I've been a lazy blogger for the last week due to prepping for Christmas and travel. Now that my presents are all wrapped (and opened), here are some yummy Christmas goodies.
I don't trust people who don't like truffles. Dark chocolate covered in more dark chocolate. I used Giada De Laurentis' recipe, minus the lollipop sticks in them.
These were actually pretty easy to make, and only have a couple ingredients (and since those ingredients are chocolate and heavy cream, who could complain?). I also added some of my dad's "special spice," which is pretty much Pumpkin Pie Spice, which I use in a lot of baked goods: cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice, clove, and cardamom.
To make them pretty, I used the following toppings: purple sea salt, cocoa, pearl sprinkles, and Christmas nonpareils. These came out really well, and the cinnamon/nutmeg mixture really helped give them some personality. Just remember to keep them in the fridge or they'll get a little too liquidy.
I already posted about homemade shortbread here, but my Christmas shortbread included fun holiday shapes.
I used Ina Garten's recipe, which is simple and delicious. I definitely recommend following her tip and placing the cut-out cookies on the cookie sheet into the fridge for 20-30 minutes before you bake them. This will help keep the edges sharp, which is especially important if you cut special shapes.
After the cookies cooled, I dipped them in semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips melted in a double boiler, aka a glass bowl balanced over a pot of simmering water). Then I immediately doused each cookie in festive sprinkles. Yum.
Note: if you are looking for a shitload of cookie cutters at a great price, I found a 100-piece set at Bed Bath & Beyond for $9.99, which includes all sorts of fun shapes, including letters and numbers (and, of course, Christmas shapes!).
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I don't trust people who don't like truffles. Dark chocolate covered in more dark chocolate. I used Giada De Laurentis' recipe, minus the lollipop sticks in them.
These were actually pretty easy to make, and only have a couple ingredients (and since those ingredients are chocolate and heavy cream, who could complain?). I also added some of my dad's "special spice," which is pretty much Pumpkin Pie Spice, which I use in a lot of baked goods: cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice, clove, and cardamom.
To make them pretty, I used the following toppings: purple sea salt, cocoa, pearl sprinkles, and Christmas nonpareils. These came out really well, and the cinnamon/nutmeg mixture really helped give them some personality. Just remember to keep them in the fridge or they'll get a little too liquidy.
I already posted about homemade shortbread here, but my Christmas shortbread included fun holiday shapes.
I used Ina Garten's recipe, which is simple and delicious. I definitely recommend following her tip and placing the cut-out cookies on the cookie sheet into the fridge for 20-30 minutes before you bake them. This will help keep the edges sharp, which is especially important if you cut special shapes.
After the cookies cooled, I dipped them in semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips melted in a double boiler, aka a glass bowl balanced over a pot of simmering water). Then I immediately doused each cookie in festive sprinkles. Yum.
Note: if you are looking for a shitload of cookie cutters at a great price, I found a 100-piece set at Bed Bath & Beyond for $9.99, which includes all sorts of fun shapes, including letters and numbers (and, of course, Christmas shapes!).
