BUTTER RUM COOKIESPreheat Oven at 350°
- 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
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 COOKIESThis wonderful traditional Christmas cookie is called Cuddureddi, and is a classic, sometimes made with ricotta, sometimes with this fig stuffing.
Dough
Filling
- 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
Preheat oven to 350°F.
- 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
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.
BISCOTTIWhat 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.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Set racks to middle and top of oven.
- 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
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.Lemon filling
- 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
Preheat oven to 400°F.
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
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
CHOCOLATE CHEWSPreheat oven to 350°F.
- 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
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.
(FREEDOM) FRIED RICOTTA PUFFSThese great ricotta puffs are derived from our old family recipe file, and recreated every Christmas..
1) Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup milk. Set aside remaining milk.
- 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
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
CHEWY PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE BARS
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease or spray with cooking spray a 9-inch pan.
1) Using an electric mixer, mix butter, peanut butter, sugars, and egg until smooth.
2) Stir together flour and baking powder and mix into peanut butter mixture.
3) Spread in prepared pan.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.
4) Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips and chopped peanuts.
Let stand a few minutes, then spread chocolate over the baked cookie. (All chips do not have to melt.)
When cool, cut into 20 bars.
gracias carlo. Muy gracias!
Oh Carlo, how did you know rum is my favorite? (batting eye lashes)