Holiday Treats

[Jennifer3141]

This is the week I traditionally start making goodies for the holiday platters. I need to make chocolate covered cherries first because they really need several weeks to mellow out in the freezer.

 

Anyone else start early and freeze a ton of stuff? I love putting platters with 8-12 different kinds of goodies out when friends and family come over. :)

 

I'll do meringues, triple layer lemon bars, triple nut caramel squares, caramels, shortbread, chocolate things, something minty, something peanut buttery, fudge, and whatever else fantastic things I can find.

 

What are you holiday standards? What do you love baking/making?

[In The Great White North]

Cream Cheese candy

 

2 oz cream cheese (bar not tub)

1 box powdered sugar

2-3 drops flavoring

2-3 drops food coloring

 

Cream the cream cheese, slowly adding powdered sugar. When it is runny, add the food coloring and flavoring. Continue adding powdered sugar til you can't stir it anymore (it will be much harder than frosting)

 

Roll a small ball in sugar and stuff into mold. Turn over and pop out the candy.

 

The rolling and molding part works best when the mixture is cold.

 

Store in refrigerator or freezer.

 

Molds:

http://www.leaderevaporator.com/c-97-christmas.aspx

 

Flavoring:

http://search.kingarthurflour.com/search.jsp?N=0&rt=p&Ntt=flavoring

[Jennifer3141]

Alright. Here's my question for these:

 

How do these sit out on a tray? Do they do well for an hour or so but then get sticky?

 

(These would be really good with some good chocolate and orange flavoring!!)

 

I plop trays out and we all sit around and laugh and/or play for hours with family.

 

Cream Cheese candy

 

2 oz cream cheese (bar not tub)

1 box powdered sugar

2-3 drops flavoring

2-3 drops food coloring

 

Cream the cream cheese, slowly adding powdered sugar. When it is runny, add the food coloring and flavoring. Continue adding powdered sugar til you can't stir it anymore (it will be much harder than frosting)

 

Roll a small ball in sugar and stuff into mold. Turn over and pop out the candy.

 

The rolling and molding part works best when the mixture is cold.

 

Store in refrigerator or freezer.

 

Molds:

http://www.leaderevaporator.com/c-97-christmas.aspx

 

Flavoring:

http://search.kingarthurflour.com/search.jsp?N=0&rt=p&Ntt=flavoring

[Jennifer in MI]

What a great idea! Can you post your lemon bar recipe please?

 

I'd love the nut recipes too, but I have a son who is allergic. I better stay away from them. Darnit!!!

[sunflowerlady]

Chocolate Crinkles. chocolate chip bars, double layer fudge, basics like peanut butter cookies.

 

Also, I like to make sugar cookies and brownies.

 

I saw where you said you started your baking now.:001_smile:That sounds like an awesome idea, but I am afraid stuff wouldn't last in the freezer here because I would be eating it up.:glare:

[RoughCollie]

Fudge and meringues can be frozen? Do they taste the same when they have thawed?

 

Thanks,

RC

[In2why]

What a great idea! Can you post your lemon bar recipe please?

 

I'd love the nut recipes too, but I have a son who is allergic. I better stay away from them. Darnit!!!

 

 

I would also love the triple lemon bar recipe. That sounds like something different to make for gifts and how do you freeze it? Already cut into bars, or whole?

[JFSinIL]

I average about 18 types of cookies - most are standbys, then I try a couple new recipes each year and keep in rotation any that are very good. I love to bake!!!

[In The Great White North]

Alright. Here's my question for these:

 

How do these sit out on a tray? Do they do well for an hour or so but then get sticky?

 

(These would be really good with some good chocolate and orange flavoring!!)

 

I plop trays out and we all sit around and laugh and/or play for hours with family.

 

Depends on how warm your house is. At 65, they can sit out for awhile. I've never actually seen them get sticky but it's certainly possible. The sugar they're rolled in makes them more "touchable."

 

Chocolate is one of my favorite flavors (I use baking cocoa instead of drops of flavoring for the chocolate.)

[Jennifer3141]

Wendy, I would be in heaven if you could drop by. Wouldn't that be awesome to sit on the couch and eat treats together while the snow falls???

 

The triple lemon bars are from Mrs. Field's cookbook and I'll type out the recipe tonight. They are super lemony, which is the way I like them. I need something to balance the over-sweetness of the rest of the tray.

 

I freeze mine by cutting them into squares and storing them in the big Gladware stuff in the freezer. Then I defrost them in the refrigerator the night before. They have cream cheese in them so I typically don't leave them out for more than an hour on the trays - by that time everyone feels comfortable enough to reach into the refrigerator.

 

I freeze fudge the same way. I can't tell the difference between it and fresh, actually I like the firmer set I seem to get by freezing it.

[brehon]

While you're in recipe posting mode would you mind sharing your recipe for meringues? Pretty please with sugar on top? Thanks.

[Jennifer3141]

Meringues are so easy and are so pretty! This is the recipe I use the most:

 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/peppermint-meringues/detail.aspx

 

You can omit the peppermint candies altogether and then you just end up with this light and delicate sugary tasting cookie. I usually up the ante and add a couple of drops of peppermint extract. :001_smile:

 

And I just pipe mine out in a baggie with a corner cut off.

 

This article also explains how meringues work and the mushroom meringues are adorable!! http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Perfect-Meringues/Detail.aspx

I might do the mushrooms this year and pipe a little chocolate inside like one reviewer suggester. Yum!!

 

Lemon bar recipe to follow...

[Dirtroad]

We make Haystacks for Thanksgiving treat.... melted butterscotch morsels and chow mein noodles. spoon out & cool.

 

we also make a crock pot candy... .melted almond bark, semisweet chocolate morsels, and dry roasted peanuts.... can check on recipe if this sounds intriguing....

 

We crush peppermints or candy cane (or buy the baking product) and sprinkle it all over the top of HOT brownies (fresh from oven).

 

I love to make homemade shortbread too. I just find a recipe online.

[Jennifer3141]

Uh YEAH to the crockpot candy recipe!!! :)

 

 

We make Haystacks for Thanksgiving treat.... melted butterscotch morsels and chow mein noodles. spoon out & cool.

 

we also make a crock pot candy... .melted almond bark, semisweet chocolate morsels, and dry roasted peanuts.... can check on recipe if this sounds intriguing....

 

We crush peppermints or candy cane (or buy the baking product) and sprinkle it all over the top of HOT brownies (fresh from oven).

 

I love to make homemade shortbread too. I just find a recipe online.

[momtotkbb]

The crock pot candy sounds interesting.

 

I love lemon bars - but have never had success with them turning out like my moms.

 

I made hand painted white chocolates (Santa and snowman suckers - then lots of small Santas, little boys on sleds, bells, etc.); chocolate Santa, chocolate covered peanut clusters, white chocolate dipped oreos and pretzels; white chocolate w/ crushed peppermint and milk chocolate w/ crushed toffee. I used to make chocolate cashew clusters - but my youngest has a tree nut allergy so we don't bring them into the house.

 

The less time consuming items I make --- decorated sugar cookies, skillet cookies, peanut brittle, pnb fudge and chocolate fudge, and what my dh calls triple cookies (they are chocolate chips, white chocolate and pnb chip cookies). We also take a couple days to make gingerbread cookies and houses. This year I have a new recipe that is a thin mint -- kind of like Andeas mints.

 

I keep certain things avail for quick entertaining during the holidays - esp for drop in neighbors. I make a fruit dip out of cool whip, cream cheese, and pwder sugar that I keep on hand to put on brownies or for dipping strawberries and supplies to make crock-pot hot punch (apple juice, cranberry juice cocktail, cloves, brown-sugar, stick cinnamon).

[Cheryl in NM]

I've been sick the last few years during this time so my baking didn't get done. But, usually, this is what I do:

 

fudge

peanut brittle

sugar cookies

spritz cookies

almond cookies

Candy cane cookies

banana nut bread

 

I usually give tins with the baked goods in them for gifts.

 

I am in charge of baking the pumpkin empanadas and apple empanandas for the in-law Christmas Eve celebration.

 

I'll incorporate more pumpkin this year and be giving pumpkin pie filling as gifts because I have 18 pumpkins sitting in my living room right now from the garden.

[Jennifer3141]

I did it!!! The fondant for the chocolate covered cherries is freezing and I'll start rolling the cherries in half an hour or so. So far, I'm on track for the holiday trays! Woot!

 

Here's the lemon bar recipe I use:

 

The only change I make is that I add a few drops of lemon essence to the dough mix too.

 

Preheat oven to 325.

 

Shortbread crust: 1/2 cup salted butter. softened

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup all purpose flour

 

Cream butter and sugar in medium bowl on high speed. Add vanilla and mix until combined. Add flour and mix on low speed until fully combined. Press dough evenly into 8X* baking pan. Refrigerate about half an hour, until firm. Prick shortbread with a fork and bake for 30 minutes or until the crust turns light golden brown.

 

Cream cheese filling: 8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp pure lemon extract

 

Prepare cream cheese filling while crust is baking. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth with mixer on high speed. Add egg and lemon extract and beat on medium speed until light and smooth.

 

Lemon curd: 4 large egg yolks

1 tbsp cornstarch

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup water

2 medium lemons grated for 2 tsp lemon peel and squeezed for 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp salted butter, softened

 

To prepare the lemon curd: Blend the egg yolks and the cornstarch and sugar in a non-aluminum saucepan. Place over low heat and slowly whisk in water and lemon juice. Increase the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat. Add lemon peel and butter and cool for 10 minutes.

 

To assemble the bars: Spread chilled cream cheese filling evenly over the cooled shortbread crust with spatula. Spread lemon curd gently and evenly over cream cheese filling. Place pan in center of oven and bake 30-40 minutes, until the very edges begin to turn light golden brown. Cool to room temperature on rack. Chill in refrigerator for one hour before cutting into bars. Dust top with confectioner's sugar.

 

 

 

This is from Mrs. Field's Cookie Book. :)

[arliemaria]

Oh please teach us all how to do the chocolate covered cherries! I'd love to make these, especially if they freeze well.

[Jennifer3141]

Chocolate covered cherries actually NEED a minimum of 2 weeks frozen to be any good. They only get better the longer they are frozen (within reason, of course).

 

I start with a recipe from allrecipes.com

 

3 tbsp butter, softened

3 tbsp corn syrup

2 cups of confectioner's sugar

a couple of drops of vanilla extract

 

Drain cherries on a paper towel.

 

Blend the corn syrup and the the butter until smooth. Add the vanilla. Add the confectioner's sugar, half cup at a time and blend. When the dough is stiff and you'll be able to mold it into balls, you've added enough sugar. :)

 

Freeze dough for half hour or so.

 

Wash hands and make balls using about 1/2 inch pinch of dough. (Eyeball it and if your balls are too big, you can always pinch some off!) Smash the balls and add the cherry into the middle. Now, cover the cherry with the dough all the way around. You don't want any cherry peeking through.

 

Freeze the dough covered cherries hard, at least one hour.

 

Get 2 cups of chocolate chips - some people like semi-sweet but I prefer bittersweet because the fondant/dough is so sweet.

 

Add 1-2 tbsp butter (some people use shortening) and melt the chips and butter. (I do this in the microwave). Stir and make sure the chocolate is smooth and then dip the frozen cherries. Freeze the cherries on the pan for an hour or so again and then transfer to a freezer container until Thanksgiving. :)

[brehon]

Meringues are so easy and are so pretty! This is the recipe I use the most:

 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/peppermint-meringues/detail.aspx

 

You can omit the peppermint candies altogether and then you just end up with this light and delicate sugary tasting cookie. I usually up the ante and add a couple of drops of peppermint extract. :001_smile:

 

And I just pipe mine out in a baggie with a corner cut off.

 

This article also explains how meringues work and the mushroom meringues are adorable!! http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Perfect-Meringues/Detail.aspx

I might do the mushrooms this year and pipe a little chocolate inside like one reviewer suggester. Yum!!

 

Lemon bar recipe to follow...

 

Ooohhh!! Thank you so much! And thanks to everyone who posted recipes. I've made one batch (so 3 small loaves) of what is basically a honey loaf with honey glaze and they're now in the freezer. These keep very well in the freezer; in fact, they actually need to "age" to reach peak flavor.

 

On T-giving Day my mom and I will make 2 of my great-grandmother's white fruit cakes. I know, I know-- everyone hates fruitcake. These are moist, tender, and absolutely delicious. They, too, need to age. We put a layer of thinly sliced apples which have been soaked in bourbon all around the outside of the cake then wrap it in cheesecloth (over which we pour any remaining bourbon), wax paper, and foil. Most of the alcohol "ages" away and by Christmas the cake is wonderful -- not boozy at all!

[melissad2]

Peanut butter balls

Marshmallo fudge

Butterscotch fudge

Cream cheese cookies

Fruit cake rolls

Corn flake brittle

Coconut balls

Payday fudge

Pecan tassies

Orange Slice cake

Filled cookies

 

Mmmmmmmm....I can't wait! :D

[arliemaria]

Chocolate covered cherries actually NEED a minimum of 2 weeks frozen to be any good. They only get better the longer they are frozen (within reason, of course).

 

 

If I made these in a week or two for Christmas (Jan. 7, Old Calendar Orthodox) it would be like a month and a half in the freezer, is that too long?

 

Also do you use paper candy cups? If you do is a #4 big enough?

[Annie G]

Do you use the cherries on the stems? I keep seeing recipes like you posted and I want to do it- but the others all say to use the cherries w the stems- I'm not sure I want to use those. Since you have experience- do tell which you use!