Holiday Biscotti Recipe

Holiday Biscotti Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped
• 2/3 cup dried cranberries
• 12 ounces good-quality white chocolate, chopped
• Red and green sugar crystals, for garnish

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl to blend. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in the pistachios and cranberries.
• Form the dough into a 13-inch long, 3-inch wide log on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 40 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.
• Place the log on the cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake the biscotti until they are pale golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.
• Stir the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate melts. Dip half of the biscotti into the melted chocolate. Gently shake off the excess chocolate. Place the biscotti on the baking sheet for the chocolate to set. Sprinkle with the sugar crystals. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm, about 35 minutes.
• The biscotti can be made ahead. Store them in an airtight container up to 4 days, or wrap them in foil and freeze in resealable plastic bags up to 3 weeks.

Chex Mix Christmas Crack Recipe

Chex Mix Christmas Crack Recipe

4 1/2 cups Rice Chex

4 1/2 cups Corn Chex

2 cups pretzel sticks

2 cups peanuts

1- 12 oz. bag of plain M & M's (green & red)

1- 12 oz. bag of peanut M & M's (green & red)

16 oz. white chocolate chips

Mix the Chex, pretzels, peanuts, and M & M's together in a large bowl.  Melt the white chocolate chips over low heat until smooth.  Pour the white chocolate over the dry mix and stir until everything is coated.  Spread the mix out on wax paper until dry.  Break apart the large cluster and store...enjoy!

Cinnamon Bun Eggnog Martini Recipe

Cinnamon Bun Eggnog Martini Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 ounces Cinnamon Bun Bite infused vodka
• 4 ounces non-alcoholid eggnog
• 2 ounces Irish cream liquor

Instructions

1. Combine ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice.
2. Shake for 30-40 seconds and pour into chilled martini glasses.
3. Garnish with a cinnamon stick or skewered Cinnamon Bun Bites

Cocoa Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

Cocoa Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/2 cup (for rolling)
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 20 unwrapped Hershey Kisses, Candy Cane variety

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Pour in the butter and eggs and stir to moisten and combine. When it gets all crumbly and uncooperative, use clean hands to knead the cookie dough together until it forms one smooth ball. Cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a bowl and the confectioners' sugar in a second bowl.
3. Using a medium cookie scoop (1 1/2 tbsp size) to scoop out balls of dough. Roll each first in the granulated sugar and then in the confectioners' sugar. Arrange on the baking sheet leaving 1-inch between each ball. Once all the balls are rolled out, press down in the center with your thumb to flatten and leave about a 1/2-inch indent.
4. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are puffed and cracked. Remove from the oven and immediately press one Candy Cane Hershey Kiss into the center of each cookie. Let cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Enjoy.

Dulce De Leche-Chocolate Bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

• 2 14 ounce cans sweetened condensed milk

• Pinch salt

• 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

• 4 ounces white chocolate, melted

• Red and green food coloring

• Red and green mini M&M candies

• Red and green fruit leather

Directions

Make crust::

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F; place rack in center. Line a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing paper to extend on two sides.

2. In a mixer bowl, beat together butter and confectioners' sugar on medium speed until light, about 2 minutes. Beat in extract, then flour and salt until combined well. Press along bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake until just golden brown around edges, 12 to 18 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Make filling::

3. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, milk and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened and a deep caramel color, about 15 minutes. Pour over crust and spread evenly; refrigerate until completely cool, about 1 hour.

4. Melt semisweet chocolate; let cool slightly. Using a spatula, evenly spread over filling (for swirled top, see below). Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Using a knife, score chocolate layer into 1-12-inch squares.

For swirled top::

5. Divide white chocolate into three parts. Tint one part red and one part green. Leave remaining part white. Dollop red, green and white chocolates over semisweet layer. Using a toothpick, gently swirl together colors.

For decoration::

6. Using white chocolate, adhere candies to squares, making holly or wreaths. Using a small, clean paintbrush, make a snowman out of white chocolate; decorate with candy.

7. Let stand until set, about 20 minutes.

8. Run a sharp knife under hot water; dry. Following score marks, cut into squares. Wipe knife after each cut (run under hot water and dry as needed). (Can be made ahead. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week.)

Snowman Shooters

Snowman Shooters

• 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 squares unsweetened chocolate
• 1 pint of vanilla ice cream
• 1 Small &  1medium ice cream scoops
• 8-12 Mini chocolate chips (or peppercorns)
• 4-6 Small pieces of carrots, cut into tiny spears

In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, place the chocolate squares and microwave them for 35-40 seconds, just enough to soften.  Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the chocolate, then return to the microwave for 50-60 seconds.  Remove and stir until the chocolate is fully melted and a thick hot fudge sauce forms.

Spoon hot fudge sauce into the bottom of 4-5 small shooter glasses.  Using a medium-sized ice cream scoop, scoop some of the vanilla ice cream into a rounded ball and plop it carefully on top of the hot fudge sauce.  Use the small sized scoop to do the same, placing the second scoop on top of the first one to create the snowman’s head.

Gently press the carrot nose & chocolate chip eyes into the snowman’s head.  Return to the freezer and allow to freeze until ready to serve (to ensure your shot glasses don’t freeze & crack, I recommend making these just about 1 hour ahead of time).

Christmas Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Cornstarch
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup red, white & green candy sprinkles
1/2 cup powdered icing sugar

Preparation 

- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)

- With an electric mixer or stand mixer, you'll whip the butter until it is smooth and fluffy. This is probably the most important step in making these cookies! Star in the sugar, corn starch and flour. Continue to mix on low for another two minutes, then increase the speed to high for three extra minutes.

- Place spoonfuls of the mixture on an ungreased cookie sheet, keeping about 2-3 inches of space between the cookies.

- Bake for about 14 minutes in the oven. You'll want to keep a close eye on these to ensure they don't get too brown on the edges. If you have a gas oven vs. electric, you may need to leave them for a few extra minutes -- this was something we noticed when we switched to gas a few years ago.

- You can finish the cookies with the powered icing sugar and Christmas themed sprinkled for an extra touch. Enjoy!