Christmas Rum Balls

Wednesday, 21 December, 2011 21:25 Written by admin

Don't eat too many!

When Marie babysat Leaha as a little girl in Churchill, she didn’t expect to be collecting recipes from her many years later. We are truly blessed by all the people who are willing to share their favorites and here is one of Leaha’s.

INGREDIENTS

4 cups finely ground vanilla wafers 1L
1 cup finely ground pecans 250 ml
1 1/2 cups icing sugar 375 ml
1/3 cup cocoa powder 75 ml
pinch salt
3/4 cup melted butter 175 ml
3/4 cup white rum 175 ml
1/4 cup almond paste 60 ml
1/2 cup sour cream 125 ml
pinch salt pinch
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted* 250 ml
chocolate shot, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Finely grind vanilla wafers and pecans in a food processor.
2. Combine the wafers and pecans with icing sugar, cocoa and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the melted butter and rum.
3. Puree the almond paste in a food processor. Add the sour cream and salt. Mix well and add the melted chocolate chips. Mix well.
4. Add the sour cream mixture to the vanilla wafer mixture in a large bowl. Stir until well mixed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight, until fairly firm
5. Form into balls and roll in chocolate shot if you wish. Place on waxed paper-lined trays to harden overnight.
6. Put rum balls in tins and allow to mature for 2 weeks. Freeze if you are going to keep them more than 4 weeks.

Makes about 50 rum balls.

VARIATION: Rum balls may be dipped in melted chocolate rather than rolled in chocolate shot.

* Use low heat on stove top or microwave for 2 minutes on medium, then stir until melted.

Stained Glass Cookies

Wednesday, 21 December, 2011 21:18 Written by admin

Imagine the possibilities!

These edible ornaments are a Christmas tradition in the Woolsey family. We first found the recipe in the National Geographic magazine, and right from the beginning, it was important to invite another family to join us.

Now that the kids have all gone, we invite parish families and friends to the annual event – along with whatever grandchildren are in town – and we have games and a sing-along for an evening of entertainment. All the kids go home with a bag full of their cookie creations – to hang on the tree or just to eat!

INGREDIENTS

2 cups clear, hard candies, individually wrapped, an assortment of colours* 500 mL
1 cup margarine, softened 250 mL
1 cup brown sugar 250 mL
1/3 cup liquid honey 75 mL
1/4 cup water 60 mL
1/2 tsp. salt 2 mL
1/2 tsp. baking soda 2 mL
3 cups flour 750 mL
aluminum foil

DIRECTIONS

To do ahead of time (1 to 4): Sort all your candies into groups of the same color. Unwrap them all. Have an adult grind them with a hand grinder (or smash them with a hammer) until they are almost powder. You may have to come up with your own method, but don’t ruin your Mom’s steel blades on her blender!!
Combine the margarine, sugar and honey in a bowl. Stir in the water and mix until smooth.
Combine the salt, baking soda and flour. Add them a little at a time to the sugar mixture. The dough will be thick and if you don’t have a mixer with a dough hook, you will have to knead it together with your hands. Chill the dough for at least 1 hour so that it is firm enough to handle.
Cut or tear squares of aluminum foil, 6 x 8″ (15 x 20 em), or whatever size you can fit a cookie on. You will need at least 4-6 per person.
Now you can start. Turn the oven on to 325°F (160°C).
Give each person a lump of dough about the size of a kiwi. Pinch off a small ball of your dough and, on the table, roll it into long, thin strips. Use the strips to outline a shape on your aluminum foil (a tree, star, stocking, candy cane, angel, candle – be creative) Join the strips by pressing the ends together as needed. If you intend to hang your cookie ornament, you will need to put a loop at the top of your outline.
As each outline is finished, place your aluminum foil on a cookie sheet. When the cookie sheet is full (about 6 cookies) place it in the oven and bake for 7 minutes.
Remove the cookie sheet and place it on a protected surface where everyone can reach to fill in the spaces with crushed candy. Do not fill in the loop for hanging. Be careful as the cookie sheet is hot.
Now you can make the colored windows in your cookies. Using a spoon, fill each of the outlined spaces with crushed candy. When everyone has done their cookies, place the cookie sheet in the oven again. Bake for 7 more minutes, until the candy has melted. It may even start to bubble, but that won’t hurt the cookies.
Remove the cookie sheet from the oven, and this time, remove each of the pieces of foil to the counter to cool. Allow the cookies to cool completely, then remove them from the foil. (If they have to travel home in a bag or box, leave them on the foil until you get home.)
Tie a string in the loops and hang them for all to admire!

One recipe is enough for 6 people. It is easily doubled for more.

* Lifesavers or lollipops are easier to crush, but don’t give as clear a color when melted.

Hot Cross Buns

Wednesday, 21 December, 2011 21:08 Written by admin

It is a tradition in our family to make Hot Cross Buns every Lenten season. They take longer than regular buns but don’t try any shortcuts or you’ll shortchange yourself. – Marie

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups milk
2 tbsp. white sugar
7 cups flour (approx.)
2 tbsp. instant yeast
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 cup fresh grated orange peel (about two oranges)
1 cup raisins

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the milk just until lukewarm
2. Add the tbsp. sugar, 3 cups of flour and yeast. Beat well with an electric mixer. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.
3. In a separate bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients except the remaining flour. Add this mixture to the yeast mixture.
4. Switch to a dough hook, if you have one, and gradually add the remaining 4 cups of flour. Knead it until dough isn’t too sticky to handle. If kneading by hand, add as much flour as you can in the bowl then turn out onto a floured surface and work in the rest of the flour by hand using a kneading motion. If may take a little more or a little less flour. Just knead the dough until it feels soft but not sticky and bounces back when pressed, about 8-10 minutes.
5. Shape dough into a ball, place in a large, well-greased bowl, turning dough to grease surface. Cover it with a cloth, put it in a warm place and let rise until doubled in size, an hour or longer.
6. Punch down dough. Divide in half and let rest for 10 minutes.
7. Shape each half into 18 buns. Place buns 1” apart on a well-greased baking sheet or pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place for at least 1 hour.
8. Bake in preheated 375°F oven for 13 – 15 minutes.

Christmas Danish

Wednesday, 21 December, 2011 21:02 Written by admin

This flaky pastry is so good, it might not make it to Christmas. A lovely breakfast or dessert Danish, it is appropriate anytime. But, before you start, check your calendar—it takes three days to complete this recipe!

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup warm water
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp. dried, grated lemon peel or 3 tsp. fresh
2 eggs, separated
3 1/2 cups flour (approx.)
2 tbsp. instant yeast
1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, room temperature
1 tbsp. water

DIRECTIONS

DAY 1
1. Combine milk and 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan. Heat just until butter melts. Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl. Add the lukewarm water, sugar, salt, cornstarch and lemon peel.
2. Add 2 egg yolks, 1 egg white (reserve other egg white), 1 1/2 cups flour and yeast. Beat until smooth.
3. Stir in an additional 1 3/4 cups flour to make a stiff batter. You may need more or less flour. Stir just until blended.
4. Cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil. Chill for about an hour.
5. On waxed paper, spread 1½ cups butter into a 10 x 12” rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap then chill for 1hour.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 12 x 16” rectangle.
7. Place butter slab on 2/3 of the dough. Fold the uncovered third over the middle section, cover with the remaining third. Give the dough a quarter turn, roll it into a 12 x 16” rectangle, fold as above. Turn, roll and fold once more. Cover with plastic wrap then chill for 1 hour.
8. Repeat procedure of 2 rollings, foldings, turnings and chillings 2 more times. Refrigerate dough overnight.

DAY 2
9. On a lightly floured surface, divide dough in half. Roll 1/2 the dough into a 6 x 15” rectangle. * Cut 12 strips, 1/2” wide x 15” long. Twist each strip and then roll it into a circle like a snail, sealing the ends well.
10. Place Danish pastries on greased baking sheets. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate pastries overnight.

DAY 3
11. Combine reserved egg white with 1 tbsp. water. Brush on rolls.
12. Bake pastries at 375°F about 15-20 minutes, or, until done.
13. Remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks. When cool, sprinkle with the following icing and decorate with colored sprinkles or sliced almonds, if desired.

* As an alternative shape, roll dough into a circle. Cut into 12 wedges, like a pie. Roll each wedge from the wide end then bend to form a croissant.

Vanilla Icing

1 cup sifted icing sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. milk (approx.)

Combine icing sugar and vanilla with enough milk to make a soft icing.
Variation: If you wish, put a small spoonful of cream cheese or lemon curd or apricot preserves in the center of the pastry before drizzling with icing.

Christmas Bread

Wednesday, 21 December, 2011 20:57 Written by admin

This bread is a Christmas tradition in the Woolsey house. Every year I wonder why we don’t eat it all year long. This is very good for gift-giving! – Marie

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 tsp. ground cardamom OR anise
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup candied peel
1/2 cup candied cherries, halved
6 cups flour (approx..)
2 tbsp. instant yeast
1 egg white
1 tbsp. water

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine water, sugar, salt, oil, egg, cardamom, raisins, peel and cherries. Add 3 cups of flour and the yeast. Beat well.
2. Switch to a dough hook, if you have one, and gradually add the remaining 3 cups of flour. Knead until dough isn’t too sticky to handle. If kneading by hand, add as much flour as you can in the bowl, then turn out onto a floured surface and work in the rest of the flour by hand, using a kneading motion. It may take a little more or a little less flour. Just knead it until the dough feels soft but not sticky and bounces back when pressed, 8-10 minutes.
3. Shape dough into a ball and place it in a large, well-greased bowl, turning dough to grease surface. Cover the dough with a cloth and put it in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about an hour.
4. Punch down dough and cut it into 3 or 4 pieces. Form each piece into a round loaf. Place the loaves on greased cookie sheets, 2 loaves to a sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
5. Brush with egg white and water. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
6. Remove baked loaves from baking sheets and let cool on a rack.

Makes 3 large or 4 small, round loaves.

TIP: Cardamom is a unique an wonderful spice with a warm, sweet, spicy flavor. Anise gives a mild flavor or black licorice. I can’t decide which I like better. Don’t be afraid to add a little extra spice for a more pronounced flavor.