December 26, 2011

White Chocolate Candy Cane Drops

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White Chocolate Candy Cane

Drops (Cookies)

White Chocolate Candy Cane Drops

December 26: National Candy Cane Day

Although Christmas day is now over, bring the holiday baking season to a gradual close by using up any leftover candy canes that are still lingering around the house.  Crush and use them in white chocolate candy cane drops.  These cute cookies with a hint of mint are sweet and symbolic of the greatest gift we have received on Christmas day—Baby Jesus. Below is a popular poem about candy canes (unknown author) relating to Christ:

Look at the candy cane


What do you see?


Stripes that are red


Like the blood shed for me


White is for my Savior


Who’s sinless and pure!


“J” is for Jesus

My Lord, that’s for sure!


Turn it around


And a staff you will see


Jesus my shepherd


Was born for me!

The printed poem is usually attached to candy canes when given out to spread the gospel during this holy season. But it can also be included when packaging these cookies.

Make white chocolate candy cane drops before or after Christmas, especially on National Candy Cane Day, and “taste and see the goodness of the Lord” (Psalm 34:8).

Recipe

(Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens)

Ingredients

  • ½ cup candy canes, crushed
  • 2 ounces (2 squares) white chocolate (we used Baker’s brand)
  • ¼ cup butter, softened
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking power
  • 1 egg
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1/3 cup flour
  • ½ cup white chocolate chips (we used Nestle brand)

Directions

Crush the candy canes by rolling over unwrapped pieces in a plastic zip top bag. Melt the chocolate in the microwave and set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugar and salt.

White Chocolate Candy Cane Drops

Add the baking powder and egg. Stir in the vanilla. Mix in the melted white chocolate and blend until smooth.

White Chocolate Candy Cane Drops

Gradually add the flour. Fold in the white chocolate chips and crushed candy canes. Roll into 1 ½ inch balls. Place on a greased cookie sheet about two-inches apart.

White Chocolate Candy Cane Drops

Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, being careful not to burn the underside of the cookies. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: Approximately 3 ½ dozen cookies.

White Chocolate Candy Cane Drops

Notes

  • Avoid over-stirring the crushed candy canes or the cookie dough will turn pink.
  • Reserve a few pieces of crushed candy cane and press on top of the balls of cookie dough before baking to add texture and color, if desired.
  • Search our blog for other cookie recipes.
 

December 23, 2011

Pfefferneuse

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Pfefferneuse

Pfefferneuse

December 23: National Pfefferneuse Day

We had blogged about Mexican wedding cookies before and wanted to try the similar-looking powdery pfefferneuse cookies. Both look like little snowballs but the latter is uniquely spiced with pepper and anise and has a softer texture.

Pfefferneuse means “pepper nuts” in German, Danish and Dutch. They are traditionally served around the Feast Day of St. Nicholas (December 6) and throughout the Advent season. When we entertain guests, we put pfefferneuse on a platter with St. Nikolaas Koekjes, fruitcake cookies and white chocolate candy cane drops to offer everyone a variety of Christmas confections.

Add this recipe to your ritual of holiday baking to celebrate winter and National Pfefferneuse Day!

Recipe

(Adapted from Cooking Light)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon groung nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ cup (½ stick) butter, softened
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup milk
  • ½ teaspoon lemon peel, grated
  • ¼ cup walnuts, chopped (we used walnut chips)
  • ½ teaspoon anise seed
  • powdered sugar

Directions

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, white pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Set aside. In a mixer or another bowl, cream the butter with the sugar. Beat in the egg. Stir in the milk until smooth.

Pfefferneuse

Add the grated lemon peel. Gradually add the flour mixture and blend well. Fold in the walnuts and anise seed.

Pfefferneuse

Roll into one-inch balls. Place about two-inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet lined with foil. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly on wire racks. While still warm, roll the cookies in powdered sugar. Yield: Approximately 3 dozen.

Pfefferneuse

Notes

  • Pfefferneuse is also spelled as pfeffernüsse (German) and known as pebernødder (Danish) and pepernoten (Dutch).
  • Search our blog for other cookie recipes.
 

December 4, 2011

Mexican Wedding Cookies

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Mexican Wedding Cookies

Mexican Wedding Cookies

December 4: National Cookie Day

As marriage sponsors at our church in South Texas, we frequently work with engaged couples who are of Latino descent. At our FOCCUS sessions, we serve “symbolic” snacks—Mexican wedding cookies/cakes. The bizcochitos para bodas are tiny treats that represent fertility (nuts) and a sweet married life (powdered sugar). Not only are the cookies appropriate for wedding-related gatherings but also for upcoming holiday socials and National Cookie Day!

Recipe

(Adapted from “Viva el Amor: The Latino Wedding Planner”)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened (we used a local mantequilla)
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla (we used Mexican vainilla)
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups finely chopped nuts (we used pecans, which grow abundantly in our area)
  • 1-2 cups powdered sugar (for the final coating)

Directions

In a mixer or large mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugar. Add the vanilla. Gradually stir in the flour with the salt until the cookie dough is smooth. Mix in the nuts until well incorporated. Shape into a large ball, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Mexican Wedding Cookies

Pinch out 1- 1 ½-inch size balls and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes, being careful not to brown the cookies. Remove from the oven and gently roll in powdered sugar. Let the cookies cool and harden on a wire rack. Roll again gently in powdered sugar.

Mexican Wedding Cookies

Notes

  • Mexican wedding cookies/cakes are also known as Russian tea cakes, butterballs, meltaways and snowdrops.
  • Some Mexican wedding cookies/cake recipes call for ground nuts but we prefer ours packed with pecan pieces for a more substantial sweet treat.
  • The cookies are quite crumbly and delicate when hot out of the oven. Be patient and let them cool and harden.
  • Place them in mini white or pastel paper cups or on pretty platters, dessert stands or tiers and serve them at bridal showers, bachelor/bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinners and at the wedding itself. Or package the cookies creatively as festive favors.
  • We sometimes sprinkle white edible glitter on top of the cookies to give them an extra sparkle for special occasions.
  • The gold coin box in the photo above has 13 coins to represent Jesus and His 12 apostles. Las arras (earnest money) symbolizes that the newlyweds vow to share their worldly goods with each other for richer or poorer. We incorporated this tradition in our own multicultural wedding ceremony in 1996. Learn more about Latino wedding customs from “Viva el Amor: The Latino Wedding Planner.”

 

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