Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Christmas cookies and Christmas Wishes.....


This year has gone so fast, and we are here in the middle of Christmas preparations.....food, house decorations, and some gifts have been in the to-do-list as priorities....

Nevertheless, it is time to quiet the mind.....to reflect in the year that is almost gone, and to renew our values for the year that will start....

Thank you for being here, thank you for sharing your food, your memories, your time to comment....

I wish everyone of you a peacefully and wonderful Christmas.....and all the best for 2013!! 


For Christmas, I always make biscotti, almond cookies, cuccidati,  and thumbprint cookies.  This year, I have tried Christmas cookies that the local newspaper (Edmonton Journal) has proposed for Christmas. They are delicious, and here is my version:



Dough
120 grams of  unsalted butter
1/2 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Topping:
1 cup walnuts (chopped)
1 cup almond (chopped)
1 cup  pistachios (chopped)
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon rosewater (optional)


Heat the oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer and beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Incorporate the egg, and beat until it is creamy. Stir in the flour by 1/2 cup each time. Let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. Put the dough in a baking pan covered with paper. Bake it for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Topping:
In a bowl mix together the nuts. Add the honey and rosewater. Mix it well.

Distribute the nut mix over the cooked crust, Return to the oven for 10 minutes. Let it cool, and cut it in diamond shapes.







ALMOND SAFFRON  COOKIES (adapted from canada.com)

1 pinch saffron threads (crushed)
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
3/4 cups sugar
180 grams of   almonds (grinded)

Heat the oven to 300 F. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Beat the egg whites along with the salt until soft frothy peaks are formed. In a rainy motion, add the sugar. Continue whipping until it is thick, and glossy. Folding, incorporate the almonds, vanilla, and saffron. 
With a tablespoon, distribute portions on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 25 minutes, or until they are golden brown.



TANGERINE NUTMEG COOKIES (adapted from canada.com)

150 grams of unsalted butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Finely grated zest of  2 tangerine
nutmeg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 spoon baking powder
pistachio to decorate

Heat the oven to 350 F. With an electric mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, salt, zest and nutmeg until creamy. Incorporate the flour along with the baking powder.

Take a piece of dough and make a ball about the size of a walnut. To flatten each ball, use both hands, and decorate each one with a pistachio.  Bake for  20 minutes, or until golden brown. ENJOY!



And....What I have had for breakfast? This delicious intxaur from the blog Miren.....Thanks Miren!




3 comments:

  1. Il est vrai que c'est l'heure de faire le bilan.
    En attendant, tes biscuits sont superbes et doivent être délicieux.
    Joyeux Noël à toi et aux tiens et à bientôt

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for you best wishes and wonderful recipes. You too enjoy the holidays in unity with your family.

    Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  3. Feliz año que disfrute de un hermoso 2013 llena de bienestar salud y amor AbrAZOS GRANDES

    ReplyDelete