Home Party Dessert Recipe

1/15/2009

Drop Cookies, Bar Cookies, and Ice Box Cookies

For DROP COOKIES:

[Peanut Butter, White Chocolate, and Peanut Cookies]
from "the baker's bible"

1 cup freshly shelled peanuts
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 T sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla extract
6 oz fine-quality white chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 oz semi-sweet chocolate, melted

>how to make<

*In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, toast peanuts until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
*Turn on to a plate, and allow to cool.

*Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
*Into a medium bowl, sift together flour; baking soda, and salt.
*In a large bowl with an electric mixer; beat peanut butter; butter; and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
*Add egg and continue beating for 2 minutes.
*Add egg and continue beating for 2 minutes more; beat in vanilla extract.
*Stir in flour mixture until well-blended; then stir in white chocolate and toasted peanuts.

*Drop heaped tablespoonfuls at least 2" apart on 2 large baking sheets.
*Flatten slightly with the back of a moistened spoon.
*Bake until golden-brown, about 12 to 15 minutes; do not overbake or the cookies will be dry.
*Remove baking sheets to wire racks to cool, 3 to 5 minutes.
*Then, using a metal pancake turner or palette knife, remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

*Spoon melted semi-sweet chocolate into a paper cone.
*Drizzle over cookies in a zig-zag pattern.
*Allow to set; store cookies in airtight containers.

-makes 18-

For BAR COOKIES:

[Toffee Bars]
from "The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook"

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 t vanilla extract
1 egg, separated
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

>how to make<

*Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
*Grease 15 1/2" by 10 1/2" jelly-roll pan.
*In large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat all ingredients except egg white and walnuts until well mixed; pat evenly into pan.

*In cup with fork, beat egg white slightly; brush over top of dough and sprinkle with nuts.

*Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes or until golden.
*Immediately cut into 50 bars and remove from pan to cool on wire racks.
*Store in tightly covered container for at least 3 days before serving.

For ICE BOX COOKIES:

[Chocolate Chip Ice Box cookies]
from "Cookie Book"

1 2/3 cups all-purpose white flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
1/4 cup cor oil or other flavorless vegetable oil
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 t vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate mini-morsels
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans(optional)

>how to make<

*In a medium bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour,baking powder, and salt; set aside.
*In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, eat together the butter, oil, brown sugar, and sugar until fluffy and well blended.
*Add the egg and vanilla and beat until evenly incorporated.
*Beat or stir in the flour mixture, then the chocolate morsels and walnuts or pecans, if using, until evenly incorporated.

*Spoon half of the dough onto a sheet of wax paper, forming a rough log about 7" long.
*Repeat with the second dough portion.
*Smooth the wax paper around the dough to help form the logs.
*Refrigerate the dough for 30 to 40 minutes, or until firmed up and easier to handle.
*Reshape the logs smoothing them further.
*Roll the logs up in sheets of plastic wrap, twisting the ends to keep the wrap from unrolling.
*Freeze the logs until completely frozen, at least 3 hours.
*Bake immediately, or transfer to an airtight plastic bag and freeze for up to 2 months.

*Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
*Grease several baking sheets or coat with nonstick spray.

*Carefully peel the plastic wrap from a dough log.
*Using a large, sharp knife, cut crosswise into generous 1/4" thick slices; due to the morsels, the dough won't cut neatly, so it may be necessary to pat and smooth the slices back into shape.
*Using a spatula, carefully transfer the slices to the baking sheets, spacing about 2" apart.
*If desired, repeat with the second log, or save it to bake another time.

*bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, in the upper third of the oven for 7 to 10 minutes, or until golden all over and just slightly darker around the edges.
*Reverse the sheet from front to back halfway through baking to ensure even browning.
*Transfer the sheet to a wire rack and let stand until the cookies firm up slightly, 1 to 2 minutes.
*Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to wire racks.
*Let stand until completely cooled.

*Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 1/2 months.

-makes 40 to 45-

Labels: bar cookies, chocolate minimorsels, drop cookies, ice box cookies, peanuts, white chocolate

¶ 1/15/2009 01:47:00 PM 1 Comments

6/03/2007

Cookie recipes

[Basic Butter Cookie Recipes]

3/4 cup soft unsalted butter
1/2 cup
2 eggs
1 t pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
food coloring and confectioners' sugar

[how to make]

*Cream the butter and sugar together until pale, then beat in the eggs and vanilla. *In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
*Add these dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture and combine gently but surely.
*If you need to add more flour, do so sparingly as too much will make the dough tough.
*Halve the dough, form into two fat discs, wrap each half in plastic wrap and rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

*Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

*Sprinkle a suitable surface with flour, place a disc of dough on it, sprinkle a little more flour on top, then roll it out to a thickness of about a quarter of an inch.
*Cut into shapes, dipping the cutter into flour as you go, and place the cut-out cookies a little apart on the baking sheets.
*Bake for 8~12 minutes, by which time they will be lightly golden around the edges. *Remove to a rack, and continue with the rest of the dough.
*When they are fully fooled, you can get on with the icing.
*Put a couple of tablespoons of not-quite boiling water into a large bowl, add the sifted confectioners' sugar and mix together, adding more water as you need to form a thick paste.
*Color and decorate as desired.

Tarantula and Finger Cookies