It's surprising that holiday season can tickle her baking mood, in fact as far as I know, this was the first time she baked cookies :)
This is actually such a delicious cookies if not for the pecan nuts used
This was the first time for me, in fact for my family eating pecan, and apparently we didn't enjoy so much
Those who love pecan, this is a must try :)
I will definitely bake these cookies again next time but using different kind of nuts, perhaps cashew or walnuts
Recipe is from Martha Stewart
What you need:
2 1/4 cups plain flour - sifted
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup icing sugar - sifted
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp bourbon / rum / for non alcoholic version : orange juice
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 cup soft unsalted butter
Beat butter and honey til fluffy, in high speed
Change to low speed and add in bourbon, followed by salt, sugar and flour, mix well
Add in pecan, mix well
Shape dough into ball and lightly flatten, wrap in clingwrap
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours (we did overnight)
Cut the dough into small squares, roll each square into ball shape, bake for 10-12minutes in preheated oven of 175degC
Keep cookies in airtight container
I'm submitting these snowy look cookies to Aspiring Bakers #14: Creative Christmas Bakes (December 2011) hosted by Hankerie
Also, I'd like to participate in White Christmas Challenge organised by Very Good Recipes via Quay Po Cooks
And lastly, I'm submitting these Xmas cookies to Sweets For A Saturday #49
Last but not least, I would like to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas
May God bless you abundantly
Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThis looks very Christmasy! I am sure they taste flavorful! I have written to the organiser and hope he will fix it. I apologize for the inconvenience caused. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family. Many thanks for your support in joining the challenge.
ReplyDeleteOoo.... I'll love these.
ReplyDeleteThey're melt in the mouth right?
Merry X'mas and Happy Holidays to you too! I actually like this cookies. :)
ReplyDeleteWishing you & your family a Blessed and Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteJust a quick share with you of some background of these cookies which have a rich history and a very widespread adoption arond the world. Cookies and sweet cakes were largely introduced by thee "Moors", or rather people of Arabian descent, that invaded and established cultures in Southern Europe. In their culinary history they had developed all sort of sweetmeats, cakes, and baked crisp cakes (cookies, bisquits) and used both refined sugars as well as honey. In this way sweets were introduced into European cuisine. The specific cookie you made goes so far back that it's impossible to place specificially in a timeline, but without any doubt, something similar was made by the Southern European Islamic people that spread from there. Most likely that early recipe called for almonds, a highly favored ingredient readily available to people of the southern climates. In Sweden they were called "Wedding Balls" and were rolled into that shape with walnuts instead of almonds. In other places they were shaped into crescents (perhaps a nod to the recipe's Arab invention. Later, as the recipe spread towards to the Western outposts, another version called "Mexican Wedding Balls" used pecans, the more popular configuration in the Americas today. As you search for an alternate to the pecans your family did not seem to enjoy, you may try almonds, as they are much more familiar to, and loved by, Asian people who traded extensively with the Arab world throughout history. The common thread in all of these adaptations of the basic recipe is the use of the most premium nuts, the best freshest butter, and the finest sugars, the maker could find. The use of the term "wedding" suggested that the cookie was special, and made for celebrations. In the west it is a recipe definitely associated with Christmas now. My mother made these cookies each Christmas, shapped in a crescent, and called them simply "wedding cookies". As we lived in a southern USA state, ours were always filled with pecans, which we would drive into the country to find lying under the large shady trees that left them there for us. I have many great memories of making these with my mother and the smell of the house when she was baking them. Thanks for your post, and Happy Holidays.
ReplyDeletehi SSB, thks and same to you too
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your holiday :)
hi Quay Po, thanks alot :)
hi Wendy, thks :) it's not as melt in the mouth as melting moments, perhaps cos of the added crunch from the nuts, but yes, its delicious :)
hi Ching, happy holidays to u too :)
hi Wen, thk you :) same to you too :)
hi Simplifried, thks for dropping by :)
and also many thanks for sharing the info, it's so interesting to know the background of these cookies :)
i sure will give a try with almonds instead, thks and happy holidays to u too :)