Holiday baking starts off with traditional recipe
The holidays are just a few weeks away so last weekend seemed
like a good time to start some baking. First, I happened across an
old McCalls cookbook that has a lot of traditional cookie recipes.
One of the ones I really wanted to try was one for molasses
cookies. I first tried molasses a few years ago when I used it on
grilled fruit with cr
ème fraiche. Molasses is sweet, but has a more complex flavor
than sugar. It pairs well with ginger and cinnamon, which the
cookie recipe used. The cookies came out soft and almost cake-like
in the middle.
Holiday baking starts off with traditional recipe
The holidays are just a few weeks away so last weekend seemed like a good time to start some baking. First, I happened across an old McCalls cookbook that has a lot of traditional cookie recipes. One of the ones I really wanted to try was one for molasses cookies. I first tried molasses a few years ago when I used it on grilled fruit with crème fraiche. Molasses is sweet, but has a more complex flavor than sugar. It pairs well with ginger and cinnamon, which the cookie recipe used. The cookies came out soft and almost cake-like in the middle.
Some of the other recipes I tackled this weekend are for treats we make around the holidays every year such as rum balls and rum cake. The rum balls will sit in airtight containers for a few weeks before we sample them, but the rum cake was moist and full of flavor right out of the oven. The remaining nine cakes were wrapped up tight in saran wrap and then put in freezer bags to stay fresh until closer to the holidays. To finish off the baking, I made a batch of butterscotch chip cookies (the recipe can be found online at www.pinnaclenews.com/life.)
Classic molasses cookies
Recipe courtesy of Crisco
3/4 c. All-Vegetable Shortening or 3/4 stick Crisco Baking Sticks All-Vegetable Shortening
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 c. light molasses
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
Granulated sugar for dipping
Combine shortening and brown sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add egg and molasses; beat until light and fluffy.
Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt in medium bowl. Beat into shortening mixture at low speed until well blended. Chill 3 hours or overnight.
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls; dip one side in granulated sugar. Place, sugared side up, on ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on rack.
Cuthbert’s Tea Shoppe Rum Cake
Recipe courtesy Sarah Pedrick
Oil, for greasing pan
Flour, for coating pan
1 package yellow cake mix (without pudding)
1 small package vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1/2 c. combination of cooking oil, dark rum, and cold water, mixed together in equal parts
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Glaze:
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 c. hot water
1 c. sugar
2 tbsp. dark rum, or more to taste
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Oil and flour a large bundt pan and set aside.
Mix all remaining cake ingredients together in a mixing bowl until combined, about 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Let cake cool.
While cake is cooling, make glaze: melt butter in a small saucepan. Stir in hot water and sugar and bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Boil for 5 minutes while still stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in rum.
Poke holes in cake and drizzle half of the glaze over the cake. Invert onto a serving plate and then drizzle the rest of the glaze over the top and sides of the cake. Serve.
Rum balls
Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse
1 1/2 c. confectioners’ sugar
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 c. dark rum
2 tbsp. light corn syrup
2 1/2 c. finely crushed vanilla wafers
1 c. finely chopped, toasted walnuts
Into a large bowl, sift together 1 cup of the confectioners’ sugar, the cocoa powder and allspice. Stir in the rum and corn syrup. Stir in the vanilla wafers and walnuts, and mix well. Place in the refrigerator to firm up slightly, about 30 minutes. (The mixture may appear crumbly and dry; this is O.K.)
Place the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar in a shallow bowl or dish.
Using a tablespoon, scoop out portions of the chocolate mixture and press into 1-inch balls. Using your hands, roll the balls in the confectioners’ sugar, coating evenly.
Place on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, placing waxed paper between the layers to prevent sticking.
