Aunt Edie’s Chocolate Meatball cookies

 

ALMOND MACAROONS AND PIGNOLI COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs almond paste
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
6 egg whites
Pignoli (pine nuts) toasted Slivered almonds toasted Maraschino cherries cut in half

HOW TO PREPARE

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line two or three baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Mix the Almond Paste, sugar, salt and orange rind in a mixer with the paddle attachment on slow speed. Mix long enough to make a smooth, lump-free mixture. Gradually add the egg whites, adding only enough to create a smooth, firm paste.
3. Drop by full Teaspoons onto parchment-lined cookie sheets.  For Pignoli Cookies, drop batter onto pignoli; coat evenly; shape with your fingers and place onto parchment lined-cookie sheets.
4. Bake the macaroons in the pre-heated oven until lightly brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Do not over bake.
5. Cool completely then carefully peel the cookies off the parchment paper.
6. Store in a covered container.

Share on FacebookShare on PinterestShare on Twitter

Kassy's Peanut Butter Bon Bons

2 cups peanutbutter
1 stick butter/margarine
4 c rice krispies
2 c confectionery sugar

Melt butter and peanut butter in microwave - pour onto rice krispies and confectionery sugar mixture - Mix... Chill for about an hour or more.

Roll into small balls - melt chocolate - dunk the rice krispies balls into chocolate. Chill to harden.

Marina's Hazelnut Biscotti

Basic Cookie Dough

5 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs and 4 egg yolks
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp any extract
1 1/2 cups hazelnuts or any nuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix butter, sugar, and eggs (4 whole) thoroughly. Add extract. Sift together flour and baking powder and add to the egg mixture. At a low speed, add 4 egg yolks and nuts. Add flour as needed until dough is not sticky.

Divide dough in half and add cocoa to one half.

Roll each half of dough into 2 ropes. Place ropes on well greased baking sheet. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until very firm to the touch.

Let cool.

Slice ropes at an angle and place side down on baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes again or until golden brown.


For Christmas add Craisins and pistachios.

Italian Fig Cookies (Cucidati) I use this recipe from now on.

I make a full recipe of dough and the half recipe of filling. It come out just right.

Dough

5 pounds flour
1 dozen eggs
4 cups shortening
10 tablespoons baking powder
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla
2 cups heavy cream

Beat eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla together. Mix in a large bowl the flour, baking powder and shortening. Cut the shortening with a pastry blender.   Make a well and add other ingredients. Roll out dough into strips. Fill with fig mixture pumped from pastry bag into long rows. Roll over with dough, press to seal edges and cut on diagonal. Bake 15 minutes in 375 degree oven.

Makes about 14-15 dozen.


Filling                                                                     Half Fig Filling Recipe
3 pounds kalamata crown figs,  remove stems        2 lbs kalamata crown figs, remove stems
1/2 #-1 lb raisins                                                     1/4 # golden raisins
2 - 12 oz jars orange marmalade.                             2 - 12 oz jars orange marmalade.
16 oz jar honey.                                                            8 oz honey
1/2 #-1 lb dates.                                                            1/4# dates
1 whole orange including rind.                                    1 whole orange including rind.  
2 cups walnuts, chopped and toasted                          2 cups walnuts and almonds, chopped and toasted
1/2 teaspoon black pepper                                         1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves                    2 teaspoons each of cinnamon, 

                                                                                         nutmeg, cloves
1 teaspoon salt                                                           1 teaspoon salt
                                                                                   1/4 tsp Sicilia de fiori (optional)

Cut end off figs and Boil figs and raisins for 5 minutes to soften. Save water in case you need some. Grind dates with whole orange including rind, and fig mixture. Add pepper, cinnamon, salt,  and walnuts last. Add remaining liquid from boiled fig mixture if too dry. Blend well and refrigerate in plastic zip lock bag.

Use pastry bag to pipe filling onto dough. Mixture will keep for a long time.

Frosting
2 cups confectionery sugar
2 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cream of tartar

Whisk together. Add milk until you get a good consistency. Frosting should be on the thick side.
Sprinkle wet frosting with candy sprinkles and let dry completely before storing in container.

Italian Meatball Cookies from a Cake Mix

Italian Cookies From a Cake Mix