Category Archives: Recipe

Crunchy Buckeyes

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Makes 30

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 ¼ cups smooth peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 ½ cups crisped rice cereal
  • 8oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil

Method

  1. Prepare a baking tray by lining with parchment paper
  2. Place the softened butter and the peanut butter in the bowl of a large mixer and beat until soft and well-combined
  3. Add the vanilla and the powdered sugar, and mix until all of the sugar is incorporated
  4. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, fold in the crisped rice and mix until the cereal is just incorporated into the peanut butter
  5. Use a cookie scoop, or small teaspoon, place small balls of the mixture on to the prepared tray and chill for 1 hour
  6. After the hour, using your hands roll the balls until smooth
  7. Return to the prepared tray and freeze for 30 mins until firm
  8. Just before removing the peanut butter balls from the freezer, melt the chocolate and coconut oil together in a small bowl set over hot water. Stir occasionally while melting to ensure it’s evenly mixed
  9. Once the chocolate is melted and completely smooth, take a cocktail stick and stick it into a frozen crunchy buckeye, ensuring the cocktail stick is well inserted and lower it into the chocolate. Be careful not to insert the buckeye all the way, keeping the top imcoated. Roate the buckeye as you tip and allow any excess to drip back into the bowl
  10. Place the dipped candies on to your prepared baking sheet and once they are all dipped, refrigerate them to set the chocolate, for about 15 minutes
  11. Serve and enjoy

Rudolph Linzer Cookies

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Makes 24

Ingredients

  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ medium tonka bean, finely grated
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 1/3 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 3/4 cup Almond Flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Filling

  • Raspberry, or strawberry, jam

To Finish

  • Candy eyes
  • Melted chocolate
  • Powdered sugar, for dusting

Method

  1. Line two large cookie trays with baking parchment and set aside until needed
  2. Beat the butter, sugar, cinnamon and tonka bean until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk, vanilla and beat until combined
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix until just combined, taking care not to overmix
  4. Divide the dough in half, and pat each half into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour
  5. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and let it soften for 5 to 10 minutes, until it feels soft enough to roll.
  6. On a floured surface, roll one disc of dough out about 1/8″-thick. Using a 2 1/2″ round cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Transfer rounds to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Gather the scrap dough, roll, and repeat. If at any time during this process the dough becomes sticky and hard to work with, simply refrigerate it for about 20 minutes, until firm
  7. Place the cut cookies (you should have 24 cookies) in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and preheat your oven to 350°F
  8. While the first half of cookies is chilling, cut 24 rounds from the second dough circle. Once you’ve transferred these cookies to a baking sheet, use your smallest cookie cutter, or the end of a round piping tip, to make a cutout hole off-center of each and remove it. Place cookies in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill
  9. Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn brown. Let them cool for 5 minutes on the sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely
  10. Turn the whole cookies flat side up and spoon 1/2 teaspoon of jam into the center, spreading it slightly. Top with the sugar-dusted cookies. With your melted chocolate in a small piping bag, with the end slightly snipped off, pipe on “antlers” and fix candy eyes at the ends, above the hole
  11. Though you can eat these cookies straight away, they taste better after letting them sit for a day or two so the jam can soak into the cookie making it deliciously soft

Amaretti Morbidi

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Makes 15

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups finely ground almonds
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 2 large egg whites
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • Powdered sugar

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a large baking sheet or cookie tray with baking paper
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together ground almond, sugar and salt until well combined
  3. In a mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites and cream of tartar until they hold soft peaks
  4. Add the beaten egg whites and almond extract to dry ingredients and stir until mixture forms a soft, sticky dough, kneading with your hands if necessary
  5. Lightly dust your hands with powdered sugar. Use a small cookie scoop to portion dough into 1-inch balls. Roll into a smooth ball, then roll in powdered sugar. Arrange on your prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space between cookies
  6. Bake for 20-25 minutes until tops are cracked and bottoms are just barely golden. Remove from oven; let cool a few minutes on the baking trays, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely
  7. Cookies will keep at room temperature in an airtight bag or container, for up to 5 days

Stop Here Santa Cookie

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Makes 1 large (8″) diameter cookie

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons beaten egg
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tablespoons whole rolled oats
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup M&Ms
  • 2 Tablespoons coarsely crushed peppermint candy can
  • Additional M&Ms to decorate, optional
  • Additional mini-chocolate chips, optional

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper #
  2. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together in a large bowl on medium-high speed until combined and creamy
  3. Add beaten egg, vanilla extract, then beat on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed
  4. Beat in the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt on low speed, then, with a spoon or spatula, fold in the M&Ms and crushed candy cane pieces until combined. (The dough will be sticky. If it’s too sticky to handle, chill in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes)
  5. Shape into a mound in the center of the lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes until edges and top are lightly browned. The center will look soft, but it will set as the cookie cools
  6. Cool the cookie on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before eating. As it cools, press a few additional M&Ms and chocolate chips into the top, if desired, for garnish

Lebkuchen Hearts

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Makes 20-30 hearts (dependent on cookie cutter size)

Ingredients

Cookies

  • ½ cup runny honey
  • ½ cup dark brown sugar
  • 4 ½ Tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup All Purpose flour
  • 1 cup rye flour
  • 2/3 cup ground almonds
  • 1 egg
  • 2 ½ teaspoon Lebkuchen spice *see below
  • ½ Tablespoon cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 oz candies mixed peel (optional)
  • Zest ½ lemon
  • Pinch Kosher salt

To Decorate

  • 1 egg white, lightly whisked
  • Blanched almond halves (optional)
  • Glace cherry halves (optional)

Method

  1. Combine the honey brown sugar, butter in a small pan and heat over a low heat until melted. Stir occasionally until fully blended. Remove from heat and set aside until needed
  2. Place the remaining ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together to combine
  3. Pour over the melted honey mixture and stir together with a wooden spoon to form a sticky dough. Cover with a clean dish cloth and set aside for an hour. By this time the dough should become more workable
  4. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking/ cookie trays with baking parchment
  5. Lightly flour a counter-surface and roll out the dough to  1/8inch thickness. Using a heart shaped cookie cutter, punch out hearts and place them on your prepared baking cheets, spacing ¾ inch apart. Re-roll any dough scraps to form additional cookies and repeat
  6. Brush the top of each cookie with the whisked egg white and place an almond or cherry half in the centre of each cookie
  7. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and just firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking tray for a few minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely
  8. Cookies can be kept in an airtight container for month or more. They will soften over time

*Lebkuchen Spice Mix

  • 5 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground anise
  • ½ teaspoon ground mace
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  1. Combine all the ingredients and whisk to thoroughly combine. Transfer to an airtight storage jar and store for up to a year