This is my public blog which will chronicle all of my creative ons-goings and personal life fun.

Here you'll find pictures, How-To's, journals, reviews, and other such items concerning the activities I indulge in, of which include home-brewing of beer and meade, sewing, costuming, stained glass work, hair coloring, and much more.

Hopefully within these blog pages you'll find useful information to start your own hobbies, think about things a little differently yourself, or at the very least, be amused.

Go forth, be and create great things!

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Thursday, December 17, 2009

Holiday Cookie Tiemz!

So, I got the random urge to make cookies and send them out as Christmas gifts to friends who aren't in town, and I had some really great success with the ones I made!

These is the recipes that were used:

Apple Spice Cookies
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup yogurt-covered apple candies (from WalMart)

Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cream butter in mixer until lightly fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract to creamed butter. In separate bowl, whisk together the sugars, then slowly add sugars to mixture, then turn mixer to medium speed. In separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Turn mixer back to low and gradually stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture until they are almost fully mixed in. Add the apple candies and stir until everything is full blended.

Shape dough into golf ball size balls and place 2 inches apart on parchment-covered cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Let them cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet and then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes 24-30 cookies

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Strawberried Peanutbutter M&M Cookies
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 bag of Strawberried Peanutbutter M&Ms

Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cream butter in mixer until lightly fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract to creamed butter. In separate bowl, whisk together the sugars, then slowly add sugars to mixture, then turn mixer to medium speed. In separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Turn mixer back to low and gradually stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture until they are almost fully mixed in. Add the M&Ms and stir until everything is full blended.

Shape dough into golf ball size balls and place 2 inches apart on parchment-covered cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Let them cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet and then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes 24-30 cookies

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Dark Chocolate Curry Cookies
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 oz (1 stick) salted butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp dark chocolate powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp curry powder

Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cream butter in mixer until lightly fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract to creamed butter. In separate bowl, whisk together the sugars, then slowly add sugars to mixture, turning mixer to medium speed. In separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and curry powder. Turn mixer back to low and gradually stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture until they are almost fully mixed in. Add the chocolate and stir until everything is full blended.

Shape dough into golf ball size balls and place 2 inches apart on parchment-covered cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Let them cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet and then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes 20-25 cookies

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Rose Scottish Shortbread
- 6oz plain flour
- 4oz (1 stick) butter, softened
- 2oz granulated sugar
- 1 oz cornstarch
- Rosewater to taste (be careful, that stuff is STRONG!)

Method:
Preheat oven to 325F.

Mix the butter and sugar together (preferably with a wooden spoon) until it is pale and creamy. Sieve both the flour and the cornflour into the bowl and mix well. Put a small amount of flour on your working surface and place the dough on this. Shake a little flour on top and roll out about quarter inch thick.

Prick with a fork and cut into rounds with a cutter or, if you want one large shortbread round, pinch the edges with thumb and finger all round. Use a palette knife to lift the shortbread onto an oiled baking tray and bake for 25 minutes.

If the biscuits are ready, they will be pale brown and crisp; if not, return to the oven for 5 or 10 minutes. Shake a small amount of caster/granulated sugar on the top of the shortbread immediately after they have been removed from the oven. Use a palette knife to move them to a cooling rack and store in an airtight tin once they are cold.

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