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Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Edible Christmas Gifts

This Christmas season skip the crowded malls and instead, spend some time in creating personalized edible gifts for your food-loving friends and family members . Whip up something friends and family will really enjoy — a mouth watering food gift. Something that is sure to please friends, family or the office Secret Santa.
Oreo Truffles
Ingredients
* 1 lb Oreo cookies (3 sleeves)
* 8 ounces room temperature cream cheese,
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and using different extracts allows for subtle flavour changes…I’ve used mint extract, upped to 1 tsp (optional)
* 1 lb milk chocolate
* 1/2 lb white chocolate
Directions
1. Use a Food Processor and grind cookies to a fine powder.
2. With a Mixer, blend cookie powder, cream cheese and vanilla extract until thoroughly mixed (there should be no white traces of cream cheese).
3. Roll the mixture into small balls and place on wax-lined cookie sheet.
4. Refrigerate for 45 minutes.
5. Line two cookie sheets with wax paper.
6. In double-boiler, melt milk chocolate.
7. Dip balls and coat thoroughly.
8. With slotted spoon, lift balls out of chocolate and let excess chocolate drip off.
9. Place on wax-paper-lined cookie sheet.
10. In separate double boiler, melt white chocolate.
11. Using a fork, drizzle white chocolate over balls and the let cool.
12. Store in airtight container, in refrigerator.
13. You can also experiment and roll your truffles into various mixtures – chopped nuts, chocolate sprinkles, vari-coloured candy sprinkles, cocoa powder, chocolate shavings, coloured sugars.
14. This still looks great but a whole lot less work.
Christmas Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
* 3 cups all all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon ground ginger
* 1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1/2 cup molasses
* 2 teaspoons vanilla
* 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional).
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended.
3. In a large mixer bowl (Kitchen-Aid’s great for this) beat butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well blended.
4. Add molasses, vanilla, and lemon zest and continue to mix until well blended.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients until blended and smooth.
6. Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
7. Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, but in this case it should be refrigerated. Return to room temp before using. 7 Grease or line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
8. Place 1 portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface.
9. Sprinkle flour over dough and rolling pin.
10. Roll dough to a scant 1/4-inch thick.
11. Use additional flour to avoid sticking.
12. Cut out cookies with desired cutter (the ginger bread man is our favorite of course.)
13. Space cookies 1 1/2-inches apart on the cookie sheet.
14. Bake 1 sheet at a time for 7-10 minutes (the lower time will give you softer cookies).
15. Remove cookie sheet from oven and allow the cookies to stand until the cookies are firm enough to move to a wire rack.
16. After cookies are cool you may decorate them any way you like.
17. You can brush them with a powdered sugar glaze if you are in a hurry, but they look wonderful decorated with Royal icing and they make great gifts.