Treats of Christmas, day 15 & 16

Day 15:  Cherry Tea Cookies

Distributed in the Betty Crocker Christmas Cookies Booklet, No. 246, Dec. 2008, this cookie is a good partner to Russian Tea Cakes...  very simple to make.  I have yet to find a small container of red candied cherries, so every time I make them, I've used the green ones.  The green cherries makes an interesting look, since they are cherried flavored, yet don't contain the typical red cherry pieces.  

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup (8oz) candied cherries, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.  Gradually beat in 1/2 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy.  Stir in the almond extract.  Beat flour into butter mixture until well blended.  Stir in cherries.
2. Shape dough into 1 inch balls.  On ungreased/ parchment lined cookie sheet, place balls 2 inches apart.
3. Bake 9-11 minutes or until edges just begin to brown.  Cool slightly.  Measure 1/2 cup powdered sugar into small bowl.  Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar.  Finish cooling cookies and re-roll in powdered sugar again before storing in an airtight container.

Day 16:  Truffles

So I have a few truffle recipes, but the ideas are all the same, just a variety of amounts.  All truffles are heavy cream heated to a simmer and poured over chopped chocolate.  Let it steep and stir together... and there you go, instant truffle filling.  Interested in changing flavors?  The first time I made them, I added different flavored cocoa powders, one raspberry, one mint, and even an instant orange espresso.  The results are delicious and amazingly simple to achieve.  Make ahead of time, store them airtight in the freezer, pull out when needed.  Use mini cupcake liners as serving containers in your treat boxes, 1 truffle per liner.  This recipe is from the Ultimate Candy Cookbook.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz (1 bag) semi sweet chocolate
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp butter, room temp
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract, optional*
• coating options:  melted white, semi sweet or milk chocolate, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, chopped nuts, coconut, etc.

Directions:

1. Place chocolate in med. bowl, set aside.
2. Warm cream over low heat in a small saucepan.  Turn heat off when bubbles start around the edges of the pan.  Pour warm cream over the chopped chocoalte.  Stir well until chocolate melts and the mixture is completely smooth.  Add the butter and stir until it is completely incorporated.  Stir in the vanilla.
3. Place mixture in the fridge for atleast 1 hour, or until firm enough to shape into balls.
4. Use heaping teaspoons of the mixture and roll into balls.  If using dry coating ingredients, roll imediately in dry ingredients and set on wax paper.  If coating in chocolate, store covered in fridge to firm up again and then dip.  Leave out for coating to harden before storing in an airtight contianer in the fridge.  Seperate layers with wax paper to keep from sticking together. 
5. Best served at room temperature, so bring out a few hours before serving.  Can be held for 2 weeks in the fridge, longer if you store in the freezer    

* Note:  If using cocoa, omit vanilla and start with 1 serving worth, add increase per taste.  If using flavored liquer, omit vanilla and up the amount to 3 Tbsp, adding with the butter