'Tis the Season

...and today we're going to be making a gingerbread house!

I have turned to King Arthur Flour for ideas, and wouldn't you know it, they have a pdf document on Building a Gingerbread House.

A friend of mine also turned me onto this site where they demonstrated making a gingerbread castle, and I spent some time on Google looking for images for inspiration and found Gingerbread House Heaven, so we should be well-prepared in the inspiration department. Yesterday I bought a variety of candies for decorating this house - Twizzlers, Andes mints, gum drops, candy canes and many more, so we'll see what genius my kids can come up with. Tweet

Linzertorte

One of the desserts from my Christmas Eve dinner. The crust is a very rich shortbread-like pastry whose richness comes from a ton of butter and ground almonds.

When I first made it, I was surprised at how short it was. I thought that the 1 cup of raspberry filling could not be nearly enough, although it was perfect. I made this in a 10-inch springform pan. The next time I make this, I may seek out a slightly smaller pan or add just a smidge more filling.

The crust is outstanding, though. I think that it might stand on its own as a great shortbread, or as the base for a thumbprint cookie.

Linzertorte

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• ¾ cup blanched, sliced almonds
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• ½ cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
• ¼ t cinnamon
• 1/8 t ground cloves
• 1/8 t salt
• 9 T unsalted butter, cold
• 1 large egg, cold
• ½ t vanilla extract
• ¼ t almond extract (optional)
  

For the filling:

• 1 cup raspberry preserves

For the topping:

• 1 large egg
  
• pinch of salt
• confectioner's sugar for dusting
  

Instructions:

1. Grind the blanched almonds very well in a food processor. In a large bowl, combine the almonds, flour, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Mix well.
   


2. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch chunks and add them to the dry mixture. Mix on low speed until the mixture looks like coarse bread crumbs. Add the egg and extracts, then mix until the dough starts to form.


3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured surface and gently knead until it comes together into a ball. Be careful not to overknead.
   


4. Divide the dough into two pieces, one twice as large as the other, and shape into balls, and then flatten them into disks. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap, put in separate plastic bags and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.


5. When you're ready to assemble the Linzertorte, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.


6. On a lightly-floured surface, roll the larger disk of dough into a 12-inch circle, about 1/4 inch thick. Pat the dough into the tart pan, gently pressing it into the corners and sides. Do not stretch it, just press and pat gently. If the dough becomes too soft or oily, freeze it for a few minutes.


7. Spread the raspberry preserves evenly over the bottom of the tart shell. Refrigerate while making the lattice top.
   


8. Roll the remaining disk into a 10-inch circle, about 1/4 inch thick. Use a knife or a pizza or pastry cutter to cut the dough into ten strips, about 3/4 inch wide.


9. Remove the tart from the refrigerator and carefully lay five strips evenly spaced about 3/4 inches apart across the tart. Lightly press the ends of each strip into the edges of the crust. Lay the remaining strips above and perpendicular to the first strips, pressing the ends into the edge of the tart.


10. Chill for at least 15 minutes before baking.


11. Whisk the egg with a pinch of salt. Brush the egg over the lattice and crust, then bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the filling bubbles and the pastry turns golden brown.


12. Cool completely on a rack before unmolding and serving.
    


13. You can re-heat it if you like. Dust the top with additional confectioner's sugar and then serve.


14. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week.
    

Tweet

Cinnamon Rolls

Last month, I posted the recipe to my cinnamon rolls which are a Christmas morning tradition: November 30 - "I Dreamed a Dream."

In years past, I've made them the night before, put them in the fridge for a slow rise overnight and baked them first thing on Christmas morning so they're freshly-made. This year, I was so whipped from my big Christmas Eve dinner, I had planned to make them before turning in, but I fell asleep. I was on the couch watching "It's a Wonderful Life," telling myself, "Just 5 more minutes. I'll get up and make the dough in just 5 ... more ... Zzzzzzzz ...."

Oops.

Fortunately for me, the kids got up at the obscenely early hour of 4:30 am, so I ended up making the dough a little before 5 am and the rolls came fresh and piping-hot out of the oven all set and ready to be devoured at 7.

This year, instead of slathering them in a diabetic-coma-inducing icing, I decided to eat them plain, but hot and slathered with butter.

Still the best thing ever for a special holiday breakfast... or a post-holiday breakfast 4 days later.




Tweet

Chocolate Hazelnut Sticks

I found these over at Pioneer Woman's cooking blog a few weeks ago, and knew that I'd be including them in my tins of treats this holiday.

I made a few adjustments based on taste and scarfed down about 6 of them within the space of 45 seconds or so.

Oh yeah, they're good.

What's more, they're easy, and a great treat that kids can help you make.

Go crazy.

Chocolate Hazelnut Sticks

Ingredients:

• a package of the long thin, plain Italian breadsticks
• 1 cup meltable chocolate wafers or chocolate bark
• 2 heaping tablespoons Nutella
• very finely chopped hazelnuts
• sea salt
  

Directions:

1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper.


2. Melt chocolate in the microwave, stopping every 30 seconds to stir and check on it. Stop microwaving it when the wafers start to look shiny.
   
   Trust me, you do not want to scorch the chocolate - I've said it before, let me say it again: Burned chocolate is an abomination.
   


3. Add the Nutella and stir well until it melts in with the chocolate.
   


4. Break the breadsticks in half and dip the broken half in the chocolate/Nutella mixture, swirling around and building up a lush and lovely coating of chocolate.
   


5. Lay them on the lined cookie sheet and sprinkle with chopped nuts.


6. Grind some fresh sea salt over the top.
   


7. Put the cookie sheet in the freezer and let them harden before removing to a plate or packaging in cellophane bags.
   

Notes:

• The original recipe did not call for salt, but when I ate the first tester this morning, they were just too sweet for me and I thought, "What the hell, let's put some salt on that bad boy," so I did.
  
  Of course, I have been craving chocolate-dipped potato chips lately, so perhaps I have just been longing for that salty-sweet combination.
  


• I also changed the procedure by putting them in the freezer to set faster. I was running way behind in getting these tins of treats ready and knew that the only way I'd be able to bag up these sticks was if they spent a stint in the freezer. It's a very handy trick to know.
  

Tweet