as it cools.
Empire cookies
cookies
½ cup butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
Topping
I cup icing sugar, sifted
¼ tsp almond extract
I tbsp hot water
½ cup jam
1.
Cream butter, add sugar, creaming well.
2.
Beat in
egg and vanilla.
3.
Combine flour and baking powder; gradually add
to creamed mixture
4.
On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to
1/8 inch thickness
5.
Cut into 2 inch rounds; place on cookie sheets.
6.
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about ten
minutes or until very lightly browned at the edges.
7.
Let cool thoroughly
8.
Spread half of the cookies with jam; top with remaining
cookies.
9.
Combine icing sugar, almond extract and enough
hot water to make a thin icing; frost tops of cookies. Top each with a bit of
sprinkles. Store in a covered tin. Makes about 24 cookies.
Ginger spice cookies
2
½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1
½ tsp ground ginger
1
tsp ground cinnamon
¼
tsp ground cloves
¼
tsp salt
1
cup of unsalted butter
¾
cup brown sugar
1 tbsp
grated orange zest
1
egg
1.
Preheat oven 350 f
2.
Sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon,
cloves and salt into a bowl; set aside.
3.
Combine the butter, brown sugar, orange zest,
and egg in a large bowl
4.
Using an electric mixer set on medium speed beat
until light and fluffy.
5.
Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture
and mix until well blended.
6.
Pack the dough into a cookie press. Fit with
desired disk design.
7.
Press the dough out onto ungreased baking sheet,
spacing the cookies 1 inch apart
8.
Bake until just firm to the touch, about 12-15
minutes.
9.
Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool
10.
Store in an airtight container at room temp for
up to 5 days
11.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Caramel Biscuit
Biscuit
½ cup butter
¼ cup castor sugar
¾ self rising flour
Caramel
¼ cup castor sugar
3 tbsp golden corn syrup
¼ cup butter
1 can condensed milk
A few drops of vanilla
7 oz melted chocolate
Cream butter, sugar and then add in flour. Press into a 12 x
8 pan and bake at 350 until golden. Leave to cool.
For the caramel filling put butter, sugar, corn
syrup, vanilla and milk in a sauce pan and melt, then boil for 5 mins. Stirring
all the time, when cool pour over biscuit.
When Caramel has set, melt chocolate and pour on top of
caramel. Leave to set, a few hours or overnight then cut into bite size pieces.
If not eating in a few days its freezes really well.
Whipped shortbread
1 cup of butter
½ cup of icing sugar
1 ½ cups of flour
Cream butter and sugar add flour and beat 8-10 minutes. Drop
a small spoon or use cookie press onto cookie sheet. Decorate with sugar
sprinkles or dry cherries, if you wish. Bake at 350 for about 10 min until
bottoms are lightly brown. Make about 3 dozen small cookies. Recipe double well
also.
Happy Hoildays!
Share and enjoy :)