red velvet whoopie pies

 

the goods:

 

cookies:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

1 ounce red food coloring

 

filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a heart template cut out from cardstock, or a cookie cutter, trace evenly spaced hearts onto pieces of parchment paper sized to fit two cookie sheets. Place the parchment on cookie sheets so that the side you have drawn on is facing down; set aside.

 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Blend in the vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, beat in about a third of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the buttermilk, beating in each addition until just incorporated. Repeat with another third of the dry ingredients, remaining buttermilk, and finishing with dry ingredients. Do not overmix. Blend in food coloring.

Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip, or a zip-top bag with the corner cut off works fine too. Pipe the batter onto the parchment paper using the heart tracings as a guide. Bake 7-9 minutes or until the tops are set, rotating the sheets halfway through. Allow the cookies to cool on baking sheets at least 10 minutes, until they can easily transfer to a cooling rack. Allow cookies to cool completely before filling.

 

To make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and beat until smooth.

 

Using another pastry bag with a plain tip, or a zip-top bag with the corner cut off, pipe the cream cheese filling on the bottom side of one cookie and sandwich with another cookie (it helps if you pair up the similar matches to each cookie first).

nutter butter cookies

 

the goods:

 

cookies:

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

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar (plus 1/4 cup more for rolling)

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

 

filling:

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

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1-2 tablespoons milk

 

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, peanut butter, and sugars on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Lower mixer to medium and add egg and vanilla continuing to mix until combined. Turn mixer to low and add in flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix until combined. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Form chilled dough first into 1-inch balls, then into a log shape. Roll the log-shaped dough in granulated sugar and place on baking sheet 2 inches apart. Using a fork, press down on logs to form a criss-cross pattern. Pinch the center to create a peanut shape.

 

Bake for 6-7 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Cool on baking sheet 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

 

Filling: In a large bowl beat butter and peanut butter together until smooth. Slowly add in powdered sugar and turn mixer speed up to medium and beat until smooth. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved.

Spread a heaping tablespoon of filling onto bottom side of half the peanut butter cookies and top with other half to create sandwiches.

pistachio-shortbread sandwich cookies

 

the goods:

 

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup coarsely chopped pistachios

1/3 cup strawberry jam

 

In a food processor, process butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt until smooth. Add flour and pulse until a dough forms. Stir in pistachios. Shape dough into two 8-inch-long logs, tightly wrap in plastic, and freeze until firm, 30 minutes.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut dough into 1/4-inch slices and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until cookies are set and barely golden at edges, 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely on sheet on wire rack.

 

Spread 1/2 teaspoon jam on bottoms of half the cookies, then sandwich with remaining cookies.

lemon-raspberry semifreddo

 

the goods:

6 ounces raspberries (3/4 cup), thawed if frozen

2 tablespoons sugar

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup lemon curd

10 ladyfingers

 

Line a 4 and 1/2-by 8 and 1/2-inch loaf pan with 2 sheets of plastic wrap, leaving a 3-inch overhang on long sides. In a blender, puree raspberries and sugar, scraping down sides as needed. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on solids; discard solids.

In a large bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form. With a rubber spatula, fold in lemon curd. Spoon 2 cups cream mixture into pan and smooth top. Dip ladyfingers in raspberry puree and arrange in pan, parallel to long edges. Pour remaining raspberry puree on ladyfingers. Top with remaining cream mixture and smooth top.

Wrap pan with overhang plastic and freeze 8 hours (or up to 2 weeks). To serve, invert onto a serving platter, remove plastic, and slice.

peppermint-chocolate sugar cookies

the goods:

2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
12 teaspoon fine salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4-1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
3-5 tablespoons heavy cream
12 round peppermint candies, crushed for decorating

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat butter, granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract on medium-high until pale and fluffy, 3 minutes. Beat in egg, then flour mixture on low. Stir in chocolate chips.

Roll dough into 1 and 1/2-inch balls and place, 2 inches apart, on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until edges are lightly golden, about 12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to racks and let cool completely.

Stir together confectioners' sugar and enough cream to make a spreadable glaze (if you like a strong mint flavor, stir in up to 1/4 teaspoon extract). Spread a thin layer of glaze on top of each cookie and sprinkle with candies. Let dry completely on racks.

peppermint bark fudge

 

the goods:

 

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon butter

1 pound dark chocolate chips/chunks (if you can only find a 10 ounce bag, that's fine too)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 ounces peppermint bark, roughly chopped

 

Grease an 8x8 baking dish. Sprinkle half the peppermint bark in the bottom of the dish and set aside.

Place a medium saucepan over medium heat with 2 inches of water. Place a glass bowl over the top (make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water). Pour the condensed milk and butter in the bowl and heat, stirring occasionally, until butter has melted. Add the chocolate chips/chunks and salt. Stir the chocolate as it melts and thickens, about 5 minutes. The mixture should be a thick cake batter consistency. Add both extracts to the bowl and mix well. Pour the batter into the baking pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan several times on the counter to allow air bubbles to rise to the surface. Sprinkle remaining peppermint bark over the top and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to set. Let fudge soften on counter 15 minutes before cutting into chunks.

christmas sugar cookies

 

the goods:

 

3 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

green, red, and yellow food coloring

 

Whisk together flour and salt. In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy, 4 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture, and beat until combined. Tint dough by mixing in food coloring: for trees, tint two-thirds the dough green; tint some of the remaining dough red and some yellow; leave some plain. Individually wrap all dough in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour. 

 

On a large sheet of parchment paper, lightly flour both sides of 1 disk green dough, cover with more parchment, and roll out to about 1/8-inch thick. Roll pieces of red dough into thin snakes. Arrange on top of green dough in desired pattern. Roll yellow and plain dough into pea-size balls and arrange on top of green dough in desired pattern. Top dough with more parchment and gently roll over dough until decorative pieces are flush with green dough.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Carefully remove top sheet of parchment. With a tree shaped cutter, cut dough. Transfer dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with colored sanding sugar and bake until set, 10 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

 

Use same method for candy canes by rolling out white dough and placing red snakes on top.

 

Serve with milk for Santa.