Cookies and Candy

Frosted Meyer Lemon Cookies (or regular lemons - they are great too!) 

• 2 1/2 cups AP flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp grated lemon peel
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice 
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cream together butter, sugar, eggs, peel and juice.  Sift together dry ingredients.  Beat into butter mixture just until combined.

Drop by measured teaspoons onto parchment lined baking sheet spacing generously.  Bake just until edges are browned, around 6 minutes.

Glaze:

• 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

 Sift sugar then stir in lemon juice until thick and smooth.  Frost cookies when cool.

Makes 7 dozen  

Dark Chocolate Truffles

• 8 oz. Bitterweet Chocolate, chopped (used Ghirardelli 60% Cocoa)
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 6 Tbsp butter, unsalted
• Good quality cocoa powder (also used Ghirardelli)

In a small saucepan, heat cream to simmer, then add butter stirring to melt.  Add the chocolate, and stir together just until mixture is melted and smooth.  Pour into a bowl, and chill until firm. 

Now the procedure:  Rolling into balls with hands produces chocolate covered hands.  The mixture is too thick to pipe.  So, I formed mounds with spoons then used a square of plastic wrap to form them into balls and roll in cocoa.  They look great.  Next time, I may chill less and use a piping bag.

I plan to head to Michael’s for candy boxes and cups.

Almond Spritz Cookies ( I doubled this recipe and tinted half pink)

• 1/2 cup butter, unsalted
• 6 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 1/4 cup AP flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix butter and sugar then add egg and extracts.  With mixer on low, beat in flour just until blended.

Pack dough into cookie press.  If very soft, refrigerate for 15 minutes or longer. Now the important thing:  You must use a shiny, not greasy not coated cookie sheet or the dough won’t stick when pressed onto the sheet.  My newest sheets work fine but the older ones were a problem.  Parchment doesn’t work either.  The instructions weren’t very specific on this point. 

Anyway, I pressed out dozens of hearts and baked them for 7-8 minutes keeping an eye out for over browning.  You may top with a thin icing and sugar sprinkles!

Chocolate Pepper Cutouts (Makes 10 dozen with a 1 inch heart cutter)

• 1 1/2 cups butter, unsalted
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3 cups sifted AP flour
• 1 1/2 cups cocoa powder (unsweet - I used Ghirardelli)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 6 oz bittersweet chocolate

Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs one at time and beat. Sift dry ingredients and add to mixture.  Shape into disc, wrap and chill one hour. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll cookies on heavily floured board to less than 1/4 inch thickness.  Cut out using cutter and place on parchment.  Slide parchment onto baking sheet and bake for 9 minutes. 

Microwave chocolate according to package directions then drizzle over cookies.  

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Quite Extraordinary Ones!)

• 1 cup butter, unsalted
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (I use brownulated)
• 2 eggs, large
• 2 1/4 cups AP flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp hot water
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips ( I buy the best I can find in terms of cacao content)

Cream butter then add salt, sugars, vanilla.  Add eggs one at a time.  Add half of flour until just combined in mixer. From here I mix by hand.  Dissolve soda in hot water then mix into dough.  Stir in remaining flour then chocolate chips.

Drop dough into neat teaspoon measured balls onto parchment providing 1-2 inches for spreading cookies.  Top with holiday colored M&Ms if desired and bake for 9 minutes or until browned overall.   

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.