angel wings from food network kitchens

Peanut Patty

Angel Wings From Food Network Kitchens

3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
2 (9 1/4 by 10-inch) sheets puff pastry (about 9 ounces each), thawed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup yellow sanding or white granulated sugar, or a combination (See Cook's Note.)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone sheet.
Pulse the granulated sugar and lemon zest in a food processor until fine and fragrant.

Lay 1 of the puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured work surface. Brush the sheet with about half of the butter and sprinkle with half of the lemon-sugar. Lightly press sugar into the pastry with a rolling pin. Place the other pastry sheet on top, brush with the remaining butter and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Carefully roll the pastry out into a 12-inch square, about 1 1/8-inch thick. Trim uneven edges with a pizza cutter or a knife to make a perfect square.

Starting on the closest edge, roll the pastry up into a cylinder but stop at the mid point of the dough. Roll the pastry up on the opposite side so it looks like an old-fashioned scroll. Adjust the rolls so they are even and meet in the center. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze until firm, 20 minutes.

Slice the roll, crosswise, with a serrated knife into 1/4-inch thick pieces and lay on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the cookies soften, about 10 minutes. Working quickly and efficiently, remove the cookies from the oven--if they have lost their shape, gently roll them back together. Let cool on the pan for a minute to set. Turn them with a spatula (take care to keep the shape) sprinkle with the yellow sugar and return to the oven. Continue to bake until golden brown, about 15 more minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack, sugary sides up, to cool. Serve.

Store cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days.

Cook's Note: Sanding sugar has a slightly larger crystal and is used to decorate cookies. It can be found both in many supermarkets or specialty stores.

Find more recipes from 12 Days of Cookies past

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 38 cookies
User Rating: No Rating

3-in-1 Sugar Cookies From Food Network Kitchens

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
Coarse sugar, aka sanding or crystallized sugar
Royal Icing, recipe follows

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
Beat the butter and both sugars in another medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Add the egg yolks, vanilla and orange zest mixing until fully incorporated. Slowly add the flour mixture, and continue beating until the dough comes together, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

For rolled cookies: Roll about a tablespoon of dough by hand into a ball. Dip 1 side of the balls into some coarse sugar and place them sugar-side-up on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving about 1-inch between cookies.

For sliced cookies: Divide dough in half, roll by hand into 2-inch-wide logs, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.

Cut the logs into 1/4-inch-thick cookies and place them on ungreased baking sheets, leaving about 1-inch between cookies.

For cutout cookies: Divide dough in half, pat into disks, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.

Roll dough between lightly floured parchment, or waxed paper, until about 1/3-inch thick. Transfer sheets to a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Cut into desired shape using a cookie cutter, place them on ungreased baking sheets, leaving about 1-inch between cookies. (Gather the dough scraps together, pat into a disk, chill and reroll.)

Refrigerate cookies while preheating the oven to 375 degrees F, for at least 30 minutes.
Bake the cookies, until the bottoms are golden, about 10 to 15 minutes depending on shape. Cool on sheets until firm enough to transfer to a rack to cool. Decorate as desired and serve, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.

Royal Icing:
5 tablespoons meringue powder (egg white powder)
6 tablespoons water
1 pound confectioners' sugar (about 3 3/4 to 4 cups or 1 box)
Food coloring, as desired
Combine all the ingredients, except the food coloring, in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix slowly until stiff enough to form peaks. The icing should be pure white and thick, but not fluffy and bubbly. If the frosting is overbeaten, it will get aerated which makes it harder to work with. If this happens, let the frosting sit to settle, then use a rubber spatula to vigorously beat and smooth out the frosting.

Alternatively, combine ingredients in a large bowl, and beat with hand beaters on low speed until the frosting thickens to stiff peaks.

Add up to 1 tablespoon food coloring and mix with a rubber spatula until the color is uniform. (Adding too much color reduces the sheen of the frosting and can break down the consistency of the frosting over a couple of days.) Store icing, covered, with plastic film on the surface of the icing.

Yield: 1 pound royal icing (1 2/3 cup)

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 3 hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: about 4 dozen 2-inch cookies

Booze Balls From Food Network Kitchens

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

20 chocolate wafer cookies (about 1/2 a 9-ounce box)

1/2 cup finely chopped pitted dried plums (about 15)

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup bourbon or 1/3 to 1/2 cup brandy

1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup granulated sugar, or colored decorating sugars, for garnish

Put chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on medium power for a minute. Stir and repeat until the chocolate melts, about 3 minutes in all depending on the power of your microwave. Alternatively, put the chocolates in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1-inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan (without touching the water). Stir occasionally until melted and smooth.
Process the cookies in a food processor until finely ground (you should have about 1 1/2 cups ground cookies). Alternatively, put cookies inside a heavy re-sealable plastic bag and crush by moving a rolling pin over the cookies.

Stir the cookie crumbs, dried plums, confectioners' sugar, bourbon or brandy, and condensed milk into the chocolate until evenly combined.

Cover and refrigerate the mixture until firm enough to roll into balls, about 45 minutes. Scoop a tablespoon or so of the mixture into small balls with a cookie or small ice cream scoop and set onto a baking sheet or a large plate. Roll each portion by hand into a smooth ball.

Store booze balls in an air tight container at room temperature for a day to allow the flavors to come together. Store balls in the refrigerator for a week or freeze for up to 1 month.

To serve, put the sugar on a plate and roll the balls in it to coat. Serve at room temperature.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 1 hour
Inactive Prep Time: 24 hours
Yield: about 4 1/2 dozen 1-inch balls
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

Rosemary-Cheese Spritz Cookies From Food Network Kitchens

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 large egg yolk

6 tablespoons heavy cream

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup finely grated Pecorino cheese

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary leaves

1 teaspoons fine salt

Pinch freshly ground nutmeg

Special Equipment: Cookie Press

Bring all ingredients to room temperature.
Beat the butter and lemon zest with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. Slowly beat in the egg yolk and cream.

Whisk the flour, pecorino, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, sugar, rosemary, salt, and nutmeg together in a bowl. Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture while mixing slowly. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat on medium speed to make a slightly sticky dough.

Fill the cookie press with the dough. Assemble the press with the desired disk shape (see cook's note), and press cookies onto ungreased baking sheets. Leave about one inch between cookies. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan and refrigerate cookies for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Bake cookies, rotating pan halfway through, until golden, the cheese browns a bit, and the cookies smell nutty, about 20 to 25 minutes. Briefly cool the cookies on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool. Serve or store in a tightly sealed container for up to 1 month.

Cook's Notes: These freeze beautifully. Press the cookies out into desired shapes on cookie sheets and freeze. Transfer frozen cookies to a plastic bag, seal, and keep frozen for up to 1 month. When ready to bake, lay out frozen cookies on cookie trays and bake from frozen for 25 minutes.

Some disk shapes work better than others. Since this is savory cookie, we liked the cutters that result in a cracker shape cookie, like the ribbon, clover. Stars and and snowflakes work, too.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yield: about 4 dozen cookies

Chocolate Dipped Hazelnut Shortbread Recipe courtesy Dave Lieberman

1 cup husked hazelnuts

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place hazelnuts on baking sheet. Bake until they're a shade darker and fragrant, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Lower oven to 325 degrees F.

Place hazelnuts in blender or food processor and pulse to coarse bits; set aside. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt to blend; set aside.

Beat butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon until smooth. Beat in egg. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Add the chopped hazelnuts and mix until distributed evenly throughout.

Form into finger sized logs, about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons dough each, and place on greased cookie sheets. Bake until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on racks.

In a saucepan over lowest heat or in a double boiler, melt chocolate. Dip 1 end of cooled cookies into melted chocolate. Place back on cookie sheet to harden.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yield: about 1 dozen
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

Chocolate Peppermint Pizzelle From Food Network Kitchens
See this recipe on air Sunday Dec. 10 at 7:00 AM ET/PT.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled to room temperature

Vegetable oil spray

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting cookies

Filling:

12 ounces semisweet chocolate

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon mint extract

Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, orange zest, and salt together in a large bowl.
In another medium bowl, briskly whisk the eggs, sugar and melted butter together until smooth and evenly combined.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg mixture. Gradually whisk the liquid into the flour to make a thick batter. When the pizzelle batter starts to clump up in the whisk, switch to a rubber spatula to finish mixing it together. (If you have a large pastry bag, put a big round tip in it, and fill with the pizzelle batter.)

Preheat a pizzelle iron until a drop of water sizzles on the hot surface, about 10 minutes. Lightly spray the hot surface with nonstick cooking spray. Pipe or spoon about a tablespoon of the batter into the center of each cookie imprint. Close the iron and cook until whiffs of steam comes from the iron, about 30 to 45 seconds. Open and remove cookie from the iron, cool on a rack. Repeat with remaining batter.

To make the filling:
Put the chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl. Cover and microwave on medium power until soft and melted, about 3 minutes depending on the power of your oven; stir until smooth. Alternatively, put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1-inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan (without touching the water). Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Stir in mint extract.

To serve pipe a tablespoon of the mint filling into the center of half the cookies. Top with another cookie and press to sandwich them together. Serve now or keep tightly covered for up to 1 week.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 18 sandwiched cookies
Episode#: TCSP02
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

Christmas Citrus Squares From Food Network Kitchens

Crust:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks), unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup sugar

6 tablespoons red currant jelly

Filling:

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch fine salt

1 cup freshly squeezed clementine juice, about 6 clementines

1 lemon juiced (4 to 5 tablespoons)

2 clementines (about 2 teaspoons) zest finely grated

1 lemon (about 2 teaspoons) zest finely grated

2 clementines or 2 blood oranges, sliced and cut into small triangular pieces, for serving, optional

Butter a 9 by 12 1/2-inch baking pan. Line pan with foil and leave about 2 inches extra on all sides. Butter the foil.
Whisk the flour, cornstarch, and salt together in a bowl.

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the butter with the sugar on medium, until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Turn mixer to low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over work the dough.
Transfer dough to prepared pan, spreading it out evenly across the pan and pressing to make a 1/4-inch thick covering over the bottom of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap, then press and flatten using your hands over the top to smooth and even out the dough. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Remove the plastic from the top of the dough and prick the dough with a fork or a wooden skewer. Bake the crust until just golden, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the jelly in the microwave until soft enough to spread, about 1 minute. Spread the jelly with a pastry brush or an offset spatula over the crust. Return to the oven and cook another 10 minutes. Cool crust completely on a wire rack, 1 hour.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, yolks, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, flour, and salt together in a medium bowl. Beat until thick and slightly pale. Stir in the citrus juices and zest, and whisk gently to blend well.

Pour the filling onto the cooled crust and bake until the filling is firm but still loose and wobbly in the center, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight before cutting.

Remove bars from refrigerator and dip the bottom of it in warm water to soften the butter and release the foil from the sides of the pan. Use foil to lift pastry out of the baking pan and transfer to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut into about 50 1 1/2-inch squares, wiping down the knife with a hot, wet towel between cuts. Top each square with a tiny triangular segment of clementine or blood orange (with the peel on) and serve.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 50 squares

Ginger Cookie From Food Network Kitchens

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

5 cracks freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar, plus more for rolling the cookies

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup unsulphured molasses

2 tablespoons ginger preserves (see Cook's note)

Whisk the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, mustard, salt and black pepper together in a medium bowl.
Beat the butter and the sugars with a hand mixer electric mixer on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat on medium speed until just incorporated, about 20 seconds. Add the molasses and ginger preserves and continue beating until the batter is an even light brown color, 30 seconds more.

Add the dry ingredients all at once, beating slowly to make a soft, smooth dough. Use a rubber spatula to make sure all ingredients are combined. Then beat again for 20 seconds. Cover the bowl with plastic and refrigerate the dough until firm, about 25 minutes.

Put about 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl. With a cookie scoop or a small ice cream scoop, portion the dough into a slightly heaping tablespoon for each cookie. Roll the dough, by hand, into balls. Roll the tops of the balls in the sugar, and space them 2 inches apart on a nonstick or lightly oiled cookie sheet. Refrigerate until firm, about 25 minutes. (The chilling is what gives this cookie a beautiful, crackly crunch on top, and a soft, chewy center.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake until the top is crackly, and the insides peeking out through are dark and moist but not raw, about 15 to 20 minutes. Briefly cool the cookies on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Serve or store in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 weeks.

Cook's Note: Ginger preserves give lots of flavor without the hard chunks of crystallized ginger. It is found in most grocery stores.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 30 cookies

Hazelnut Crunch: Noci Croccante Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup water

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/3 cup dark corn syrup

2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir the sugar, water, light corn syrup, and dark corn syrup in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to high and boil without stirring until a candy thermometer registers 260 degrees F, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Mix in the hazelnuts, butter, and salt (the mixture will be thick and nutty), and cook until the thermometer registers 295 degrees F, stirring constantly, about 15 minutes. Quickly stir in the baking soda. Immediately pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading it as thinly as possible. Let stand until hard.
Break the brittle into pieces and store in an airtight container at room temperature. If desired, serve over your favorite ice cream.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 1 1/2 pounds

Mexican Wedding Cookies Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for coating baked cookies

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting hands

1 cup pecans, chopped into very small pieces

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Line cookies sheets with parchment paper.
Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar at low speed until it is smooth. Beat in the vanilla. At low speed gradually add the flour. Mix in the pecans with a spatula. With floured hands, take out about 1 tablespoon of dough and shape into a crescent. Continue to dust hands with flour as you make more cookies. Place onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 40 minutes. When cool enough to handle but still warm, roll in additional confectioners' sugar. Cool on wire racks.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 2 1/2 dozen cookies

7 ounces sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
1 recipe Homemade Marshmallow batter, recipe follows
Confectioners' sugar

Sprinkle half the toasted coconut in an 8 by 12-inch nonmetal pan. Pour in the marshmallow batter and smooth the top of the mixture with damp hands. Sprinkle on the remaining toasted coconut. Allow to dry uncovered at room temperature overnight.
Remove the marshmallows from the pan and cut into squares. Roll the sides of each piece carefully in confectioners' sugar. Store uncovered at room temperature.

Homemade Marshmallows:

3 packages unflavored gelatin

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and allow to sit while you make the syrup.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin. Put the mixer on high speed and whip until the mixture is very thick, about 15 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 8 hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 20 to 40 marshmallows
Episode#: IG0506
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

Sherry Butter Nut Drops Recipe courtesy Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 3/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

3 1/3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup dry sherry

1 cup ground pecans

2 egg whites, beaten

Pecan halves, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and salt. Mix the flour into the butter mixture, alternating with the sherry, making sure to finish with the flour. Stir in the ground pecans.

Drop by the teaspoonful onto a cookie sheet and roll each portion between your palms to make smooth, even balls. Press each one into the cookie sheet and brush with beaten egg white. Using a fork, knife or another tool, press a design into the top of each cookie, or press a pecan half, right side up, into each ball or dough. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool a few minutes and remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cool and let cookies sit overnight to ripen. Serve or store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 90 cookies

S'More Rockin' Reindeer Ravioli Original recipe by Laura Stanke, adapted by Food Network Kitchens

See this recipe on air Sunday Dec. 10 at 7:00 AM ET/PT.

Filling:

5 graham crackers, broken into pieces

6 ounce milk or dark chocolate, or a combination, chopped

3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

Dough:

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons molasses

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

11/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup graham flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup heavy cream

For the filling: Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until crumbly. Add the chocolate and cream cheese and continue to pulse until crumbly but pasty.

Using the filling portion ('the bumpy side") of a 12-section ravioli mold, cover the indented side with plastic wrap. Pack some of the filling into each indentation, leveling each one so it's flush with the top of the mold. Remove and place on a plate. Repeat to make 24 fillings. Cover the filling with plastic wrap and refrigerate. (Eat the crumbs left behind.)

To make the dough: Combine the butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed, until fluffy and combined, about 2 minutes. Add the molasses and vanilla and beat until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk both flours, the baking soda, salt and cinnamon together. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 parts, alternating with cream in 2 parts, beginning and ending with flour. Be careful not to overwork the dough. Divide into 2 disks, wrap in plastic warp and chill until very firm, about 1 hour.

Lay out an 11 by 15-inch piece of foil on a clean workspace and sprinkle generously with flour. Place a disk of dough on top and cover with a large sheet of plastic wrap. Roll the dough between the two layers (Voila, no messy hands) until you have a rectangle measuring 10 by 13 inches, cutting and patching as needed. Repeat with the other disk of dough. Transfer each foil to a cookie sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

When chilled, remove plastic wrap from 1 flat of chilled and rolled dough. Spray the zigzag side of the ravioli mold with nonstick spray and sprinkle it with flour. Place the mold, zigzag side down, onto the lower half of the dough, making a slight indent in the dough. Take the chocolate filling from the refrigerator. Place a round of filling on the center of each square ravioli impression.

Using the foil to lift the top of the dough, fold it over the mounds on the bottom half leaving plenty of give to tuck dough between each mound. Gently press out the air around the mounds with wet fingers to keep the dough from cracking. Spray the zigzag side of the mold again and sprinkle the top of the ravioli with flour. Invert the press on the cookies, making another impression in the dough, and press very firmly to seal the 2 layers together and cut off excess dough.

To remove the mold, gently lift by pressing downward on the 2 mounds on the end. Lift up on the mold working your way across the dough slab. Use a dry pastry brush to brush off excess flour. Cut ravioli into individual portions, trimming away excess dough with a knife or fluted pastry cutter. Arrange on a baking sheet. Chill the molded ravioli in the refrigerator until firm to the touch, 30 more minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake the ravioli for 25 to 30 Minutes. Remove from oven and let sit on cookie sheet 5 more minutes, using a pastry cutter to cut in between the ravioli while warm, if desired. Then slide the slab onto a cookie sheet to cool. Eat 1 slab and freeze the other to keep it really fresh. Yummmmm!!!!

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 2 dozen

Episode#: TCSP02
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

over 19 years ago

2 Replies

Peanut Patty

12 Days of Christmas Cookies from 2004

Mixed-Nut Honey Baklava From Food Network Kitchens

Baklava

12 dried calamyra figs, diced 1/4-inch

1/2 cup dark rum

1 1/2 cups toasted walnut pieces, chopped

1 1/2 cups toasted unblanched almonds, chopped

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks)

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, diced 1/4-inch

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 (1 pound) boxes phyllo dough (about 48 sheets)

Syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup honey (preferably orange blossom), plus more for drizzling

1/2 cup water

Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tablespoons)

Soak the diced figs in the rum in a large bowl for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread the walnuts and almonds out on a baking sheet and toast until darkened and fragrant, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool. Toss the nuts, chocolate, sugar, and spices with the figs and the rum.

Bring the butter to a simmer over low heat. Skim and discard the foamy solids that rise to the top until the butter is clear, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Lightly butter a 16 1/2 by 11 1/2-inch sheet pan. Remove the phyllo from the package, unroll and lay it on the counter next to the pan and cover with a kitchen towel. Lay 1 sheet of the phyllo on the pan and brush lightly with butter. Repeat with 11 more sheets of phyllo working quickly and keeping the phyllo covered, as you assemble the baklava. Scatter 1/3 of the nut mixture (about 1 1/2 cups) evenly over the layers of phyllo. Repeat 2 more times and top with the remaining 12 sheets of dough. Carefully, cut 3/4 of the way through the phyllo and nut filling to make about 96 (1 1/2-inch) squares.

Bake the baklava until light brown and cooked through, about 1 hour. Raise the temperature to 450 degrees F and bake until golden crisp, about 5 to 8 more minutes.

While the baklava crisps make the syrup: Heat the sugar, honey, and water in a saucepan over high heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon juice and carefully pour the hot syrup over the just baked baklava, making sure to get into all the cuts. Let cool. Complete the pre-made cuts in the baklava and serve with some honey drizzled on top.

Store the baklava in a sealed container for up to 1 week.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 1 hour
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 96 (1 1/2-inch) pieces
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

Triple Chocolate Cookies From Food Network Kitchens

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

2 large eggs

1 large yolk

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

6 ounces white chocolate chips

Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cloves together in a medium bowl. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove pan from the heat, add the bittersweet chocolate, then set aside until melted.
Whisk the eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla together in a medium bowl, then slowly whisk in chocolate. Stir in the flour mixture to make a loose dough. Don't overwork the dough. Fold in the chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (or 325 if convection option is available).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Form dough into balls, about 2 inches or 1 1/2 ounces each, and put on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a couple inches between the cookies. Bake until outside is crackly, but the center is still moist, about 13 to 15 minutes, or 12 in convection. Cool on a rack.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 24 cookies

Cinnamon Pecan Twists From Food Network Kitchens

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup pecan pieces

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 (9 1/4 by 10-inch) sheet puff pastry, thawed (about 9 ounces)

1 large egg, beaten

Combine sugar, pecans, and cinnamon in a mini-chopper and process until sandy. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Unfold pastry and brush with egg. Spread sugar mixture over pastry. Cut in half, then cut into 8 (1/2-inch-wide) strips. Twist strips. Lay on pans, pushing ends down with your thumb. Freeze 10 to 15 minutes, until firm.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Bake until golden, rotating pans halfway, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 18 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: about 18 twists

Citrus Shortbreads From Food Network Kitchens

3 clementine oranges or small tangerines, washed and dried

3/4 cup sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 pound unsalted butter (3 sticks), softened

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 12 1/2-inch baking sheet pan, line with parchment paper, and butter the paper.
Finely grate the skin (zest) off all 3 clementines, making sure you peel only the orange skin and not the bitter white pith. Puree the zest with 1/4 cup of the sugar in a food processor until minced, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Whisk the flour, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar on medium, until light and fluffy, about 8 minutes. Add the clementine-sugar mixture and beat for another minute. While mixing on low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not overwork the dough. Transfer dough to prepared pan, spreading it out as evenly as possible. Cover with plastic wrap, then press and flatten using your hands over the top to smooth and even out the dough. Cut the dough into bars about 1 by 3 inches with a sharp knife, while still in the pan. Prick a decorative pattern in the shortbreads with a fork or a wooden skewer. Bake until golden, about 1 hour and 10 to 20 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes and then re-cut the bars along the previous cuts. Let cool completely on racks. Store the cookies in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 32 cookies
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

Cornmeal Wreaths From Food Network Kitchens

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon anise extract, optional

2 large eggs, room temperature

Decoration:

1 cup cornflakes

1 large egg white, beaten

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In another bowl, beat the butter with a handheld electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar, vanilla, and anise to the butter and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes more. Add the eggs 1 at a time to the butter mixture and mix until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Stir the flour-cornmeal mixture into the wet ingredients with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
Divide the dough into 34 (1-inch) balls (3/4-ounce). Arrange the cookies on 2 parchment-lined cookie sheets about 1-inch apart. Make a hole in the center of each ball with your finger or the tip of a wooden spoon. Work each piece of dough by hand into a doughnut-like shape with a 1-inch hole and about 2 inches wide. Use scissors to snip 1/2-inch long angled cuts, about 1/2-inch apart around the outside ring of each cookie. Freeze cookies on the sheet until firm, about 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Toss a few of the cornflakes at a time with the egg whites and arrange on the surface of the cookies in a leaf like pattern. Bake until just golden around the edges, about 14 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Yield: about 34 cookies
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

Czech Squares From Food Network Kitchens

1 cup walnut pieces

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground clove

Pinch fine salt

1 1/2 sticks butter, diced and slightly chilled

5 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons brandy

Filling

1 cup cherry jam

1/2 lemon, zest finely grated

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 egg white, for brushing

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
Spread the nuts out on a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 8 minutes. Cool completely.

Butter a 9 by 12 1/2-inch baking sheet pan, then cover bottom with parchment paper.

Pulse the walnuts with the sugar, in a food processor until fine and powdery, about 2 minutes. Add the flour, spices, and salt, pulsing until evenly combined. Add the butter, yolks, and brandy and pulse until the mixture starts to come together. Stop mixing and pull the dough together by hand, press and roll into a thick log about 8 inches long.

Cut the log crosswise into 12 equal pieces. (If the dough is very sticky, refrigerate it until easier to work with, about 30 minutes.) Lay 8 pieces of the dough on the bottom of the pan. Press and spread the pieces together with your fingertips to cover the pan evenly.

Stir the cherry jam, lemon zest and juice together in a bowl. Spread the mixture evenly over the surface of the dough with the back of a spoon.

Roll the remaining dough out on a well-floured surface about 1/8-inch thick. Use a small decorative cutter, such as a leaf, tree, or star, to cut the dough into 24 pieces. Evenly place the pieces on top of the filling in 6 rows of 4. Alternatively cut the dough into long strips with a pizza wheel or knife, and place them on the filling in a lattice pattern; or cut the dough into ovals and lay them on the filling in a decorative pattern. Brush decorative layer of dough with egg white.

Bake the squares until golden brown, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Cool completely in the pan on a rack. Cut with a serrated knife into 2-inch squares.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 24 squares
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

Ginger Spice Cookies From Food Network Kitchens

1-inch knob peeled fresh ginger or 2 tablespoons prepared ginger juice

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 tablespoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon freshly and finely ground black pepper

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature cut into pieces

1 cup superfine sugar

2/3 cup molasses, preferably sorghum

Icing:

1/4 cup water

3 tablespoons egg white powder

2 cups confectioners' sugar

Food coloring, sprinkles, candies, or colored sugars as desired

Puree the ginger in a mini food processor with 2 tablespoons water. Squeeze and strain juice through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer. Discard the ginger pulp. Reserve the juice.
Sift the flour, baking soda, salt and spices into a medium bowl, then whisk in the pepper; set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar with a handheld mixer until light and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the molasses and ginger juice and beat until evenly incorporated, about 2 minutes. (Stir together with a spatula if needed.) Gradually blend the dry ingredients on low speed into the butter mixture until you have a crumbly mixture. Bring the dough together by hand pressing and kneading lightly until moist, but not tacky. Divide into 2 equal portions, press into disks about 1/2-inch thick. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Position racks evenly in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Dust the dough and a work surface with flour. Roll the dough about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out cookies into desired shapes. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until the cookies are a rich tawny brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. Cool on a rack.

For decorating: Whisk the water and egg white powder in a medium bowl until foamy and smooth. Gradually whisk in the confectioners' sugar to make a smooth icing. For multiple colors divide the icing into batches and add a food coloring as desired. Spread or pipe the icing onto the cookies. Finish with sprinkles, or candies. Let rest on a rack until the icing sets, about 30 minutes.

Cook's Note: For a chewier cookie, roll them 1/3 to 1/2-inch thick and bake for 16 to 20 minutes.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 1 hour
Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Yield: about 3 dozen cookies, depending upon shape
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

White Chocolate Holiday Bark From Food Network Kitchens

1 pound finely chopped white chocolate
1 1/2 teaspoons nut or plain oil
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 1/4 cups shelled pistachio nuts, toasted and papery coating peeled
Equipment: Chocolate thermometer

Tempering the chocolate for the bark requires a double boiler. If you don't have a double boiler, improvise one by using a saucepan and a stainless steel bowl: Nestle the bowl into the saucepan, allowing a few inches of space to remain between the bottom of the bowl and the bottom of the saucepan. Keep an extra bowl of a similar size on hand to transfer the chocolate for cooling. Rest the chocolate thermometer on a towel. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Pour a couple inches of water into the bottom half of the double boiler and heat over medium-low to just below a simmer. Put the chocolate in the top half of the double boiler and set over the hot water. Slowly melt the chocolate, stirring with a heat-resistant rubber spatula. As the chocolate melts, check the temperature periodically to make sure it stays between 82 and 86 degrees F. If it starts to rise above this temperature, quickly transfer the chocolate to the bowl on reserve and stir briskly to reduce heat. Return bowl to double boiler to maintain heat between 82 and 86 degrees F.

Remove bowl from over the hot water just before all the chocolate melts. Stir vigorously until the chocolate melts completely. Check temperature again. Stir in the oil until evenly blended. Chocolate is now tempered and ready to use. Keep within the 82 to 86 degree F range, returning bowl briefly to the double boiler if necessary.

Quickly stir the fruit and nuts into the chocolate. Spread chocolate mixture out on the prepared baking sheet so it's about 1/2-inch thick and the fruit and nuts are coated. Set bark aside at room temperature to harden. Break into angled pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Yield: About 1 1/2 pounds

Maamoul: Stuffed Date-Orange Cookies From Food Network Kitchens

Filling:

1/2 pound pitted soft Medjool dates

2 tablespoons water

Pinch fine salt

1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

Dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar, plus about 1/2 to 2 cups more for dusting

Pinch fine salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), plus 2 tablespoons

2 tablespoons neutral flavored oil, such as canola

1/4 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
To make the filling: Puree the filling ingredients in a food processor until evenly combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and set aside. Clean the processor bowl.

Put the flour, baking powder, the 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar, and salt in the bowl of food processor and pulse 3 to 4 times to mix. Add the butter, oil, and milk pulsing until the dough just comes together. Take care not to overwork the dough; it will be slightly wet.

Remove dough from the processor, and roll into 20 equally sized balls. In the palm of your hand, press and pat each ball of dough into a 2 3/4-inch round. Place a rounded teaspoon of filling in the center of each round and draw the edges up and around the filling. Pinch the dough together to make a sealed ball, and then carefully roll the cookie between your palms to make a smooth round ball. Press gently to flatten the cookie slightly, then place them seamed side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Gently prick the cookies with a fork or a wooden skewer in a decorative pattern taking care not to pierce the dough to the filling.

Bake the cookies until firm and slightly puffed, and the tops are pale but the bottoms are just beginning to turn slightly golden, about 25 to 30 minutes. Dust generously with confectioners' sugar, cool and dust again.

Other fillings we love:

Apricot Golden Raisin Nut Filling:

1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped (other nuts can be substituted)

1/3 cup golden raisins

3 tablespoons apricot jam

Pinch fine salt

Puree in a food processor until evenly combined.

Quince-Walnut Filling:

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted

1/3 cup quince jam

Pinch fine salt

Puree in a food processor until evenly combined.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 20 cookies
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

Hazelnut-Mocha Macaroons From Food Network Kitchens

2 cups confectioners' sugar

4 ounces peeled and toasted hazelnuts (about 3/4 cup)

3 tablespoons Dutch processed cocoa powder

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/8 teaspoon fine salt

Mocha Filling:

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Grind 1 cup of the confectioners' sugar, the hazelnuts, and cocoa in a food processor until powdery, about 3 minutes. Sift mixture through a medium mesh strainer onto a piece of parchment paper, then discard any large pieces of nuts that didn't come through the strainer.

With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and salt until they hold firm but not dry peaks, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar, a tablespoon at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed; this can take up to 3 minutes. Beat for an extra 30 seconds until the peaks are firm and shiny but still not dry. Fold the nut mixture gently into the egg whites with a large rubber spatula. Transfer mixture into a large piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain piping tip. Pipe 32 2-inch by about 1/3-inch thick rounds, evenly spaced, on each of the prepared pans. Set aside to air dry for 30 minutes before baking.

Meanwhile make the filling: Put chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream, with espresso powder mixed in, to a boil. Pour cream over chocolate and shake bowl gently so cream settles around the chocolate. Set mixture aside until the chocolate is soft, about 5 minutes. Whisk gently until smooth, taking care not to incorporate too many air bubbles. Cool at room temperature until set up.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Bake macaroons until set and puffed, about 18 to 20 minutes. Take care not to overcook the macaroons or they'll crack. Cool cookies for 5 minutes then gently peel from paper. Let cool completely.

Spread 1 teaspoon of mocha filling on a cookie and sandwich 2 cookies together.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 16 sandwiched cookies
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

Ribbon or Swirl Cookies From Food Network Kitchens

Vanilla Dough:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

1 large egg

1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons mint extract

1 cup unsalted butter, (2 sticks), room temperature

2 cups all-purpose flour

Chocolate Dough:

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup natural cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup unsalted butter, (2 sticks) room temperature

1 large egg

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

For the vanilla dough: Mix the 2 sugars and the salt together in a medium bowl. In another small bowl, whisk the egg and mint extract and set aside. With a hand held mixer beat the butter until smooth in a large bowl. While mixing, gradually add the sugar mixture, and continue beating until lightly colored and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stop mixing and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg mixture and beat until smooth. Gradually add the flour, mixing slowly until blended.
Turn the dough out of the bowl, divide in half. Place the halves between 2 pieces of lightly floured parchment or waxed paper. Roll into a 10 by 12 by 1/4 inch rectangle. Slide the sheets of dough/parchment sheets onto a baking sheet, and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours or overnight.

For the chocolate dough: Whisk the sugar, cocoa, salt in a medium bowl. With a hand held mixer beat the butter until smooth in a large bowl. While mixing, add the cocoa mixture, and continue beating until lightly colored and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Stop mixing and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and beat until smooth. Gradually add the flour, mixing slowly until blended.

Turn the dough out of the bowl, divide in half. Place the halves between 2 pieces of lightly floured parchment or waxed paper. Roll into a 10 by 12 by 1/4 inch rectangle. Slide the sheets of dough/parchment sheets onto a baking sheet, and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours or overnight.

For a spiral cookie: Put 1 of the chocolate doughs on the workspace and remove the top sheet of parchment. Brush dough lightly with cold water. Place a sheet of vanilla dough on the workspace, and remove top sheet of paper. Using the bottom piece of the paper to lift the dough, place the vanilla dough on top of the chocolate dough. Take care to line up the edges of the 2 doughs and trim as needed. Lightly press to smooth and seal the doughs together. Remove the top piece of paper. Brush the surface of the dough lightly with cold water. Position the sandwiched doughs with the long edge facing you. Using the edge of the paper as a guide, roll the doughs into a tight cylinder, 2 inches wide. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour. Repeat with remaining 2 sheets of dough.

Evenly position racks in the oven, and preheat to 325 degrees F.

Slice the dough crosswise into 1/4-inch thick cookies. Lay about 1/2-inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until just golden - not too dark you'll lose the definition of the spiral, about 14 to 16 minutes.

For a ribbon cookie:
Roll and layer the two doughs into 15 by 18-inch rectangles, and 1/4-inch thick in the same way as the Spiral Cookies. Put 1 of the chocolate doughs on the work space and remove the top sheet of parchment. Brush lightly with a little cold water. Place 1 of vanilla doughs on the work space. Remove top sheet of paper, and use the bottom piece of the paper to lift the dough onto the chocolate dough. Take care to lining up the edges of the dough. Lightly press to smooth and seal the doughs together. Remove the top parchment.
Trim the edges on the layered doughs with a pizza cutter using a ruler or other straight edge as a guide. Working with the short edge facing you, cut the layered dough in half vertically. Set 1 piece on top of the other and then turn the dough, to have the long side facing you. Cut the dough in half again and set 1 piece on top of the other. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours before slicing.

Trim any uneven edges with a sharp knife. Slice blocks into 1/8-inch thick rectangles and bake until the white dough is just beginning to brown, about 16 to 18 minutes.

Yield: approximately 6 dozen cookies
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 16 to 18 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 4 hours
Ease of preparation: expert

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 1 hour
Inactive Prep Time: 3 hours
Cook Time: 16 minutes
Yield: approximately 6 dozen cookies

Swedish Christmas Cookies From Food Network Kitchens

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cardamom

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup unsalted butter, (2 sticks), at room temperature

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Colored sanding sugars or chopped toasted pecans

Whisk the flour, cardamom, and salt in a bowl.
Put the butter and confectioners' sugar in a food processor, and process until smooth. Pulse in the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest until combined. Add the flour mixture and process to make a soft buttery dough. Divide dough in half onto 2 (12-inch long) sheets of plastic wrap, using the plastic, shape into rough logs. Refrigerate the dough logs for 30 minutes until just firm enough to shape into uniform logs, 8-inches long by 2-inches in diameter. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Scatter either the sanding sugars or toasted nuts on a work surface and roll the logs until completely coated. Cut into 1/4-inch thick cookies and space about 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until golden around the edges, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cookies on the pan on wire racks. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Yield: about 3 1/2 dozen cookies

over 19 years ago

Peanut Patty

12 Days of CHRISTMAS COOKIES 2003
From Food Network Kitchens

Almond Snowball Cookies

Food Network Kitchens

3/4 cup sliced almonds

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup unsalted butter, sliced and softened (1 1/2 sticks)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup confectioners' sugar

Pulse the almonds and sugar in a food processor until very finely ground. Add the butter and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape the dough off the inside of the bowl, if needed. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and pulse to combine. Add the flour and salt and pulse to make a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a large piece of waxed paper and roll into a log about 15 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cut the chilled dough into 1/2-inch pieces and roll by hand into balls. Space the cookies evenly on the prepared baking sheets and bake until slightly golden, rotating the sheets once, 15 to 20 minutes. Put the confectioners' sugar in a pie plate. Briefly cool the cookies on a rack, then gently toss in the confectioners' sugar until evenly coated. Return to rack, cool to room temperature, and then toss again in the confectioners' sugar.

Southern Tea Cakes Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

4 cups all-purpose flour plus more for rolling

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder together. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Dough will be soft and wet. On a floured surface shape the dough into a disk, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Flour surface again and roll dough out until approximately 1/4 inch thick. Cut dough into desired shapes and bake on a slightly greased sheet pan for 10 to 12 minutes.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 dozen cookies

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies Recipe courtesy Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Desserts, Miramax Books, 2003

1 (16-ounce) container dark chocolate frosting

1/2 stick butter, room temperature

2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

1 cup very finely ground almonds

48 chocolate kisses, unwrapped

Beat chocolate frosting and butter in large bowl until well blended.

Mix in graham cracker crumbs and almond extract.

Place almonds in a pie pan or other shallow bowl.

Shape chocolate mixture into 1-inch balls.

Roll each ball in very finely ground almonds to coat.

Place balls on cookie sheet. Using a finger, make deep indentation in center of each ball.

Fill indentations with chocolate kisses. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until cold.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Yield: about 48 cookies

Platinum Blondies Recipe courtesy Al Roker, Al Roker's Hassle-Free Holiday Cookbook, Scribner, 2003

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

4 ounces white chocolate, chopped, or 3/4 cup white chocolate chips

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Lightly butter an 8-inch square baking pan with sides at least 1 1/2 inches high. Using an electric mixer or mixing by hand, beat together the sugar and egg until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and butter and beat to mix well. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt and add to the butter mixture, beating until just incorporated. Do not overmix. Using a spoon, stir in the pecans and white chocolate.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and use a flat metal spatula or a butter knife to smooth the top. Bake the blondies for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is dry and golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached (not wet, but not perfectly dry). Remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Cut the blondies into 2-inch squares. The blondies can be stored, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to 3 days (these seem to get better as they sit) or frozen for up to 2 months (thaw before serving).

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 16 (2-inch) squares

Paula's Loaded Oatmeal Cookies Recipe courtesy Paula Deen, The Lady and Sons Just Desserts, Simon and Schuster, 2002

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon allspice

2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal

1 cup raisins

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 1 or more cookie sheets.
Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, shortening, and sugar in a bowl until fluffy. Add eggs and beat until mixture is light in color. Add buttermilk. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice; stir into creamed mixture. Fold in oatmeal, raisins, walnuts, and vanilla, blending well. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

Thimble Cookies Recipe courtesy Gale Gand, Gale Gand's Just A Bite by Gale Gand and Julia Moskin: Clarkson N. Potter Publishers, 2001

8 ounces (2 sticks) cool unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Colored sugars of your choice

Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer) until smooth. With the mixer running at low speed, add the remaining ingredients (except the colored sugars) and mix until smooth. Form the dough into 2 disks, wrap them separately in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour. The recipe can be made up to this point and kept refrigerated for up to 2 days.
When you're ready to bake, heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to a little less than 1/4 inch thick.
Using a thimble, and dipping it in flour often to keep the cookies from sticking, cut out tiny rounds of dough. Carefully transfer to cookie sheets. Reroll the scraps once and cut out more cookies, then discard the scraps (they will become tough if you keep rerolling them).

Sprinkle the tops with plain or colored sugars, then press the sugar lightly into the cookie with your thumbs. Bake until light golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

Repeat with the remaining cookie dough. Let the cookies cool on wire racks and store them in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 120 to 150 cookies

Almond Brittle: Croccante Recipe courtesy Mario Batali, Mario Batali Holiday Food, Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2000

1/4 cup almond oil

4 cups blanched and sliced almonds

3 cups sugar

1/4 cup water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet with the almond oil.
Place the almonds on a separate baking sheet and toast them until light golden grown, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

In a medium, very heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and water and cook over medium-high heat until the sugar liquefies, then turns light golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Do not stir, but brush the sugar crystals off the sides of the pot with a wet pastry brush as necessary. Once the sugar begins to brown, watch carefully and remove from heat as soon as it is the desired color, as the sugar can burn quickly.

Once the caramel is off the heat, immediately add the almonds to the pot and stir quickly to incorporate. Turn out onto the prepared cookie sheet, spreading quickly to an even thickness. Allow the brittle to cool completely, then break into festive shapes.

Jam Thumbprint Cookies Recipe courtesy Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Family Style, Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2002

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut

Raspberry and/or apricot jam

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until they are just combined and then add the vanilla. Separately, sift together the flour and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Dump on a floured board and roll together into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. (If you have a scale they should each weigh 1 ounce.) Dip each ball into the egg wash and then roll it in coconut. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger. Drop 1/4 teaspoon of jam into each indentation. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the coconut is a golden brown. Cool and serve.

Holiday Cookie Projects: Snowflakes, Dreidel Trios, and Ornaments Recipe courtesy Gale Gand, Butter Sugar Flour Eggs by Gale Gand, Rick Tramonto, Julia Moskin, Clarkson N. Potter Publishers, 1999

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1/2 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 1/4 cups cake flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

For decorating:

4 cups confectioners' sugar

6 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Food coloring

Colored sugar

Cream the butter in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer) until smooth. Add the sugar and mix. Add the egg and mix. Add the molasses and vanilla and mix. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves together. Working in batches, and mixing just until combined after each addition, add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture. Shape the dough into a thick disk, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 1 or 2 sheet pans. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out 1/4-inch thick.

Icing decorations:
Stir the confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla together until smooth.

To make snowflakes:
Use a snowflake-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the cookies, rerolling the scraps as needed. If you plan to hang the cookies, use a toothpick to make the holes in the dough about 1/8-inch wide, keeping in mind that the holes will shrink as the cookies bake. Bake until firm, 12 to 15 minutes, and let cool on the pan. Using only white icing and a pastry bag fitted with the smallest plain tip, pipe thin lines from the center of the cookie out to the points, like spokes of a wheel. Connect the spokes with thin lines in between them, making a spiderweb effect to make it look like a snowflake. Let the icing harden before threading the cookies onto wire, string or yarn for hanging.

To make dreidel trios:
Use a dreidel cookie cutter and cut out 3 cookies. Lay 1 on a greased sheet pan. Fanning out at an angle, with the handles overlapping at the top, lay 2 more dreidels next to the first one (it will look like a paper-doll effect). The handle is now 3 layers thick; press on it gently to thin it slightly and make it larger. Repeat with the remaining dough, rerolling the scraps as needed. If you plan to hang the cookies, use a toothpick to make a hole in the handle about 1/8-inch wide, keeping in mind that the hole will shrink as the cookies bake. Bake until firm, 12 to 15 minutes, and let cool on the pan. Color some of your icing blue with food coloring, or use blue colored sugar and white icing together. Using a pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip, pipe Hebrew letters or stars of David on the cookies' faces. Sprinkle the sugar on the icing while the icing is still wet. Let the icing harden before threading the cookies onto wire, string, or yarn for hanging.
To make ornaments:
Use any holiday-themed cookie cutter to cut out the cookies, rerolling the scraps as needed. If you plan to hang the cookies, use a toothpick to make holes in the dough about 1/8 inch wide, keeping in mind that the holes will shrink as the cookies bake. Bake until firm, 12 to 15 minutes, and let cool on the pan. Meanwhile, color some of your icing in festive colors with food coloring, or use colored sugars. Using a pastry bag fitted with the smallest plain tip, pipe a few colorful borders and decorations on the cookies. When set, add more lines of icing in white. Let the icing harden before threading the cookies onto wire, string, or yarn for hanging.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 1 hour
Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: about 24 cookies

Chocolate Caramel Peanut Truffles Recipe courtesy Sara Moulton, Sara Moulton Cooks at Home, Broadway Books, 2002

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup heavy cream

9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup finely chopped peanuts, for coating

Place the sugar in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring just until the sugar has melted. Continue cooking, swirling the pan often, until the sugar is dark golden caramel. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully pour in the cream. Return the pan to the heat and simmer, stirring, until the caramel has dissolved.
Remove the pan from the heat and, while hot, stir in the chocolate, peanut butter, salt, and vanilla. Let stand for about 5 minutes or until the chocolate and peanut butter have dissolved. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill until firm, about 2 hours.

Use a small spoon to scoop out the truffles and form into 1-inch balls. Roll the truffles in the peanuts and transfer to a tray covered with waxed paper. Chill until firm, about 1 hour. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Pistachio Biscotti Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence, Tyler Florence's Real Kitchen, Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2003

1 1/2 cups pistachios

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Lay the pistachios on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes or until the nuts are lightly toasted. Remove from the oven.

In an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy. With the mixer running, gradually add the eggs, sugar, and vanilla; mix until creamed. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dough until smooth. Using a wooden spoon, mix in the pistachios until evenly distributed.

Put the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut in half. Roll each half into a log, each 12 inches long by 1-inch high. Place the logs on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 35 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly brown. Let the logs cool for 5 minutes and then place on a cutting board. Slice each log on a diagonal into 12 1-inch thick pieces. Put the cookies back on the cookie sheet and bake 5 minutes. Turn the cookies over and bake the other side for another 5 minutes. Store cookies in an airtight container.

Date Bar Cookies Recipe courtesy Kathleen Daelemans, Cooking Thin with Chef Kathleen, Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002

For the filling:

3 cups coarsely chopped dates

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups water

For the crust and topping:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) very cold butter, cut into small cubes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a nonreactive medium saucepan over low heat, combine dates, granulated sugar, and water. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Cool completely. In a large bowl or bowl of an electric mixer, place brown sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and oats. Mix on low speed until combined. While mixer is running, add butter, 1 piece or 2 at a time. Mix until crumb like, with some lumps of butter no larger than pea size.

Using your hands, press and flatten half of crumb mixture into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Spread cooled filling over crust. Cover with remaining crumb mixture, patting lightly. Bake until lightly browned, 25 to 35 minutes. Cool slightly and cut into bars while still in the pan. Gently remove cut bars from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Date bars, stored in an airtight container, refrigerate and freeze well.

over 19 years ago

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