Christmas is around the corner now and those of you into baking will be looking for recipes to add to your cookie plates.
I have so many but these are my favourite, so here they are.
ALMOND CRESCENTS
1 cup soft shortening (half butter)
1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup ground almonds
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cream shortening, butter and sugar; add almonds.
Work in sifted flour and salt. Chill dough
Roll into 1 inch balls and shape into crescent shape.
Place on ungreased baking sheet.
Bake at 325 degree F for 14 to 16 minutes until set, not brown.
Cool on pan. While still slightly warm,
dip each crescent in 1 cup icing sugar.
Variety: May add 1 tsp. cinnamon in the icing sugar.
About 6 doz.
PEANUT BUTTER LOGS
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup chopped dates
2 tablespoons melted butter
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolates
Small piece of paraffin wax, optional
Combine icing sugar and peanut butter and mix.
Add butter, dates, nuts and roll into balls.
Roll the balls into logs.
Melt chocolate and wax together over hot, not
boiling water.
Roll the logs in chocolate. Set on plate to cool
These may be dipped in thin icing and rolled in
fine coconuts or chopped nuts.
CHUNKY SHORTBREAD COOKIE
2 cups butter
1 cup icing sugar
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
6 squares Bittersweet chocolates, coarsely chopped
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
sifted icing sugar
Spoon onto greased and lightly floured cookie sheet, 1 inch apart.
Bake at 350 degree for 20 – 25 minutes.
Dust with icing sugar.
WALNUT FRUIT BREAD
3 egg whites
1/2 cup berry sugar (finer ground than regular sugar)
1 cup flour
4 oz. (125g) walnuts
2 oz (60g) green glace cherries
2 oz. (6og) red glace cherries
2 oz. (60g) glace pineapple
2 oz. (60g) preserved ginger
Beat egg whites until soft peaks form , gradually beat in sugar,
beating well after each addition until all sugar is dissolved.
Fold in sifted flour, whole walnuts and roughly chopped
ginger and glaced fruits.
Spread into greased 10 in x 3 in loaf tin. (I use 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf tin)
Bake in 350 oven 30 -35 minutes or until firm. Cool out of tin
When cold, wrap in aluminum foil, put aside for one or two days.
Using a very sharp knife, cut bread into wafer-thin slices.
Put slices on to oven trays, bake in slow oven 45 minutes
or until dry and crisp.
Makes about 40.
This recipe reminds me of rain forest crisp but the fruit is more colourful.
