The holidays are always a great time to try out some new recipes! Below are four of my family’s Christmas recipes, which I hope you enjoy if you decide to try them out!
Springerle (German)
- 4 medium sized eggs, white and yolk separated
- 1 grated lemon rind
- 1 pound of powdered sugar
- 1 pound of flour
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 1 scant teaspoon of baking powder
Beat the yolks of four eggs until they are light and the whites until they are stiff and dry, then beat the yolks and whites together. Add the grated rind of a lemon and beat gradually into one pound of powdered sugar. Add one pound of flour which has been sifted with ¼ teaspoon of salt and a scant level of baking powder.
Roll the dough into a thin strip about â…› of an inch in thickness, adding just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the counter. If you have a carved rolling pin, use that on top of the dough before cutting it out. Otherwise, just cut out the dough with cookie cutters. Bake at around 200 degrees F.
Keeflies (Polish)
Cookie:
- 4 cups of flour
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 pound of butter
- 1 cup of sour cream
Mix flour and butter until it makes a crumbly, pebble-like mixture. Add the beaten egg yolks and sour cream. Work until dough is smooth. Roll into three long logs and chill in refrigerator for 24 hours. Cut logs in ¼ slices and then cut each slice in half. Roll the halves into balls and place on a lightly floured board. Roll them paper thin and fill with the nut filling.
Nut Filling:
- 1 ½ pounds of ground nuts
- 1 pound of confectioners sugar
- 6 egg whites, beaten
- Lemon juice may be added, if desired
Mix all together. Put a teaspoon of filling on each round of dough. Roll up like a jelly roll and curve into a horseshoe shape. Bake at 325 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until a light brown. Roll in confectioners sugar a couple of times.
Chocolate Brownie Biscotti (Italian)
- 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 â…“ cups of granulated sugar
- ½ cup of dark chocolate cocoa plus ¼ cup of regular cocoa
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) of butter or margarine, melted
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 1 cups almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
- 4 ounces of semisweet chocolate chips, coarsely chopped
- 2 ounces white chocolate, melted
- Crushed peppermint candies
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, using a mixer at medium speed, beat butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until mixed. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add flour mixture and beat until just blended. With hand, knead in almonds and semisweet chocolate until combined.
Divide dough in half. On a large, ungreased cookie sheet, shape each half into 12 x 3 inch logs, about 3 inches apart. Bake the logs for 30 minutes and cool them on a wire rack on top of a cookie sheet for 15 minutes.
Place the logs on a cutting board and using a serrated knife, cut each log crosswise in ½ inch thick diagonal slices. Place slices top side up back on the cooling rack and cookie sheet and bake for another 20 minutes to allow the biscotti to dry out. Take out of the oven and let the biscotti cool on the wire rack. For extra dry biscotti, open the oven door after the second baking and allow the biscotti to cool in the oven. After the biscotti is completely cooled, drizzle the chocolate on top and sprinkle the crushed peppermint candies on top. Store the biscotti in a tightly covered container for up to two weeks or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Chocolate-Covered Cherry Delights
- 1 cup of melted butter (2 sticks)
- 2 cups of white sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon of baking powder
- ½ teaspoon of baking soda
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla
- 1 cup of cocoa powder
- 3 cups of flour, not sifted
- 2 small, 10 oz jars of maraschino cherries
- 2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup condensed sweetened milk
Melt butter and mix in sugar. Let mixture cool and add eggs. Mix it thoroughly and then add baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla, and cocoa, stirring after each addition. Add flour and mix well. The dough should be stiff and a bit crumbly.
Drain the cherries and remove the stems, saving the juice.
Pat the dough into walnut sized balls with your fingers. Place on a greased cookie sheet and press down in the center of the ball with your thumb, making a deep indentation. Place one cherry in each pocket.
In a saucepan over simmering water, combine the the chocolate chips and condensed milk. Heat on low until the chips are melted. This can also be done in the microwave, although you’ll need to keep reheating it. Add approximately ⅛ cup of cherry juice and stir into a thick sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add more juice in small increments. You can test the thickness with a teaspoon. If the sauce doesn’t glob off, it is too thick.
Spoon the sauce over the center of each cookie just enough to cover the cherries. Make sure it doesn’t drip down the sides. You can also drizzle the chocolate on afterwards instead if you want a more delicate look. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes. Let them cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Have a wonderful Christmas Break, and Happy Holidays!