Nutcracker Sweets at Moonglow Page 9
Lingonberry Macarons (Submitted by Lisa Maliga, from her book, Baking Macarons: The Swiss Meringue Method)
Ingredients:
160 grams powdered sugar, sift with almond flour
160 grams almond flour, sift with powdered sugar
150 grams egg whites
180 grams confectioners’ sugar, sieved
1 tablespoon [8 grams] arrowroot powder
1/2 teaspoon [3 grams] cream of tartar
Purple or pink food gel color
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 Fahrenheit/150 Celsius.
Sift the almond flour and confectioners’ sugar together into a bowl. Stir in the arrowroot powder and set aside.
Put a template on a baking sheet and place a silicone mat or parchment paper over it. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add egg whites and confectioners’ sugar. Whisk until well combined. Place bowl over steaming pot with just enough water, as you don’t want the water touching the bowl. Heat on medium heat until it steams. Test to make sure it’s hot enough by sticking your clean finger in the meringue near the center of the bowl. If using a candy thermometer the temperature should be about 130 F [54 C]. Remove from heat and place bowl back onto stand mixer.
Add the cream of tartar. Whisk on medium to high speed until firm peaks form. Egg whites should be glossy and if you flip the bowl upside down, nothing will come out.
Add food coloring and whisk until the color is incorporated.
Remove the whisk and add the paddle attachment [if using one].
Add the presifted almond flour and confectioners’ sugar mixture.
Turn mixer to low or medium speed and mix for up to 10 seconds. If that doesn’t mix the batter thoroughly, mix for another 10 seconds. Turn off mixer and with your spatula, run it around the sides and bottom of bowl to make sure all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Test for the ribbon stage. When you lift your spatula above the bowl, the batter should fall back to the bowl as one continuous stream and create a ribbon pattern.
Pour batter into a large pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe onto the silicone or parchment covered baking sheets. When finished with each sheet, bang baking sheet on counter to remove air bubbles. If you see any air bubbles, pop them with a toothpick.
Let shells rest on a flat surface in a cool, dry area for about 30 minutes. The surface will change from glossy to matte. To make sure they’re done, gently touch the edge of one with your finger. There should be no trace of batter on your finger.
Bake for 15-20 minutes. This will vary depending on your oven. Carefully monitor the baking process and check your oven thermometer. After 8 or so minutes, rotate the tray to ensure even baking.
Macarons are done when you peel back the mat or the parchment paper and the shells don’t stick.
Remove from oven and gently slide the parchment or silicone mat onto a cooling rack. The shells should be cool enough to remove after 10 minutes.
Place macaron shells on a wax paper covered baking sheet or tray for filling. Match similar sized shells together. Pipe the filling on the flat side of one shell and gently place the second shell on top.
Notes:
Lingonberries are tart like cranberries. They make a lovely contrast to sweet macaron shells.
Lingonberry Buttercream Filling (Submitted by Lisa Maliga, from her book, Baking Macarons: The Swiss Meringue Method)
Ingredients:
Lingonberry jam, strained
220 grams [2 cups] confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla
Burgundy gel food colorant
Directions:
Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until creamy.
Add the strained lingonberry jam, followed by the confectioners’ sugar.
Mix on high speed for several minutes.
Spoon into a piping bag with a round or star-shaped tip.
Yummy Dates (Submitted by Deb Kenyon Thom)
Ingredients:
Large fresh dates
English walnuts
Powdered sugar
Directions:
Slice open a large fresh date and remove the seed.
Insert half of an English walnut.
Pinch date closed and roll in powdered sugar.
Twenty-first Century Peanut Brittle (Submitted by Deb Kenyon Thom)
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Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup raw peanuts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Directions:
Grease a large cookie sheet.
Using a large microwaveable bowl, mix sugar and syrup together. Heat in a microwave oven on high for three minutes.
Add peanuts and salt, stir then heat in a microwave oven for three more minutes.
Add butter and vanilla, stir and heat in a microwave oven for two or three minutes.
Remove from the microwave, add baking soda and stir well. It will get foamy. Immediately pour onto your buttered cookie sheet pan and spread it out with your spoon.
Let the candy cool and whack on the counter top or sturdy table to release candy from the pan.
Healthy No-Bake Apple Energy Bites (Submitted by Lori Sparks Shoemake, from her blog 50 with Flair - www.50withflair.com)
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups quick or old-fashioned oats (not instant)
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, I use a natural type
3/4 cup grated apple
1/2 cup chopped pecans (or your choice of chopped nut)
1/3 cup ground flax seed (or flax seed meal)
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (or your choice of small seeds)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or ginger for some "bite", or cinnamon-ginger combination)
Directions:
Stir all ingredients together in a bowl until completely combined; extra oats can be added if the mixture seems too soft and sticky. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes until firm. Then roll the mixture into 1-inch balls which should yield 18-20 bites. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week, if they last that long! Enjoy!
Tip: dampening your fingers/hands with a bit of water will keep the mixture from sticking to your hands too much
Notes:
45 minutes total time is 15 minutes prep, plus 30 minutes of chill time for the bites to firm up.
Try adding your favorite nuts, dried fruits or even protein powder, etc.
Grandma Chauncey's Date Nut Bars (Submitted by Taryn Lee)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup oil
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon ginger
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 cup finely, chopped dates
Powdered sugar (to roll bars in)
Directions:
Mix oil and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
Add all dry ingredients except powdered sugar and stir well.
Put mixture into oiled 8X8 inch pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.
Cut into bars and roll in powdered sugar.
No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies (Submitted by Betty Escobar)
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons cocoa
3/4 stick butter
½ cup peanut butter
2 cups quick oats
Directions:
Bring to rolling boil and cook for 1 minute.
Take off heat and add 1/2 cup peanut butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
Stir until peanut butter is mixed in well, and then add 2 cups quick oats.
Form into balls or cookies of desired shape.
Cinnamon Refrigerator Cookies (Submitted by Robyn Seitzer)
Ingredients:
½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup chopped nuts or raisins (optional)
Directions:
Combine flour, soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
Cream shortening and sugars. Beat eggs until light then mix with creamed mixture.
Add dry ingredients 1/3rd at a time, beating after each addition. Add optional ingredients if desired.
Divide dough into two and roll into log until about two inches in diameter. Loosely wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate approx. one hour.
Pre-heat oven to 350. Slice and bake 7 to 10 minutes.
Mocha Candied Nuts (Submitted by Kathleen Brown)
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups sugar (beet)
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1/2 cup warm, strong coffee (or 1 tablespoon instant coffee + 1/2 cup water)
2-1/2 cups walnuts, pecans, or other nuts
Directions:
Blend together in a saucepan the sugar, corn syrup, and coffee.
Cook to softball stage (240 degrees Fahrenheit,) about 4 minutes.
Remove from heat and add the nuts. Stir until creamy.
Turn onto a greased cookie sheet or waxed paper; separate nuts with 2 forks. Let cool.
All-In-One-Pan Cookies (Submitted by Kathleen Brown)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup crushed graham crackers
1 cup coconut
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
Directions:
Melt butter in 9" x 13" pan.
Add graham crackers to butter.
Sprinkle on coconut, chocolate chips, and nuts.
Drizzle on sweetened condensed milk.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cut into squares.
Date Balls (Submitted by Vera Kenyon)
Ingredients:
8 oz. package of dates, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 stick of butter
1 cup of chopped nuts
2 teaspoons of vanilla
2 cups of crispy rice cereal
2+ cups of flaked, sweetened coconut (for rolling the date balls)
Directions:
Melt the butter over low heat. Don’t let it get too hot.
Whisk in the dates, eggs and vanilla. Stir well. Cook for approximately five minutes.
Add in the nuts and crispy rice cereal. Mix well.
While the mixture is still warm form into small balls and then roll in coconut. Work fast. Let cool.
Freezes well so you can make these up ahead of the holiday.
Applesauce Cookies
(Submitted by Valerie Peterson)
Ingredients:
½ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup applesauce
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions:
Cream butter, sugar and egg.
Add baking soda and applesauce.
Mix dry ingredients together and add to wet ingredients.
Drop onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
Thimble Cookies
(Submitted by Valerie Peterson)
Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sifted flour
Egg white as needed, unbeaten
Cherries
Chopped nuts
Directions:
Mix all ingredients except cherries and nuts together.
Roll into balls the size of a walnut and dip in unbeaten egg white.
Dip in chopped nuts and press a half cherry into each center.
Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 10 minutes.
Makes about 6 dozen.
Option: Use jelly instead of cherries
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The characters in the Moonglow Christmas series may tell the stories of their holidays at the Timberton Hotel, but not without help. There is a great team behind the scenes, and everyone in it deserves a round of applause. D.A. Sarac at The Editing Pen provided the much-needed polishing to make this story shine on the inside. Keri Knutson of Alchemy Book Covers matched that shine on the outside with her exquisite cover design. Formatting help varies from book to book, and from digital to print, inevitably falling on a few of the following shoulders: Tim Renfrow, Richard Houston, Tara Meyers, Aaron Linsdau, and Normarie Lego. Heartfelt gratitude is always well-earned by beta readers Jay Garner, Louise Martens, Karen Putnam, and Carol Anderson. And if there’s such a thing as a “beta listener,” that credit goes to Paul Sterrett, for listening day in and day out as the stories develop.
This year’s tantalizing recipes in the back of the book were generously provided by Kim Davis, Jean Daniel, Teri Fish, Bea Tackett, Petrenia Snodgrass Etheridge, Lynette Ausland Eads, Jan Knight, Valerie Peterson, Betty Escobar, Lisa Maliga, Deb Kenyon Thom, Lori Sparks Shoemake, Taryn Lee, Robin Seitzer, Kathleen Brown, and Vera Kenyon. Time to get out the bowls and baking utensils and enjoy the treats they’ve shared!