Christmas baking

My mom and I did some baking today (Isaac "helped"). It was a good day to stay inside since the roads were still pretty bad from the storm last night. So, here's some pictures along with the recipes we used.

Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies
2/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1Tbsp. + 1 tsp. milk
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Cream shortening, sugar, and vanilla. Add egg and milk. Beat until light and fluffy. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half and wrap tightly in wax paper. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Flour surface lightly. Roll dough to about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut in desired shapes. Sprinkle before baking with colored sugar and candies or leave plain to frost when cool. Bake for 7-9 minutes. Cool slightly. Remove to cooling rack. Yield: 3 dozen (depending on size and shape)


Buttercream Frosting
1/2 cup shortening
4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat all together on low for 15 seconds and then high for 2 minutes.







Peppermint Bark
1 lb. chocolate (I used dark)
12 oz. white chocolate
3/4 tsp. peppermint extract
10 6-inch candy canes

Bring water to boil in the bottom of a double boiler. There should be some space between the water and the upper portion of the double boiler. In then meantime, line the bottom of an 11x17 or similarly sized cookie sheet with sides with aluminum foil or wax paper. Once the water is boiling remove it from the heat and replace the top of the double boiler. Put about 3/4 of the chocolate in the double boiler first and melt until it is smooth. Add in the rest of the chocolate and 1/2 tsp. of the peppermint extract. Stir until all the chunks have melted. Pour the melted chocolate into the lined cookie sheet and spread so the thickness is just under a quarter of an inch. Let the chocolate sit for a moment so it cools slightly and then place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. While the first layer chills, crush the candy canes. The size of the broken pieces should be about the size of a pea. Take the bottom layer of chocolate out of the refrigerator so it warms slightly before the second layer is applied. Again boil water in the bottom of the double boiler. Clean out the upper portion of the double boiler with hot water only, no soap, and dry thoroughly. Once the water is boiling, remove it from the heat and put the top of the double boiler back on. Place 3/4 of the white chocolate into the double boiler and stir until it is melted. Add the remaining white chocolate and 1/4 tsp. of the peppermint extract
and stir until smooth. Pour this evenly over the first layer of chocolate. This layer will be thinner than the first. Sprinkle the top with the pieces of crushed candy canes. Again let it sit for ten minutes before placing it in the refrigerator to set. After an hour the bark should be ready to be broken into pieces. Store in an airtight container in a cool place or freeze.

* I used the microwave to heat my chocolates -- just be careful not to over cook it!! Read instructions on package on how to heat in the microwave.
** Recipe from Sugar Savvy






Oreo Truffles
1 pkg. oreos
1 8oz. pkg cream cheese
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tblsp. shortening
1 pkg. vanilla almond bark

Crush oreos into bits (food processor works good). Cream together the oreo bits and cream cheese in a heavy duty mixer or use hands and work all together like dough (DO NOT USE HAND MIXER!!). Roll mixture into small balls or use a melon baller. Freeze until solid (about 2 hours). Melt almond bark. Use 2 forks or toothpicks to coat the truffle. Place on waxed paper covered cookie sheet and refrigerate until the almond bark sets. Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips and 1 Tblsp. shortening in microwave (30 seconds - stir - 30 seconds). Place in ziploc bag and seal. Trim small triangle off corner and squeeze to drizzle truffles. Makes about 50.