Good Morning.
My cooking efforts usually involve dishes with sauces. There's nothing better in my world than Eggs Benedict with a lemon velvet Hollandaise or a medium rare filet topped with Bernaise. December, however, is an excellent time to make sugar things to have with coffee or a glass of wine. Here are recipes for some scrumptious little morsels, all of them easy and many using the spirits of the season.
We begin with a variety of truffles. If you buy them, you'll pay an arm and a leg. Make them instead and with the money you save, get yourself a sweater with a reindeer.
Snowflake Truffles
1 1/3 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
3 1/2 oz. ricotta
1/2 cup almonds, crushed with a rolling pin
2 1/2 squares white chocolate
2 1/2 tbsp. whipping cream
1/4 cup shredded coconut
In a bowl, combine 1 1/3 cups coconut, sugar, ricotta, and crushed almonds to form a dough. Roll into one-inch balls. Melt the white chocolate in double boiler with simmering water. Stir in the heavy cream. Use a wooden toothpick to dip the truffles in the chocolate and arrange them on a platter or baking sheet covered with wax paper. Sprinkle 1/4 cup coconut over them and place in the fridge for several hours. If not using right away, store in a covered container in the fridge.
Wine Truffles
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Dash of salt
2 tbsp. hearty red wine, like a Cabernet
6 squares semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 tsp. butter at room temp
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Mix the cream, vanilla, and salt together in a pan. Bring to a boil. Stir in the wine and remove from the heat. Add chocolate and stir until melted. Add butter and stir to combine well. Pour the mixture into a container, place plastic wrap directly on top, and chill in the fridge for several hours. Scoop the mixture with a teaspoon and form into one-inch balls. Place the truffles on baking sheets lined with parchment or wax paper and chill for 15 minutes. Remove from the fridge and roll the truffles in cocoa powder. Store in a covered container in the fridge.
Oreo Truffles
1 16 oz. package Oreos
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 8 oz. package semi-sweet baking chocolate
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water. Crush nine of the Oreos in a food processor or blender and set aside. Crush the remaining cookies into very fine crumbs and put them in a bowl. Add the softened cream cheese and mix until blended. Roll into one-inch balls. Using a wooden toothpick, dip the balls in melted chocolate, and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Sprinkle the truffles with the reserved cookie crumbs. Refrigerate for several hours until firm. Store in a covered container if not using immediately. Give these tidbits to the kiddies.
Rum Balls
3 1/4 cups crushed vanilla wafers. Graham crackers can also be used.
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar plus more for coating
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups walnuts, crushed with a rolling pin
3 tbsp. light corn syrup
1/2 cup rum
In a bowl, combine the crushed wafers, sugar, cocoa, and nuts. Stir in the corn syrup and rum. Shape into one-inch balls and roll in more powdered sugar. Store in a covered container in the fridge for at least a week. The longer they sit, the better they are. My dad was famous for his whiskey sours during the holidays but he made them up in a jug days ahead of when he served them and was convinced they improved if they sat around in the fridge for awhile.
They were and here's his recipe that will make a nice amount.
1 12 oz. can frozen orange juice
1 12 oz. can frozen lemonade
1 quart 7-Up
3 12 oz. cans water
2 or 3 12 oz. cans Canadian whiskey
Maraschino cherries and orange slices for garnish
Lemon Cookies
1 package lemon cake mix
2 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Confectioners' sugar
Put the cake mix in a large bowl. Stir in the eggs and oil until well blended. Use a teaspoon to drop bits of the mixture onto a plate of confectioners' sugar. Roll them around until they're lightly covered and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 or 8 minutes. These are the easiest cookies on the planet earth. Lemon is my favorite flavor after chocolate. Or maybe orange.
Orange Thumbprints
2/3 cup butter at room temp
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
Dash of salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
3/4 cups finely chopped pecans
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1 tbsp. orange liqueur
In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the egg yolks, vanilla, and salt. Carefully add the flour. Shape this dough into small balls. Dip them in the lightly beaten egg whites, then roll in the pecans. Place an inch apart on greased cookie sheets. Press down the center of each ball with your thumb. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes until golden. Cool on the sheet for a few minutes, then place cookies on a wire rack to cool completely. Before serving, combine the marmalade with orange liqueur and fill the centers of the cookies.
My choice for the liqueur would be Grand Marnier, but it's pricey. Triple Sec or Orange Curacao are cheaper and will do the trick. You don't need much so you can buy one of those little bottles at the liquor store check out counter. Or buy a big bottle of Grand Marnier and forget the sweater.
Best regards,
Elisabeth
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