Christmas Cookie Countdown-1 Day to Go-Chocolate Coconut Snowball Truffles

Bob here: On my 2nd Christmas I got so many presents it was fun, but exhausting opening them and then mom was constantly clicking that little black box, sheesh!  I have done the math and tomorrow is my fifth Christmas so I should be getting even more gifts, I am resting up today so I can be ready tomorrow.  Now a Christmas cookie recipe from mom, she says these are her favorite.

Mom here: These really more of a candy then a cookie.  They are absolutely delicious and the recipe is more of an outline so you can change them up and try raisins, pecans, different liqueurs, or a cocoa powder coating.   One delicious variation is chili truffles.   To make these eliminate the fruit, nuts and extract and add 1 tsp of cinnamon and 1/2 tsp pf Ancho chili powder and then roll in unsweetened cocoa powder.    I like to give them as gifts so this recipe makes a ton, you can easily half it.  You can also make them a week in advance and they are super easy.  One caveat, you really need to use good quality chocolate.  I use  Ghiradelli.


Chocolate Coconut Snowball Truffles (really more of a candy then a cookie)

24 ounces of semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips or half and half which is what I do)
1 and 1/2 cups of heavy cream
1 tbsp rum or vanilla extract
about a cup of chopped dried cherries
about a cup of chopped walnuts
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes for rolling

Heat the cream in large sauce pan over low heat until it is just starting to barely simmer and bubble at the edges (do not over heat).   Take it off the heat and whisk in the chocolate, whisk until smooth.  Add the run or extra, cherries and walnuts and stir to combine.    Chill until the mixture has firmed enough to roll in balls (about an hour).  


Place coconut on a plate.   Scoop out tablespoon size amounts of chocolate truffle mixture and roll into balls in your hands and then roll in the coconut.  Store in the refrigerator.



This is a blog hop post

Flashback Friday-and Christmas Cookie Countdown Two Days To Go-Magic Cookie Bars

 Here is a picture of our late rescue pug Bingo on his first Christmas with us.   His first Christmas was when we decided to adopt him after fostering him for four months.


Two days to Christmas!  Here is the recipe for my favorite bar cookies.   They are so unbelievably rich that the ingredient list is a bit distressing, but at Christmas you can justify it.  They disappear just like magic.

Magic Cookie Bars, adapted from Magnolia Bakery 

4 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
2 cups chopped walnuts
1 cup mini chocolate chips
4 cups sweetened shredded coconut
3 fourteen-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk

Baking Temperature: 325 degrees
Baking Time: 30-35 minutes

1. In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter. Press firmly into an ungreased 12 x 18″ jelly roll pan.
2. Sprinkle over this the walnuts, then the chocolate chips, and then the shredded coconut.
3. On top, pour over three cans of sweetened condensed milk evenly to completely cover the coconut. Use a spatula if needed.
4. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until lightly golden. Be careful not to overbake.
5. Allow bars to cool to room temperature before cutting and serving.

Christmas Cookie Count Down Day 3-Almond Crescents

Three Days to Present Time:

 


 


Almond Crescent Cookies from the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook (They taste great but I didn't get a very good picture)

Almond Crescent Cookies

1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 c sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
1 c finely ground almonds (grind in the processor), use blanched almonds
2 1/4 c all purpose flour
confectioners sugar for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.

2. In the bowl of your electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract, almond extract and the ground almonds and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Slowly mix in the flour until incorporated, but try not to overmix.

3. Make a ball with about 1-2 tbsp of the dough and roll into ovals and then form into crescents. Place onto the parchment lined sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion.

114. Bake for 12-15 minutes until very lightly browned. Cool cookies on the sheet for 1 minute and then remove to a rack to cool completely. When cooled, sprinkle liberally with confectioners sugar.

These cookies will keep several days stored in air tight container.

Christmas Cookie Count Down-4 Days to Christmas (Walnut Short Bread)

4 Days to Christmas, Norbert can smell it in the air

 

Or maybe he is smelling the Walnut Shortbread Cookies baking in the oven

Cinnamon Short Bread

2 sticks softened butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 egg, separated *

2 cups all purpose flour

2 to 3 TBSP cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 ½ cups chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 325 and grease and flour a 9x11x13 inch pan.

Place everything except egg white and nuts in food processor. Pulse a few times, then mix just long enough to form a stiff dough.

Press dough evenly into prepared pan and prick with a fork.   Whisk the reserved egg white until frothy and doubled in volume,  then brush over surface.   Sprinkle the nuts over top and press in slightly.

Bake on bottom rung of oven for 30 minutes.  Cookies tend to brown and harden a bit around edges, so check after about 20 min.  The batter, if ready, should make a small crumb when pierced in center with a toothpick.

Shortbreads can be cut into squares, triangles and/or small rectangles.  Cut before they are completely cool as they harden.

Tasty Tuesday Christmas Cookie Countdown-Cookies for Hounds and for People and an Award!

 



5 days to Christmas, 5 days of Cookie Baking.

Honey Ginger Bones

3 cups all purpose or whole wheat flour
2 tbsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 vegetable oil
generous 1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup (or more) water or apple juice


Preheat oven to 325


Stir the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.   Then whisk together the oil, honey, and apple juice and pour into the dry ingredients.  Mix well.   Dump out on floured surface and roll out to 1/4 inch thick.  Cut out bone shapes.


Bake for thirty minutes.


Fruit and Nut Balls for People (from Orangette

1 cup walnuts
1/2 lb dried cherries
1/2 lb dried Turkish Figs
1/2 dried apricots
1/2 lb dried pitted prunes
2 tbsp Rum
powdered sugar
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate


Place the walnuts in the bowl of a food processor and chop finely.  Dump in a large bowl.


Chop all of the fruits, one at a time,  into the processor until they are chopped finely but not puree.  No piece should be larger then a pie.  Dump all the fruits into the bowl and add the Rum.  Stir the mixture very well.  


Put some powdered sugar on a plate.  Scoop out about a tbsp of fruit and nut mixture and roll into a ball.   Roll the balls in powdered sugar to dredge and place on a foiled line baking sheet.   


Melt the bittersweet chocolate in a glass measuring cup in the microwave over medium heat.  Be very careful not to burn the chocolate, heat for only 30 seconds at a time and stir well after each 30 second interval.  When the chocolate has melted spoon a bit over each ball and let harden.  


Store in the refrigerator (these can be made two weeks in advance).










The wonderful Crafting for Greyhounds was very nice to give us an award.  There blog has lovely pictures of rescued greyhounds, lots of helpful information, and lovely crafts!

"Liebster means “dearest” in German, and the award is intended to help up-and-coming blogs get the attention they deserve. As with any award, there is a bit of ceremony involved. In order to accept the award, we must do the following:

1. Copy and paste the award on our blog.

2. Link back to the blogger who gave us the award

3. Pick our five favorite blogs with less than 200 followers, and leave a comment on their blog to let them know they have received the award.

4. Hope that the five blogs chosen will keep spreading the love and pass it on to five more blogs"

I am passing the award on to 5 other great blogs:

Sheltie Times-Two adorable Shelties and crafts

Finn Howard-A lovely Golden Retriever's blog 

Yuki and Rocket -Two adorable dogs and recipes

Kitcaboodles-Two gorgeous cats, beautiful pictures and funny stories

Paddywak Pugs-A blog about pugs belonging to a very gifted artist with a shop on Etsy