23 Days of Christmas Cookies: Mint Chocolate Wafers

December 5th

 

My Husband wanted a chocolate mint cookie. So that is the pick for today. While living in Germany I took several cooking classes. One of them was Cookies from The Netherlands.There was a chocolate cookie called Chocolade Koekjes ( chocolate cookies). It is a great tasting cookie more of a wafer like. I adapted it to be lactate free and added a mint flavor.  I used a Torani syrup, Chocolate Mint.  I also measure the flour due to is it important to have the right amount for this recipe, or the cookie can be dry if you add too much flour.  The flour needs to be sifted before you measure it if you are using the cup measurement.

Mint Chocolate Wafer

1/2 cup Crisco Shortening
1/8 cup ( 2 tablespoons) Torani Chocolate Mint Syrup
1/2 granulated Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Peppermint Extract.
1 Large Egg
1 Tablespoon of Heavy Cream
200 grams unbleached All Purpose Flour.( or 1+3/4 Cup  Sifted flour, you must sift it before measuring it)
3 Tablespoon Dark 100% Cocoa. ( I use Hershey Special Dark )
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon of Kosher Salt (it has less sodium)

Cream the shortening, syrup, sugar, and extract together for 2 minutes on Medium ( #5 on Kitchen Aid Mixer), scraping down sides and bottom after 1 minute. Add the Egg and cream for an additional 3 minutes, it will be fluffy.

Combine Flour, salt, cocoa, Baking Powder together and stir well.

Turn the mixer to  fold ( #2 on the Kitchen Aid) add flour 1/4 cup at a time mix well after each addition. When all the flour is folded in, turn the mixer to medium and beat 1 minute till it come together. ( this is not a dry mixture but it will hold it's shape).

Turn out on a piece of wax paper and roll into a 10 inch log, wrap in wax paper and refrigerate over night ( 8 hours).

In the morning Preheat Oven to 350° F. ( 325°F for convection oven) Prepared cookie sheets, line them with  Parchment paper  ( or you can lightly grease the sheets.) Take log out of refrigerator and open the wax paper, cut slices 1/4 inch thick. place 2 inches apart on cook sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. cool on sheets for 5 minutes and transfer to cooling rack. Cool Completely before storing.

Recipe copyright 2016 by "Auntie E Cookbook/EM Dubros"

23 Days Of Holiday Cookies: Eggnog cookies

Now another favorite for the holiday is Eggnog.  So rich and the calories are very high. Here is a cookie that has the flavor without the calories.
I will also share a recipe for Eggnog Fudge later today, that is really out of the world! Just like a class of eggnog! Be sure to come back after 5 pm to view the bonus recipe.

 Crescent Moon Eggnog Cookies.

 Preheat Oven to 325 Fahrenheit ( or 300 F for convection)

you will need :
1 cup soften butter
1/2 cup sifted Powdered Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt ( less sodium in this salt)
1/2 teaspoon Imitation Rum Extract
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste (  can get it at the market, we have Wegmans, they carry it)
2 cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour
1 cup Almond Flour ( also at the market in the specialty section)
1 teaspoon Baking Soda.

1. Mix the flours and baking soda together, set aside.
2. Cream butter at medium speed  setting of mixer.( kitchen Aid  setting #5), beat for 5 minutes til fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, a spoonful at a time. Beat well after each addition. you might have to stop and scrape down the sides. Once all the sugar is in Beat for 4 minutes. It will be fluffy and light in color.  Add the,salt, rum extract and the vanilla bean paste, continue beating for 2 minutes.
3. with mixer on Medium low ( #4 on Kitchen Aid) add flour mixture slowly 1/2 cup at a time mix well between additions. Once all the flour is in beat on Medium( #5) until it comes together and is coming away from the sides. this should take about 2 to 3 minutes.
4.   take about a tablespoon of dough and rolls it into a 1" ball than shape into a crescent moon. place on Parchment Paper lined Cookie sheet. place about 2" apart, flatten the top a little.
5. cook in a 325 Fahrenheit oven  for 15-18 minutes ( or a 300 F. Convection oven for 15-18 minutes). they will not brown much but will be set and light color.( a little darker then it was raw. see photo.)
allow to cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet ( this is so they will firm up.). drizzle with the Eggnog Glaze.

To make Eggnog Glaze:

Combine 3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar and 1+1/2 tablespoon of Low Fat Eggnog and 1/4 teaspoon  Rum extract. mix until creamy and drizzle over the crescents using a small spoon. Sprinkle tops with freshly grated nutmeg.

Move to cooling rack, store in a tin , can be frozen. Thaw before serving.

Recipe copyright 2016 by "Auntie E Cookbook/EM Dubros"

My Favorite Things :The Prefect Morning Treat

My daughter was Facebooking me last evening on this recipes' details. It is one of my Favorite Things for the hoildays.

It is a recipe that my Mother in Laws made at Christmas. So easy and so good.

Dee's Danish Puff

for puffs you will need:
1 cup boiling Water
1/2 cup butter
1 Cup flour
4 eggs.

 for icing you will need:
confectionery sugar
water or lemon or orange juice.
Maraschino cherries
Slivered Almonds.

Preheat oven to 400 degree Fahrenheit.
Lightly grease a cookie sheet.or use a parchment paper lined cookie sheet

1. melt butter in Boiling water, return to a boil.
2. turn heat down and add flour all at once. With a wooden spoon stir vigorously till a ball forms.
3. remove from heat. Add eggs one at a time, beating til smooth each time.
4. on prepared cookie sheet, using the wooden spoon drop about three spoon fulls to form one row, make sure each drop touches the other (this will form your strip). Then make another strip and same way.
5. bake in the oven for 35 minutes, remove for oven Prick with a fork. and return to oven - turn off oven, leave in for 5-10minutes. Remove from oven.
6. make glaze and drizzle over the puffs add cherries and sprinkle with almond.

to make glaze:
1/2 cup Confectionery sugar and  about 3 teaspoon of water. ( you can use lemon jiuce or orange juce also).
 put the confectionery sugar in a small mixing bowl. slow add water one teaspoon at a time until you get a smooth glaze. it should be thick  but able to stream from a spoon. you can add more sugar if it get to watery. I like it a little thick and just able to stream on the  danish balls. Make sure you wait until the danish cools  so that the glaze will not melt with streamed on the balls.

 Add Maraschino cherries
 Slivered Almonds.
copyright 2014 by"Auntie E CookBook/MDubrosky"