Monday, December 28, 2015

New (for me) Holiday Recipes

This holiday season brought lots of good food and new recipes but not all new recipes were winners and will get a repeat.

This years Christmas Goodie basket had the following item and they are listed in the order in which I liked them. Rugelach, Macaroons, Apple Snickerdoodles, Hot Chocolate sticks and PBJ Thumbprints.

Rugelach, a Jewish pastry, crescent rolled cookie was my hands down favorite this year.  Although it may seem like a lot of steps if you make the dough and filling the day before then assemble and bake it is much easier.  I used my homemade Plum Jam but you can use apricot, strawberry or your favorite jam.  I thought the raisins were going to be a problem since I didn't chop them but it was fine, no need to chop. I believe the original recipe came from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa.

The Macaroons were a repeat from earlier this year I just tried fresh lime zest vs dried so you could actually taste the lime flavor.  I liked it, would not recommend dry and instead leave it out if you don't have fresh.

The Apple Snickerdoodles had a great flavor but they were too moist.  By the next day they would barely hold their shape when you picked them up, like a wilted rose.  Maybe if I wouldn't have packed them up and instead eaten them that day they would have been better but not good for a goodie bsket.  Original recipe came from my QVC cookbook with David.  Next time I'll try adding maybe 1/2 C. to 1 apple to my Snickerdoodle recipe and see if they stay crispier.

The Hot Chocolate sticks were a great concept but in order for it to make a good hot chocolate the piece of fudge was very large, larger than you would use if you were eating a square so it seemed like a waste of good fudge but people loved the idea and it gave my goodie basket something different. The recipe was basically my Foolproof Fudge recipe but with a few subtractions and additions.

Lastly the PBJ Thumbprint cookies.  They were a bit dry and crumbly, my peanut butter cookie recipe is better and that was basically what they were but topped with jam.  This is one of those recipes that suck me in with the name but if I would have gave it some thought, peanut butter cookies would not have been in my basket.  I think what I like about a Thumbprint cookie is the shortbread like cookie so I wasn't thrilled with the peanut butter part.  What I did take away from this was adding round nuts to the outside of the cookie (roll the raw dough in ground nuts before you bake them). They also had ground nuts inside but this may be why they were also dry.  I will not make these again.



RUGELACH
Dough:
8 oz. block cream cheese, room temperature
2 sticks butter, room temperature
¼ C. sugar
¼ t. Kosher salt
1 t. vanilla extract
2 C. flour
Filling:
6 T. sugar
¼ C. light brown sugar, packed
½ t. ground cinnamon
¾ C. raisins
1 C. walnuts, finely chopped
8 T. preserves, smooth or process
Egg Wash:
1 egg
1 T. milk
Topping:
3 T. sugar
1 t. cinnamon

In an electric mixer with a paddle blade add cream cheese and butter.  Mix until combined.  Add sugar, salt and vanilla.  Mix.  With the mixer on low speed add the flour and mix until just combined.  Dump the dough onto a well  floured board and form into a ball.   Cut the ball in quarters and wrap each piece in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or  overnight.
In a small bowl combine the sugars, cinnamon, raisins and walnuts.  Set aside.
When ready to bake, remove dough from refrigerator, unwrap, on a well floured board, roll out each ball into a 9" round circle.  Spread dough with 2 T. of your favorite preserves, sprinkle with ½ C. filling mixture and press into dough with back of measuring cup.  Cut each circle in 12 wedges:  cut the while circle in quarters then cut each quarter into thirds.  With each triangle of dough, starting at wide edge, roll up each wedge.  Place cookies, points tucked under, on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Chill for 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Whisk egg and milk, brush on each cookie. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove to wire rack to cool.

HOT CHOCOLATE STICKS
FOOLPROOF FUDGE
18 oz. (2 ¼ C.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 C. walnuts, chopped
1 ½ t. vanilla extract
Dash salt

In a heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt chips with sweetened condensed milk and salt.  Remove from heat; stir in nuts and vanilla.  Spread evenly into wax paper-lined 8-9 inch square pan.  Chill 2 hours or until firm.  Turn fudge onto cutting board; peel off paper and cut into squares.  Store loosely covered at room temperature.  Makes about 2 lbs.

Cooking Method:   In a microwavable bowl, mix chocolate and milk.  Microwave uncovered on high for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until chips are almost melted.  Stir in the vanilla and nuts.

Variations:  
  • White Chocolate:  Use white baking chips instead and add 2 t. orange zest and use almonds or add ¾ C. dried cranberries and ½ C. pistachios.
  • Add 1 t. Amaretto extract along with nuts.
  • Add peppermint extract and top with crushed candy canes.
  • Instead of all chocolate chips substitute some peanut butter or butterscotch chips.
  • Hot Chocolate Sticks:  Omit nuts, vanilla and salt.  Heat condensed milk and ½ C. heavy cream, stirring constantly until it simmering.  Pour over chips and add 4 oz. (¾ C.) unsweetened chocolate.  Stir to melt.  Pour into a foil lined 8x8 pan and let set.  Cut into 25 squares, stick with a lollipop stick.  Stir into 1 C. hot milk.  Drink.    Variation:  Add a large marshmallow to the skewer, roll the fudge in crushed peppermint or cocoa or drizzle them iwth white chocolate before you wrap.  Shown here placed in a tiny paper muffin cup, wrapped in red plastic wrap and tied with curly ribbon.



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