As I mentioned in a previous post, my daughter is my official chocolate recipe taster. When she was home last August, I made two Christmas cookie recipes for her to try. I wanted to post both in time for the holidays: the Maxines and Lori's.
They're somewhat similar in ingredients, but they ended up looking entirely different and the flavor wasn't the same either. Trying to get Tracy to decide which she liked better wasn't easy. These particular swirls are softer to eat and I think perhaps were her favorite, although it was a close call on my part to guess and she still won't choose. She loved them both, but for different reasons.
I had frozen both batches, she finished Lori's first (that should tell you something) and then began on Maida Heatter's famous Maxines. She took what was left of those home with her. The almonds in the latter recipe were what changed the look and flavor.
Hope you get a chance to try both....Lori from The Recipe Girl says her family has been making this cookie for over 40 years and personally I think this recipe will be more popular with your kids (not quite as sophisticated as the Maxines), but both will be killer cookies for your holiday cookie tray. No way can I decide...I leave it up to you!
Lori's Bake and Slice Chocolate Swirls
From The Recipe Girl
Ingredients:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon shortening (like Crisco)
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 cups all-purpose flour, measured then sifted
milk
3/4 cup walnuts or almonds, chopped (optional, I didn't use)
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a microwave, melt chocolate in 15 minute increments until most of the chips are melted, then stir until it's all melted together. Add the condensed milk and shortening. Stir and set aside to cool.In your electric mixer bowl, cream together butter, salt, vanilla and sugar. Blend in flour and mix well. Add a few drops of milk to help the batter hold together. The dough will come together but will not be sticky.
Divide dough into thirds. Roll out each on floured surface to a 10x6-inch rectangle. Spread each with chocolate filling; sprinkle with nuts if desired.
Roll up, starting with the 10-inch side. (See Lori's notes below. I rolled out on wax paper for less mess and ease of making the rolls.) This next part is tricky: transfer the roll to an ungreased cookie sheet. (I used parchment paper.) You can see I didn't divide my dough evenly! Bake 20-25 minutes, or until light golden brown.
Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheet. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cool and wrap in saran wrap.
To serve, cut into slices about 1/4-inch thick. These can be frozen in the whole rolls, then defrosted and sliced later. I sliced and then froze, worked fine.
Lori's Tips:
When finished mixing the dough, if it appears too dry- try placing it inside a large zip baggie and kneading it together to get it nice and held together and ready to roll out.
For a floured surface, try using a flour sack dish towel. This will make it easier to roll as you can lift up the towel and easily help guide the rolling.
For the Christmas holidays, Lori always mixes some red/green sprinkles with the powdered sugar.
These anise-flavored gems will be an unusual addition to your cookie tray this season. I've made and posted another cookie along this line, but think these are even better. Love them with a cup of tea.
Alice Medrich's Seed Cookies
From Chewy, Gooey, Crispy Crunchy Cookies by Alice Medrich
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons black sesame seeds
2 teaspoons white sesame seeds
2 teaspoons flaxseeds
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1/4 cup Demerara sugar (or any coarse raw sugar)
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons bourbon
Method:
Preheat oven to 375. Line two cookie sheets with parchment.
Mix the seeds and Demerara sugar together and set aside.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth, but not fluffy. Add the egg and bourbon and then the flour mixture. I did this by hand. Do not over mix.
You can make round cookies or square.
For round, take a big spoonful of dough and roll it into a ball. Roll it in the seed mixture, place on the parchment and flatten slightly.
To make square cookies:
On a floured board, roll out the dough to an 8 inch square. Sprinkle half the seed mixture on top and press into the dough with a rolling pin. Turn the dough over and repeat on the other side. Cut the dough into whatever size you like. I cut into 8 strips each way, making 64 square cookies.
For both cookies: place on parchment paper about 2 inches apart. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until edges are brown. Reverse the pans in the oven and also reverse racks for even cooking. Cool. These will store airtight for 2 weeks.
Are you like me...always on the lookout for new side dishes for the holidays? My family has their favorites and I'm always happy to make those dishes for them, but I really do like to introduce one new veggie dish each year. Their favorite sprout recipe to date is one I first made many years ago and posted it in 2008 HERE. My family still requests it. But when I saw Susan's recipe for the sprout souffle, I just knew I'd have to make it for the holidays this year. I gave it a test run and my guests loved it. I have no doubt this will soon replace my family's old favorite.
Susan's Brussels Sprouts Souffle
From Savoring Time in the Kitchen
Ingredients:
¼ cup butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
4 egg yolks
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 10-oz package frozen Brussels sprouts, cooked, drained, and finely chopped (about 2 cups) May use fresh, cooked Brussels Sprouts, of course - do not overcook (I used fresh)
4 egg whites
Method:
Preheat oven to 350F
In a very large sauce pan melt butter until bubbly and then blend in the flour and salt until well combined. Add the milk all at once and cook quickly till mixture thickens, stirring constantly.
Beat egg yolks till thick and lemon-colored. Blend some of the hot butter mixture into egg yolks to temper them; return the yolk mixture to the pot and stir rapidly to that the eggs do not curdle. Stir in cheese and finely chopped sprouts. Set pan aside.
Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry and carefully fold into hot mixture. Make certain they are mixed, but do not over-fold.
Turn the mixture into an ungreased 2-quart soufflé dish.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 40-60 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.
Susan's notes: May be made the day before and refrigerated after cooling. Allow to come to room temperature and reheat in a 350 oven, covered with aluminum foil until heated through - about 20 minutes.
