Christmas Memories, Cookies, Candies, and Desserts.

Another Great RECIPE for CHRISTMAS

The Clinton Legacy Cookbook
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CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIES

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
1) Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together, set aside.
2) In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Gradually blend in the sifted ingredients until fully absorbed.
Cover dough, and chill for 2 hours.
3) On a clean floured surface, roll out small portions of chilled dough to 1/4 inch thickness.
Cut out shapes using cookie cutters.
Bake 6 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are barely brown.
Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

ITALIAN ANISE COOKIES
We cut these cookies into holiday shapes, and sprinkle them with colorful candy toppings.

2 cups white sugar
1 cup shortening
5 to 6 drops Anise oil (the American version preferred by some of the kids, 1 Tbls. vanilla extract 1 ts. almond extract)
2 eggs
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
1) Mix together sugar, shortening or margarine, Anise oil(or vanilla extract and almond extract). Cream these together until light.
2) Add eggs and beat well.
3) Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt ( use 1/2 teas. if using margarine).
4) Add to sugar mixture alternately with milk, ending with flour mixture. Dough will be quite stiff and may require mixing the last bit of flour in by hand.
5) Roll out portions of dough on floured board and cut with your favorite cookie cutters.
6) Place on greased cookie sheets and bake for 10 to 12 minutes .
Test for doneness by touching lightly with your finger. If there is no dent, they're done.
Cool and frost, decorate with colored sugars and colored frosting..
Note: If you like crisp cookies, roll the dough thinner. For more cake-like dough roll thicker and use metal cookie cutters.

EASY GINGERBREAD MEN

1 cup shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
6-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1-1/2 cups molasses
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C)
1) Cream shortening and sugar. Sift flour with salt, soda and spices. Blend flour mixture into creamed mixture alternately with molasses and water.
Chill at least 1 hour.
2) Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut with large 6-8 inch gingerbread men cookie cutters. Lift onto lightly greased cookie sheet with broad spatula.
3) Bake above oven center for about 12 minutes or until cookies spring back lightly in center.
Do not overcook, they won't stay soft. Remove from sheets.
Cool on wire racks.
Makes 20 men 6-8 inches tall.

We could put those watery cranberries into this and look like we know what we are doing.. LOL

CRANBERRY-WHITE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon brandy
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
1) In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth.
2) Beat in the egg and brandy. Combine the flour and baking soda; stir into the sugar mixture.
3) Mix in the white chocolate chips and cranberries. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven.
For best results, take them out while they are still doughy.
Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

CANDY CANE COOKIES

    * 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    * 1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) butter, softened
    * 1 cup confectioners' sugar
    * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    * 1/4 teaspoon salt
    * 1 egg
    * 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring or enough for desired color
    * 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
Preheat oven to 375°.
1) In a mixing bowl, measure flour, butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, salt, and egg. Beat with hand-held electric mixer at low speed until mixture is well blended, scraping bowl a few times.
Set aside half of the cookie dough.
2) Into remaining dough in bowl, knead in red food coloring and peppermint extract until well blended.
3) On a lightly floured surface, using hands, take 1 teaspoonful of plain dough and roll into a 4-inch rope. Repeat, using tinted dough.
4) Place the ropes side-by-side and gently twist together. Pinch ends lightly to seal. Curve one end to form candy cane.
Move cookie to ungreased baking sheets with a spatula. Repeat with remaining dough.
Bake cookies at 375° for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned around edges.
Remove to racks with a spatula; let cool. Store in tightly covered container for up to 1 week.
Makes about 4 dozen candy cane cookies.

OLD WORLD SESAME SEED COOKIES

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sesame seeds
Set racks in middle and upper part of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F.
1) Cream butter and sugar together. Mix flour and baking powder together. Add to butter mixture, mix well.
2) Stir in 1/2 cup water and mix to form dough.
3) Roll on floured board to about one inch thick.
4) Cut in pieces about 2 inches by 1 inch.
5) Roll each piece in sesame seed. Arrange pieces on a greased baking sheet.
Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
Store at room temperature in airtight tin or plastic container.
About 3 dozen cookies.

Here is definitely a Chick Cookie.. :)

BUTTER RUM COOKIES

1 cup butter, soft
1 cup sugar, divided
3 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons rum
2 1/2 cups unsifted flour
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped orange peel
Preheat Oven at 350°
1) Cream butter with 3/4 cup sugar until light. Beat in egg yolks, flavorings, and rum. Gradually add flour, using hands to knead in last of it.
2) When dough is smooth, shape into rolls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, wrap in waxed paper and place in the refrigerator.
Chill for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
3) Cut into 1/4-inch slices and roll each slice with hands, to form a ball. Roll balls in a mixture of the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and orange peel.
4) Place on cookie sheet and flatten with a flat bottom glass dipped in the sugar-orange mixture.
Bake on lightly greased and floured baking sheets at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes.
Store cookies in an airtight container for at least 1 day before serving for best flavor.
Makes about 4 to 5 dozen cookies.

CLASSIC SICILIAN FIG COOKIES
This wonderful traditional Christmas cookie is called Cuddureddi, and is a classic, sometimes made with ricotta, sometimes with this fig stuffing.

Dough

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
1/2 cup lard
1/2 - 1 cup milk

Filling

1 pound dried figs
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup golden raisins (sultanas)
1/2 cup walnuts pieces
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon candied orange peel
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F.
1) Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in lard until mixture resembles coarse oatmeal.
2) Add milk, a little at a time until mixture forms a firm dough. Do not use too much milk.
Knead on a floured board for 2 minutes. Roll into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and let rest in refrigerator for at least one hour.
3) While dough is resting, soak figs in warm water to soften them for 10 minutes. Drain and dry. Chop finely. Mix with all other filling ingredients.
4) Remove chilled bread from refrigerator. Knead briefly and roll on floured board to 1/8 thick. Cut into 4 x 5 inch rectangles.
5) Put tablespoon filling in the center of each rectangle and fold lengthwise. Press edges together, moistening lightly, then cut these edges at 1/2 inch intervals. Bend ever-so-slightly to fan out the cut edge, allowing filling to show.
Arrange on greased baking sheet and cook in preheated 350°F oven for 20 minutes.
About 24 cookies.

BISCOTTI
What would the Christmas season be without this wonderful Italian coffee dunking biscuit We call these (Cantuccini) biscotti, but all cookies are called biscotti in Italy Ha! They are double-baked to get their crispness.

6 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 cup chopped almonds
Preheat oven to 375°F. Set racks to middle and top of oven.
1) Mix eggs thoroughly. Blend in sugar, vanilla, and melted butter.
2) Add flour, baking powder and chopped almonds. Dough will be thick.
3) Divide into thirds and form into even loaf shapes, about 1 inch thick.
Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 375°F until golden brown, about 20 - 25 minutes.
Remove from oven. Let cool on wire rack. Slice slantwise into 1/2 - 3/4 inch slices.
4) Return to 375° F oven and bake until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. Be careful to not overcook. They will crisp further as they cool.
Store at room temperature in an airtight tin or plastic container.
Yield: About 48 biscotti.

LEMON SANDWICH COOKIES
These cookies have the lightness, texture, flavor that kids and really big kids love. This is indeed cookie-making fun.
The top is almost a meringue, the filling flavored by lemon.

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs separated
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup pecans, finely chopped

Lemon filling

1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400°F.
1) Cream together sugar, butter, egg yolk, water and vanilla. Stir in flour, salt and baking soda. Mix until combined.
2) Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a roll 7 inches by 1 1/2 inches.
Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours.
3) Cut dough into 1/4 inch slices. Put on inch apart on ungreased baking sheet.
4) Beat egg whites just enough to hold together. Fold in nuts.
5) Spoon 1/2 teaspoon nut mixture on half the cookie slices.
Bake in preheated 400° F oven until edges begin to brown, about six minutes.
Remove from baking sheet IMMEDIATELY, and let cool on wire racks.
Filling:
Combine sugar, butter, lemon peel and lemon juice. Mix until smooth.
Spread filling between cookie halves with the cookie with nut mixture on top.
About 4 dozen pieces, 1 1/2 - 2 dozen sandwiches

Thanks, Carlo - that was a beautiful essay.

My Christmas food memory is of my grandfather. He was an amazing man, so full of spirit and fun and practical jokes. His specialty was a candy called "Daisy Cream" - boiled, cooled on a marble slab and pulled like taffy, only it "aged" to a buttery, creamy, soft butter-mint type consistency (without the mint).

He had a small cottage-type business around Christmas -people from all over the country bought small paper-lined coffee tins of the candy for $1.00.

Any time we visited, there was a pot on the stove, and another batch already pulled and cut into bite-size pieces waiting for their intricately folded waxed-paper wrappers. My brothers and I used to argue over who would get the "sucker" - grandpa would scrape the remaining syrup out of the pan and put the spoon in cold water where it would harden into a homemade lollipop.

In my grandmother's diary (which, as the only grandaughter she left to me) she stated that one year, they raised $300.00, which they sent to the convent where my aunt (their daughter) was a member. That's 300 lbs of candy, folks!

My brothers and I have recently taken to trying our hands at Daisy Cream. We have grandpa's slab - it has a crack in it just as it did when he made his candy - his original cooking pot and candy thermometer. Ours is a clumsy rendition, but I'm glad my kids are able to have the same eat-yourself-sick experience that I did growing up.

CHOCOLATE CHEWS

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F.
1) On the top of a double boiler, melt chocolate. When melted set aside to cool slightly.
2) Using an electric mixer set on low, cream together sugar, shortening and vanilla. Beat in eggs. Stir in cooled chocolate.
3) Mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the shortening mixture alternately with milk, mixing well after each addition. Stir in nuts.
Chill 2 - 3 hours in refrigerator. (Don't try any shortcuts here - the dough needs to be cold so you can form balls with it).
4) Roll chilled dough into 1 inch balls.
Roll balls in confectioners sugar and place on baking sheet.
Bake 15 minutes.

When I was a child, we opened gifts on Christmas Eve...

..because my grandmother's (we lived with her) elderly, spinster aunts ...all three, plus their elderly bachelor brother ....lived across the street, and this was their time to come over....

..all dressed to the 9's in their best velvet and taffeta longish dresses and enjoy watching me, the only child, open gifts.

Grandmother always made her traditional fruitcake, and German fruitcake.
For these she needed liquor....(which, as a strict Southern Baptist we didn't imbibe :)

..so my elderly great uncle, who was very familiar with the local liquor store...
..would do Grandmother's bidding for Christmas and bring back the right 'spirits' to soak her Christmas cakes!

I wasn't encouraged to be loud or boisterous (with my great aunts around) ...but it was lovely all the same, though low key.

Grandmother put out her best tableclothes and dishes and the tree had been freshly trimmed...(always a live tree, of course)

....I can't even remember what we did on Christmas morn, but I never, ever had to wait to open gifts on Christmas Day :) (that joy completed the night before.)..until I was nine and we moved.

Thanks carlo for the wonderful recipes!

(FREEDOM) FRIED RICOTTA PUFFS
These great ricotta puffs are derived from our old family recipe file, and recreated every Christmas..

2 packets yeast
2 cups lukewarm milk
4 tablespoons shortening, cut in pieces
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 cup sugar
2 1/4 cups ricotta
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate cut in pieces
1/2 cup candied peel
2 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon rum (optional)
1 1/2 cups fine bread crumbs
oil for deep frying

1) Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup milk. Set aside remaining milk.
2) Blend shortening and flour with fingers until flour resembles a coarse dough. Stir in yeast, all the milk, eggs and 1/4 cup of the sugar.
Mix well and work dough until soft. Cover, put in draft-free place to rise, about two hours.
3) While dough is rising, prepare filling. Mix together ricotta and remaining sugar. Whip with a fork until smooth and creamy.
Stir in chocolate chips and candied peel.
4) Punch down dough. Roll on lightly floured surface until 1/8 inch thick. Cut into rounds with an inverted glass.
5) Put heaping teaspoon filling in center of each ring. Place another ring on top and press edges slightly to seal.
Set aside, covered for one hour.
6) When puffy, dip into beaten egg, then into bread crumbs and deep fry them, a few at a time.
About 3 dozen

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