Christmas Traditions, New and Old

Hello friends!  I know I've been MIA here lately and have neglected my blog.  I haven't been gone, as you know if any of you follow me on Instagram, @savoringtime.  

I wanted to pop in before Christmas to share two of my Christmas traditions...one new that will definitely be repeated in Christmas to come, and the other, an oldie but goodie that I've been making for a VERY long time.  

First, this riff on the Christmas cheese ball.  A Cheesy Christmas Tree!  If you need a very quick and easy appetizer to bring to a party this weekend, this is it!  This is not my invention, but one I discovered on Instagram.  This started out as an idea made from a traditional home-made cheese ball to become a very quick and easy one made from a package of Boursin cheese.  You don't have to make a thing!  Simple assembly.  I've included the directions below.  

Boursin Cheese Christmas Tree Appetizer

Purchase a package of Boursin cheese. I used Garlic and Herb. Or, use 3 to make a mini tree forest :)

Buy some fresh parsley, a yellow bell pepper, sliced almonds or any other edible decor you'd like such as pomegranite arils.

Rinse, dry and chop parlsey finely. Lay out on paper toweling dry thoroughly.

Toast sliced almonds in a 350 oven for about 6 minutes until lightly browned. Cool.

Unwrap the cheese but keep the base on the bottom.

Place the cheese on a large sheet of plastic wrap and bring it upward. 

Shape cheese into a pyramid/tree by pressing or rolling gently along the sides to bring cheese upward.
Twist top of plastic wrap and freeze cheese for about 10-15 minutes.

Remove cheese from freezer and upwrap. Roll in chopped parsley all around and press to adhere.

Stick in toasted almonds all around and top with a star made from the yellow pepper.

Serve with crackers and slices of yellow pepper or other veggies.  

Done!  A cute and festive addition to a cheese or charcuterie platter.  

The Oldie but Goodie tradition in my family are these Candy Cane Cookies.  I've been making for more years than I can remember and are from an old Betty Crocker cookbook where I've found many gems! Betty Crocker's All Time Favorites.  We have already had one family Christmas celebration and this was my cookie platter.  

The recipe for the Candy Cane cookies can be found here:  Candy Cane Cookies

The recipe for my Sugar Cut Out cookies can be found here:  Celebration Christmas Cookies

(sometimes I'll roll the dough into logs and drizzle with melted chocolate). 

The recipe for my (mild) Gingerbread Cookies can be found here:  Gingerbread Cookies, My Way

May those of you who celebrate all have a safe and blessed Christmas and Best Wishes for a Happy New Year! 

Fondly, Susan

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Chocolate Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

If you're hosting Christmas dinner, or having a New Year's Eve party, I have a lovely and delicious dessert for you!  This past weekend, we had a gourmet group gathering at the home of good friends.  This cake was assigned to us (BTW, that means me) to bring as each couple gets an assignment that the host and hostess determine.  

There was a note in the recipe that peppermint extract could be added to make it more festive for the holidays.  Unfortunately, I didn't have any peppermint extract on hand.  What I did have were crushed candy canes from the candy cane cookies I made in my last post.  The problem with crushed candy canes in the frosting was that they kept getting stuck in my piping nozzle, even though I was using the largest star tip.  Next time, I'd use extract or make sure the candy canes are pulverized thoroughly!  

I decorated the cake with Hershey's candy cane kisses and candy candy-dusted star cookies made with the same candy cane cookie dough from my last post for a festive look!

Since I didn't want to slice it before it was served at dinner that evening, I took a few (bad) photos with my phone while we were plating it so you could see what the layers look like and how I served it.  I brought extra cookies and red raspberries for serving.  It was delicious!  

Ho-Ho-Ho!  Wishing all of you who celebrate a sweet and Very Merry Christmas! 

Savoring Time in the Kitchen is a member of the Amazon Affiliate Program. If you purchase a product by following a link that we provide, the price you pay as a consumer does not change, but if you do make a purchase through one of these links, we earn a very small commission for providing that link. Thank you for your support of Savoring Time in the Kitchen!

Chocolate Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Printable Recipe

Serves 12

3 cups granulated sugar

2-3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Ghirardelli)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1-3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1-1/4 cups strong black coffee, cooled to room temperature

1-1/4 cups buttermilk

3/4 cup canola oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs, room temperature

Note: I didn't have 9" x 2" pans so used 9" by 1-3/4" pans and my cake spilled over in the oven. If you don't have 2" pans, prepare a collar with parchment paper to make sure your cake won't spill over the top of the pan. Click HERE for a good tutorial on how to make a collar. 

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Grease 2 - 9" x 2" round cake pan. Line bottom with parchment - See Note above ^

Sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and baking powder into large mixing bowl (to make sure there aren't any lumpy bits). 

Mix together cooled coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla.

At low speed, beat half of buttermilk mixture into flour mixture until blended and smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg. Beat in remaining buttermilk mixture. Batter will seem thin. Pour evenly into prepared pans.

Bake cakes in the center of the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40-50 minutes, depending on your oven. Start checking at 40 minutes.

Allow cakes to cool in pans for 5 minutes. Loosen cakes by running a metal spatula around the sides of the pans. Remove parchment collar if one was used. Turn cakes out onto wire racks to cool completely and remove parchment paper from bottom.

White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1 pound (4 sticks) butter, softened

1 pound white chocolate, chopped up a bit

4-5 cups confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)

1/2 to 1 cup heavy whipping cream

1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon peppermint extract, or finely crushed candy canes, if desired

Melt 1 stick butter with chocolate in a double boiler (or a round metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water). Stir and let cool slightly. 

In a mixing bowl, cream remaining 3 sticks butter with confectioners sugar and melted white chocolate mixture. Beat until creamy. 

Add heavy cream, a little at a time, and beat until desired consistency is achieved. Add extracts and/or finely crushed candy cane and blend well, adding more cream if necessary.

Slice each cake in half horizontally, using a very long serrated knife. Some people use taut dental floss! Click HERE to see a tutorial on how to do that. 

Place one layer on a serving plate and spread with about 1/6th of the frosting. Repeat with the next two layers. Top with remaining cake layer and spread sides and top with frosting. 

Decorate cake with piped additional frosting as you wish. Top with Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses, and Christmas Cookies if desired. 

Double Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti

I hope you try these delightful Double Chocolate Biscotti if you have time to bake one more cookie.  I combined a few recipes to come up with these delicious double chocolate biscotti that are perfect with coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon or a glass of milk or wine in the evening.

They are easy to make and a delicious addition to a holiday cookie platter.  They aren't as dense as some Biscotti so much easier to eat.

Twas three days before Christmas, and all through the house...
The smell of baked cookies was stirring more than just one mouse.

The mice quickly retreated to safety because...
A coyote was near and had such strong jaws!

These three young knights saved the day,
By hiding the mouse family safely away :)

This big coyote was one of two in our yard this morning. We've been seeing them more frequently this year and so it seems that the coyote population is growing in our area. 

I wish you a very safe and Merry Christmas and Holiday Season.  We are looking forward to seeing our three sweet grandsons on Christmas Day!

I'm sure their stockings will be hung by the chimney with care :)

Double Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti

Printable Recipe

2-1/2 cups all purpose flour, scoop and level method
1/2 cup bittersweet cocoa powder, such as Ghirardelli
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, just barely softened
3 teaspoons freshly grated navel orange zest (about 2 large oranges)
1 cup
2 large eggs
1-1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole salted pistachios
2 tablespoons finely chopped pistachios blended with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 ounces shaved bittersweet chocolate
1 egg, mixed with 1 teaspoons water

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, mix butter and orange zest on medium high speed until smooth.  Slowly add 1 cup of sugar and beat for another minute.

Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat for a minute each, scraping down the bowl.  Add vanilla and mix.  Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients, slowly, mixing just until combined.  Do not over mix.

Remove bowl from mixer and fold in 1 cup of the whole pistachios and the shaved chocolate.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a food processor, pulse the 2 tablespoons of pistachios with the 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar.

Position oven shelves in upper and lower third of the oven.  Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners.

Divide dough into thirds, and on lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a 12 x 3 inch log (about 1 inch thick) and place on one of the baking sheets sideways.  All three should fit on one large baking sheet.

Brush each with egg wash and sprinkle the tops with the chopped pistachio and sugar mixture.

Bake for 25 minutes or until just lightly browned. Remove from oven and let rest on the pan for 5 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 300 F.  Using a large spatula, carefully remove each log to a cutting surface and cut into 1 inch slices. Using 2 baking sheets, lay the slices on their sides and return to the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and turn slices over.  Bake for another 7 to 10 minutes.  Allow to rest for 5 minutes and transfer to baking rack to cool completely.

Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks or freeze.

Danish Hazelnut Butter Cookies Two Ways

After a welcome respite from hosting Thanksgiving, my husband and I have the house and yard decorated and now I'm ready to start baking for Christmas!  The first new recipe I wanted to try were these flaky and delicate Danish Hazelnut Butter Cookies from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book. 

Filled with toasted and ground hazelnuts, I topped each cookie with a whole hazelnut before baking, because I LOVE hazelnuts.  Not to worry if hazelnuts aren't your thing. You could easily substitute pecans or almonds in this recipe with great results. 

Never one to leave a good thing alone, I was inspired by some thumbprint cookies I had seen on Pinterest and decided to try the idea with the same hazelnut cookie dough and created Hazelnut Caramel and Chocolate Cookies. A marriage made in cookie heaven!  You will find instructions for both variations below. 

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  We had our first measurable snowfall early this week.  Even though much of has melted already, I couldn't help snap a few shots while the tree limbs were coated with pristine, white snow in the evening. 

Have you done any holiday baking yet? What is your favorite Christmas cookie recipe?

Danish Hazelnut Butter Cookies

Printable Recipe

Makes about 48 cookies

2/3 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fresh baking powder
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted and finely chopped

Preheat oven to 300F to toast the nuts. Spread them on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 8-10 minutes until fragrant and toasted. Allow to cool and place in a food processor. Pulse until finely ground, being careful not to turn the nuts into a paste.

In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until blended. Add the egg and mix until light and fluffy. Add the flour, baking powder and chopped hazelnuts and mix just until incorporated. Gather dough together and place in a smaller bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400F.

Place parchment paper or a silicone baking mat on a large, rimmed baking sheet. 

Shape dough into balls about the size of small walnuts and place on prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Press tops of cookies with a fork, making a criss-cross pattern. Top each with a whole hazelnut, if desired.

Bake for about 7-8 minutes or until lightly browned.

Hazelnut, Caramel, Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Use same recipe as above to make cookie dough.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Roll chilled dough into 1" balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Using your thumb, make an indentation in the center of each piece of dough.

Bake for about 8 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and, using the back of a round, 1 teaspoon measuring spoon, press lightly into each indentation in cookie, being careful not to break cookie. Cool completely.

To Make Caramel Filling:

14 Vanilla Caramels, unwrapped
2 Tablespoons heavy (double) cream

In a small saucepan, melt caramels and cream together over low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. Spoon about a teaspoon of caramel mixture into the center of each cookie. Cool completely.

To Make Chocolate Drizzle:

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces
1 teaspoon shortening or butter

Microwave for 30 second intervals until just melted, stirring after each interval. Allow to cool slightly and pour into a small pastry bag fitted with a tip with small round hole and pipe back and forth onto cooled cookies. Allow chocolate to cool completely. Refrigerating cookies will help the chocolate to set.

Basic cookie recipe adapted from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book by Beatrice Ojankangas.

Almond-Hazelnut Chocolate Crescents

Do you love chocolate and nuts as much as I do? Given only one kind of dessert to eat for the rest of my life, I would choose something with chocolate (dark) and nuts.  If you are shaking your head up and down in agreement and are still planning on doing a little Christmas cookie baking this weekend, I have a recipe for you!  Looking over the long list of Christmas Cookie recipes that I've saved on my computer, I found this recipe for Almond-Hazelnut Chocolate Crescents. We've all likely made the classic pecan crescents before.  I love their flaky, melt-in-mouth consistency but I wanted to try something new and the title really sounded like it would be my kind of cookie. They are, in a word, Delicious!

These are also, crispy and delicate like the original pecan crescents but with the rich, luscious flavor of chocolate, ground almonds and toasted hazelnuts.  

The drizzle of chocolate on top of these cookies makes them even more delicious and pretty - and we love pretty during the holidays, right?

Just look at that crispy and delicate texture I was telling you about.  I think I could have ground the hazelnuts even finer but they still have that almost sandy texture that I love about crescent cookies.

Another one of my routines at this time of year is drinking tea in the afternoon.  On cold, winter days winter it just hits the spot.  These crescents were the perfect afternoon snack with a warm cup of Chai tea.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you!  May you experience the wonder of the season as through the eyes of a 2-1/2 year old :-)  Now, bring on the snow!

Almond-Hazelnut Chocolate Crescent Cookies

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens.com

Printable Recipe

Makes: about 48 cookies

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups finely ground almonds (you can find almonds already finely ground)
1/2 cup finely ground toasted hazelnuts (filberts), without skins preferably
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/4 cups butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted, for drizzling over cookies

In a 350F oven, toast the hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet for about 8 minutes.  Allow to cool.  When cool, transfer the hazelnuts to a food processor and pulse until finely ground but don't turn them into a paste. 

Combine flour, almonds, hazelnuts, and cocoa powder in a medium bowl and set aside. Beat butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric or stand mixer on medium-high speed for about 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until combined.  Scrape the bowl occasionally with a spatula. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed just until combined. Cover and chill dough for about 2 hours until easy to handle.

Take spoonfuls of the dough and roll in your hands into 1-inch balls. On a flat surface, roll each ball into a short log with tapered ends and curve the log slightly into a crescent shape.  Place crescents 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. I use a silipat.

Bake in a 350F preheated oven for about 15 to 16 minutes or until edges are set. Allow the cookies to cool slightly on the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

When the cookies are cooled, drizzle the melted chocolate them in a zig-zag pattern. Let stand until chocolate sets or refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

Snowflake Cookie Tree Stack

Oh, Christmas Tree; Oh, Christmas Tree!

I've had this cookie stack idea in my 'to do' file for a loooooong time, and finally got around to trying them this past weekend.  You may have seen them before but made with star cookie cutters.  There are even kits to make them. I had been looking for a set of 6 graduated stars for these but I when I looked through my Christmas cookie cutters, I found I had a set of 4 four graduated sizes of snowflakes cutters and realized I could try making 3-4 cookies of each size snowflake for the stack, starting with the largest and working up to the smaller ones at the top.  Then, the very smallest added for the 'topper'. Real trees aren't perfect pyramids either so I think my plan worked just fine :)

I found that the trees looked best using 10-11 cookies for each tree shape and 1 small cookie for the topper. I used royal icing on each cookie, allowing it to harden for just a couple of minutes and then started stacking and twisting each cookie slightly going up.  If the icing isn't hard enough, your tree may start to tilt as mine did but it's easy to straighten it out as you work because royal icing takes a long time to harden.  I bought a set of Wilton 'icing' brushes and found they worked really well to apply the icing.  So much better than trying to use a spoon or icing knife. 

When I finished stacking the tree, and before adding the 'toppers', I sprinkled them with white non-pareils and clear sanding sugar.  On one, I added tiny, round candy balls on the tips of the 'branches'.  I just dabbed a little more royal icing where I wanted to place them.  I have a tiny tree and angel in my cutter collection so used one of each for topping the trees. To place the topper, I put a dab of icing on the top snowflake, allowed it to set for about 5 minutes and then, carefully, added the 'topper'. 

They were really fun to make and I think they would make adorable, edible table decorations for a holiday dinner!

For the cookie recipe I used my tried-and-true Celebration Cookie Recipe. You can Click here to see the snowflake cutters I used and here to see the icing brushes I found.

How is your holiday baking going and how is your weather?  Damp and dreary here but above freezing and no snow.  Thank goodness for the holiday lights to brighten the dark days and nights!

A Few of My Favorite Things!

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Celebration Sugar Cookies

Adapated from Big Fat Cookies by Elinor Klivans
Printable Recipe

2 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) vegetable shortening (I used Crisco)
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, in a large bowl beat the butter, vegetable shortening and sugar until smooth and somewhat lighter in color, about 1 minute, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. Add the egg, vanilla and almond extract and mix until just blended. On low speed, add the flour mixture until just incorporated. The dough should be soft and smooth.

Divide the dough in half and shape it into 2 disks about 6 inches in diameter. Wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to roll without sticking, approximately 1 hour.

With the oven rack positioned in the center, preheat the oven to 350° F . Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

Unwrap one piece of dough and place on lightly floured rolling surface. With a floured rolling pin. roll the dough out to about 12-inches wide and 3/16 inch thick and cut out cookies. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets using a thin spatula, placing them 1 inch apart. Unwrap the second piece of dough and repeat the rolling and cutting process. Dough scraps can be gathered, re-rolled and cut.

Bake one sheet of cookies at a time for approximately 14 minutes or until golden at the edges. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack or sheet of parchment or waxed paper to cool.

The cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week or frozen for one month.

Frost and decorate as desired. 

Royal Icing

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Printable Recipe

Makes about 1-1/4 cups

2-1/2 Tablespoons meringue powder
2 cups confectioners' sugar, or more to thicken icing
3 Tablespoons water
2 drops glycerin

Note: You can find both meringue powder and glycerin at JoAnn in the baking section or, if you don't have a JoAnn nearby your can find them here and here.

Add the meringue powder and confectioners’ sugar to a bowl Add water, a few tablespoons at a time and mix until the consistency looks good. Not too runny. Add more powdered sugar if needed. Beat for 1 minute. Add glycerin and mix thoroughly.

The icing will keep for several days in an airtight container. After you decorate the cookies the frosting will take about one hour to dry thoroughly so handle carefully until then.

Fairy Food Candy

This candy is known by many names as I've discovered while researching recipes.  Here, in the Milwaukee area, we call it Fairy Food.  Other parts of the country call it Sponge Candy, Puff Candy, Hokey Pokey, Cinder Toffee, Molasses Puffs and Sea Foam.  Wow! That's a lot of names for the same candy! Basically, Fairy Food tastes like puffed and crispy sweet molasses wrapped up in good chocolate.  If you knew how expensive it is to buy good Fairy Food, you would know why I was on a mission to try and make it myself.

The making of Fairy Food is really a miracle of science.  Water, sugar, and corn syrup are brought to a boil and simmered until golden amber.  Then, baking soda is added and quickly stirred in.  The volcano that erupts in the pan when the baking soda is stirred in is what creates the marvelous sponge-like texture of this candy.

Making this candy was definitely a labor of love for me!  The first batch I burned.  The second batch turned out tough and flat but the third time finally was a charm!  Luckily, the ingredients to make Fairy Food are inexpensive - sugar, corn syrup, water, baking soda and a little honey. The only costly item is using good quality chocolate to coat the Fairy Food but you will only use the chocolate when the candy has turned out well.  The candy should be crisp and delicate when it breaks. 

Above is what a good batch of candy should look like.The candy should be about one inch thick with tiny holes, creating the spongy look.  Don't be fooled by the word sponge, however.  The candy should be crisp and delicate when you break it or bite into it.

This is NOT what good Fairy Food should look like (batch number 2)...

There are a few tips I can give you. Don't make Fairy Food on a humid day and don't make it in the summer because the candy could lose its crispness and become tough and chewy. That is why you can only buy Fairy Food from the end of September until April or May here. Also, make sure you have all of your ingredients and prepared sheet pay ready ahead of time as you will need to pour the candy out of the pan quickly once you mix in the baking soda. 

And also, don't be afraid of failure.  Sometimes, it makes us better people - with good candy to share during the holidays :)

I've adapted my recipe from several sources, working with different combinations until I got the result I liked best. 

ThermoPro TP509 Candy Thermometer with Pot Clip, Instant Read Meat Analog Thermometer with LCD, Cooking Oil Thermometer Deep Frying Thermometer for Candy Maple Syrup Grease Cheese Sugar Brewing Making

Savoring Time in the Kitchen is a member of the Amazon Affiliate Program. If you purchase a product by following a link that we provide, the price you pay as a consumer does not change, but if you do make a purchase through one of these links, we earn a very small commission for providing that link. Thank you for your support of Savoring Time in the Kitchen!

After having some 'bloom' show up on my chocolate the day following coating my candy, I found this useful YouTube video on how to temper chocolate.  You will again need a candy thermometer, a step I did not take when I tempered mine, likely leading to the 'bloom' the next day. There are many online instructions available on how to temper chocolate.  I thought this one was very comprehensive.

Fairy Food Candy

(Adapted from Several Recipes)

Printable Recipe

Makes about 4 dozen 1-1/2 inch candies You will need a candy thermometer

1 ½ cups sugar
½ cups light corn syrup
½ cup water

1 Tbsp Honey
1 tbsp baking soda (sifted)

Melted dark or milk chocolate

Line a half sheet baking pan with sides with parchment paper.

Near the stove, have ready a small bowl of water and a pastry brush, the 1 tablespoon of honey in a small dish, the sifted baking soda in a small dish, an oven mitt and a long wooden spoon.

In a medium sauce pan with high sides (I used a 3.5 quart saucepan), mix sugar, corn syrup and 1/2 cup water together. Stir over over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Clip on candy thermometer. Do not stir after it boils and you have clipped the thermometer onto the saucepan. Wash down any sugar crystals from the sides of the pan with the pastry brush dipped in water. Heat to 250F on the candy thermometer.

When the temperature reaches 250, drizzle the 1 T of honey evenly over the top of the syrup and gently swirl the pan. Continue to cook the syrup to 275-300 - until golden-amber colored (or the first puff of light smoke that rises from the pan). You do not want to burn the syrup so watch carefully.

Remove the pan from the heat and allow to sit for about 1-2 minutes until most of the bubbling subsides. Put an oven mitt on the hand that will hold the pan and sprinkle the sifted baking soda evenly over the top of the syrup.  Stir quickly, thoroughly and vigorously with a long wooden spoon (the mixture will rise to almost the top of the pan). Stir until all of the baking soda is well incorporated and you don’t see any white spots. Pour the mixture immediately into the prepared sheet pan. Let the mixture spread out on its own and do not tap or try to spread it as this will eliminate the spongy texture that was just created.

Allow to cool completely, about 1-2 hours. At this point, you may break the hardened candy into pieces or score the candy with a serrated knife and snap the pieces into neater squares.

To coat candy with chocolate, melt about 6 ounces of chopped chocolate (either dark or milk - your preference) in a microwavable bowl or in a double boiler until just melted.  Add 3 more ounces of chocolate and stir in.  Keep stirring until the new chocolate is completely melted but don't put back in the microwave or back on the heat, unless absolutely necessary. 

Line a small cookie sheet with parchment.  Drop pieces of candy into the bowl and swirl around with a spoon until well coated.  Lift out with a tongs allowing much of the chocolate to drip back in the bowl.  Place on the parchment-lined pan. 

When the pan is full, place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes or just until chocolate is hardened.  Remove from refrigerator and store in a cookie jar or other non-airtight container. 

Snowed In? Make Snowy Owl Cookies!

Happy New Year!  May it be a happy and healthy New Year for you all.

Here, the scene outside remains the same as in the first photo of my last post with the addition of about 5 more inches of snow today with the potential for another 5 inches tonight into tomorrow! I know the Northeast part of the country is bracing for a huge snow storm.  What a winter so far!

If you get stuck indoors, have little ones or grandchildren to entertain or just want to have a fun baking experience, try these Snowy Owl Cookies! 

My blog friend, Debbie, at Mountain Breaths (who loves owls!) mentioned to me that she had seen these adorable cookies  here. Betsy's are so much nicer than mine. I made mine as part of my Christmas cookie baking but I think they would be a fun to make any time during the winter.. They would be a hoot for a Harry Potter birthday party or for anyone who loves owls, snowy or otherwise :)

I used a classic shortbread cookie recipe but you can also make these using your favorite sugar cookie cut out recipe.

You'll need some round cookie cutters.  I used a 2-1/2" round cutter for the body and one about 1" for the eyes. Since I didn't have a 1" cutter I used the base of a clean travel lotion jar. Mini M and Ms were used for the eyes.  For the beaks, rather than using whole almonds,  I VERY carefully split the whole almonds in half lengthwise with a butchers knife.  Use a fork to make the imprint of the owl's feet and a butter knife to etch the wings.  Bake according to the directions.  Allow them to cool for 5 minutes and then sift powdered sugar over the top.  I used a slightly damp cotton swab to wipe the powdered sugar off the eyes and beaks. 

There are lots of other ideas for owl cookies on Pinterest! 

Classic Shortbread

Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking

Printable Recipe

1/2 lb butter, softened to room temperature (I use unsalted butter and a pinch of sea salt)
1/2 cup sugar (I like to use superfine sugar)
2 cups all purpose flour - plus more for rolling and kneading

Place the softened butter in a stand mixer.  On low speed, add the sugar a little at a time until thoroughly combined with no gritty feel. Add flour a bit at a time until all is absorbed. This should yield a soft, workable dough.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth without cracks appearing. Roll out to about 1/3 to 1/2 inch thickness and cut into shapes. Gather and re-roll scraps. If dough gets too soft, refrigerate for a while.

Place shapes on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or a silicone mat.  Chill for about 20 minutes before baking.  (It's chilly enough here for me to put them in a protected place outside).

Preheat oven to 325 and bake for 12-15 minutes depending on the thickness of the shapes and your oven.  They should be just slightly brown around the edges. 

Cool and store in a tightly covered container. May be frozen.

Cinnamon Roll Bundt Cake

Here is something to fulfill your cinnamon bun cravings!  After all, it's the holidays and you'll have family and friends to help you eat it :) This cinnamon roll bundt cake would be a delicious addition to your Christmas breakfast or brunch!

While searching online for cookbooks to give as gifts, I came across the Beekman 1802 Heirloom Dessert Cookbook and was immediately attracted to the beautiful cover.  After browsing through the book, I bookmarked over a dozen recipes and have already made two of them, including their Cinnamon Bun Bundt Cake.

I made a few minor changes to the recipe in that I used my bread machine's dough cycle to knead and raise the dough.  You can find the bread machine instructions at the bottom of the recipe below.

Then, instead of 1 tablespoon of cinnamon to the filling, I used 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of Penzeys Baking Spice which added a wonderful depth of flavor with its allspice, mace, anise and cardamom for just a hint of Chai flavor.  My last change was to add 3/4 cup of toasted and chopped pecans to the filling.

It received rave reviews from my husband who patiently waited while I took these photos so he could have the first piece :)  Naturally, it's best when eaten the same day, but after giving some to my daughter, I wrapped the rest in plastic wrap and refrigerated it.  Warmed for a bit in the microwave, it was wonderful with my morning coffee the next day..
 

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Cinnamon Roll Bundt Cake

adapted from The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Dessert Cookbook
Printable Recipe

Cinnamon Roll Dough:

1 pkg active dry yeast equally 2-1/2 tsp (make sure your yeast is fresh before starting)
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 cup warm water (105° to 110° F)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large egg yolks
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup toasted and chopped pecans (optional)

Vegetable oil for the bowl
Flour for the work surface

Bundt cake pan

*See my notes below for making with a bread machine

Filling:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (reserve 1 T for brushing bundt pan)
2/3 cup (plus more for dusting bundt pan)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon Penseys Baking Spice (which is a combination of ground cinnamon, anise seed, mace, allspice and cardamom - or simply use 1 teaspoon of plain cinnamon)
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the cake dough:

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar in the warm water. Let stand 5 minutes, or until foamy.

Meanwhile, in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1/4 cup granulated sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg yolks, buttermilk and salt until well combined.

Beat in the yeast mixture. Beat in 3 1/2 cups of the flour until combined.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, adding more flour if necessary.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll to a 12 by 18 inch rectangle. Brush with 3 tablespoons of the melted butter.

In a small bowl, combine the 2/3 cup brown sugar, the cinnamon and salt and sprinkle over the dough. Starting at one short end, roll into a cylinder. With a serrated knife, cut the roll in half crosswise, and then cut each half into six pieces so that you have 12 pieces.

Brush a 10 to 12 cup Bundt pan with melted butter and coat with the 3 tablespoons brown sugar. Place the pieces of dough, seam side down, around the pan.  I placed a layer of pieces all facing the outside of the pan first and then filled the pan with the remaining pieces so that the swirl pattern would show up all around the cake. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until light and puffed, about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until the buns are golden brown and well risen. Remove from the oven and let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then invert onto a cake plate or parchment-paper-covered cutting board. 

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*My notes for making dough with a bread machine:

First, I melted the 6 tablespoons of butter in a bowl. I stirred in the buttermilk and added the ¼ cup warm water. Then, I added a little of the buttermilk mixture to the egg yolks and stirred quickly, then added the egg yolks to the buttermilk mixture and again stirred quickly so the yolks would not cook even slightly when added to the warm mixture. 

In a separate bowl, I combined the flour, yeast, sugar and salt.

For my bread machine, I need to add all the ‘wet’ ingredients to the machine first, then add the dry ingredients over that. I set the machine to ‘dough’ cycle.

Proceed with the rest of the rest of the recipe as written after the dough has risen in the bread machine.

Marigene's Holiday Rolls

Just one last post before Christmas and the New Year as I thought some of you may like to make these for your holiday meal. These rolls made their first appearance in my home on Thanksgiving and it won't be their last!  They will be made for many more holiday meals and celebrations.  I first saw these rolls on Marigene's blog, In the Middle of Nowhere and I was struck by how big and beautiful they were.

I adapted the recipe by using my bread machine - my instructions are in the recipe below.

They are the perfect addition to a holiday meal.  Since I only made half of the original recipe, mine were a little smaller than Marigene's as I had to divide them into smaller portions to fit the pans I used.  They were still plenty big, fluffy and delicious as you can see and a half recipe was more than enough for 8 people.

I hope you give these delicious rolls at try at your next family gathering - they are well worth the effort!

I want to wish all of you who celebrate a safe and very Merry Christmas and best wishes for a happy and healthy new year!! Thank you for all of your support and kind comments!

Savoring Time in the Kitchen is a member of the Amazon Affiliate Program. If you purchase a product by following a link that we provide, the price you pay as a consumer does not change, but if you do make a purchase through one of these links, we earn a very small commission for providing that link. Thank you for your support of Savoring Time in the Kitchen! 

Holiday Rolls
Adapted from Marigene's Spicery Rolls
Printable Recipe

My Notes:  Amounts in (…) are for ½ recipe which was more than enough for 8 people.

I used my bread machine for the knead and first rise and decided to brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter right after they came out of the oven. Great idea!

3 (1-1/2) cups hot but not quite boiling water, divided
½ (1/4) cup butter
1 ½ (3/4) teaspoons salt
1 (1/2) cup sugar
6 (3) ounces evaporated milk (that’s about ¾ cup for a full recipe)
¼ (1/8) cup instant yeast
9-11 (5-1/4) cups all purpose flour

3 - 9” round cake pans (2 for ½ recipe)

In a large bowl or 6 quart mixer pour half of the hot water over the butter. Stir until melted. Add salt and sugar and stir well and add the rest of the hot water. Stir in evaporated milk. Slowly add flour and yeast.

Turn out onto floured board and knead or use the dough hook on your mixer or bread machine. Knead for about 10 minutes, if by hand or mixer. Next, grease a large bowl thoroughly. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it over so the surface will be well greased to prevent sticking. Cover, let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30-45 minutes. (If using a bread machine, skip the above instructions and put the wet ingredients in first followed by the dry ingredients and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for dough only cycle.)

Dump onto well floured surface. Divide into thirds and each third into 12 equal pieces to form into dinner-size rolls (if making a half recipe, cut dough in half and then cut each half into 12 pieces). Let rise until doubled. Just before popping them into the oven I give the tops a good brushing of egg/water wash.

Bake 20-25 minutes at 375° until the tops are browned nicely. Brush with melted butter upon removing them from the oven (optional). 

Makes 36 (24) large rolls.

According to Marigene they freeze well.  She wraps them in paper towels, then in foil and finally into a plastic bag.