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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1989-12-22, Page 29THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1989. PAGE 29. More recipes for Christmas edibles For many there are ghosts at Christmas BUTTER COOKIES Yield: About 4 dozen cookies, depending on size of cutters used Ingredients 8 ounces unsalted butter 1 cup sugar 4 large egg yolks, beaten l‘/2 tablespoons vanilla extract 2 Vi cups all-purpose flour Pinch of salt Icing 2 cups confectioners’ sugar 1 egg white 3 to 4 tablespoons milk Food coloring Tools Rolling pin Cookie cutter or stencils Nonstick baking sheet or baking sheet lined with aluminum foil For decorating cookies Toothpicks Ribbon or wire for hanging Pastry tube with tips Containers to mix and hold icing Small paint brushes Method In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the beaten yolks and vanilla and beat thoroughly. Sift the flour and salt together. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, blending well after each addition. Form the dough into two equal balls, wrap in wax paper, and refrigerate overnight or place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Line baking sheets with alumi­ num foil if not using a nonstick pan. Preheat oven to 350°F. Working quickly with one pack­ age of dough at a time, place the dough between two pieces of wax paper and roll it to a thickness of slightly less than one-quarter inch. Using cookie cutters, stencils, or an inverted water glass, cut out shapes from the dough. Arrange them on the baking sheets and refrigerate for 30 minutes. If you wish, make a hole in the top of each cookie with a drinking straw to attach string, wire, or ribbon after baking. Repeat the rolling and cutting with the second package of dough. Meanwhile, gather up any scraps of dough into a ball, wrap, and refrigerate. (Always work with chilled dough.) Roll, cut out, and arrange on baking sheet. Bake cookies, 1 baking sheet at a time, in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until light brown around edges. Keep the others chilled until ready to bake. Gently remove baked cookies from baking sheet to cool. DECORATING SUGGESTIONS To decorate before baking, brush cookies with an egg wash or 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water mixed together. Paint them with a lightly beaten egg white and top them with colored or chocolate sprinkles, chopped nuts, toasted coconut, or any favorite topping. To decorate cookies after baking, you can paint on a Chocolate Glaze, or make the traditional confection­ ers’ sugar icing. Beat the confec­ tioners’ sugar into the egg white; add milk 1 tablespoon at a time to make a thick icing. Divide the icing among several containers and, using food coloring, tint each one a different color. Ice the cookies using artists’ brushes of varying widths for thick and fine lines, or pipe the icing through a pastry tube fitted with assorted tips. Baked cookies can also be rolled in cinnamon, powdered sugar, pow­ dered cocoa, or tinted sugar. They can also be decorated with Crystal- ized Violets. The variations are endless. MERINGUE TREE ORNAMENTS For 25-35 ornaments, depending on size 5 egg whites 2 cups [200 g.J powdered sugar Parchment or silicone paper, food coloring, cocoa, confection­ ers’ gold or silver shots [dragees], chopped almonds or pistachios Place the egg whites and pow­ dered sugar in a clean bowl and beat lightly. Choose a saucepan large enough to hold the bowl and fill it with just It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. It’s the time for festiv­ ity, and gifts and nostalgia. Christmas is a time of memories. There is probably no other occasion or festival of the year when loneliness takes greater emotional tool than Christmas. It could be the older citizens whose family have died or moved away. They have lost contact with relatives and friends and are alone. It might be the jobless in our nation who watch others celebrate Christmas in style. And it hurts. It could also be the child of divorce. Some can remember what Christmas was like when the family was united. Others sadly don’t remember what it was like to have the parents together. The pain at Christmas is intense. Christmas can be crisis time for couples and children of split fami­ lies. During this Christmas season enough water not to overflow when the bowl is placed in it; heat the saucepan of water. Place the bowl in the water bath and beat the egg white-sugar mixture. When the whites are stiff and warm to the touch (about 115 - 120°F./45-50°C), remove from the water bath and beat slowly until cooled. If an electric hand beater is used, it should be on medium speed. The beaten egg white mixture can be put into a pastry bag and piped onto the sheet in any preferred shapes; choose a star tip or use a plain tip. The meringue mixture can also be tinted - for example, pink with red food color­ ing or brown with a little cocoa powder. The piped shapes can also be sprinkled with different kinds of confectioners’ shots (dragees) or chopped almonds or pistachios. You can also pipe small flowers or other shapes (especially successful with plain tip) and attach them together with imported nougat spread or melted chocolate. Baking - more drying than baking, actually - is best done overnight at a temperature of 120 - 140 degrees F. (50 - 60 degrees C.) or for 2-3 hours at 200 - 210 degrees F. (90-100 degrees C.). The oven door must be kept open a crack to let moisture escape. think of those who are less fortun­ ate than you. It may be the poor. Or the lonely. Or children and parents of the split family. Christmas is caring. That was the message of Jesus. Let it be ours as well. MAY YOUR STOCKINGS BE FILLED WITH CHEER Merry Christmas to all our friends and customers. Warmest wishes to you and yours. Can you get AIDS from sharing a needle while doing drugs? DUNBAR & COOK ELECTRIC YES! Get the facts. Let’s Talk. Call the Ontario Ministry of Health AIDS Hotline 1-800-668-AIDS Don & Cathy Dunbar & Family Paul & Karen Cook & Family