Welcome To My Kitchen

Holiday baking time is here. Parties, programs, gatherings of all kinds and wintery weather call for warm beverages and sweet treats. Cookies, cocoa, or an Irish coffee are a welcome refreshment this time of year.

Springerle, a German-origin cookie, is very firm, like pfeffernusse and somewhat candy-like, they keep well, and the flavor improves as they age. There are special rolling pins for imprinting the intricate designs on the pillow-shaped cookies, but the bottom of a fancy drinking glass or a decorative cookie press may be used to add the surface design. These cookies are easy to make, but the steps take several days to complete.

Springerle

4 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

4 eggs

1/8 tsp anise extract

2 cups granulated sugar

2-3 Tbsp anise seed

Sift together, flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In a large mixer bowl, beat eggs at high speed until thick and lemon colored, about 5 minutes.

At medium speed, gradually beat in sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue to beat until the mixture is thick and smooth, about 10 minutes more. Occasionally scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber scraper.

Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir well with a wooden spoon until the dough is smooth.

Cover tightly and refrigerate the dough overnight. Also, chill your Springerle rolling pin.

Next day, lightly grease 2 or 3 large baking sheets and sprinkle each with a tablespoon of anise seed.

Divide the dough into three portions. Working with one portion at a time, keeping the others refrigerated, roll out dough with a regular rolling pin on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 5 x 8 inches.

Remove the Springerle pin from the refrigerator. Dust lightly with flour and roll slowly but firmly across the dough to make the designs.

With a sharp knife, carefully cut along lines in the dough. With a small spatula, transfer cut cookies to the prepared baking sheets, placing them about 1/2 inch apart. Let stand uncovered overnight at room temperature.

Next day, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake cookies for 15 minutes or just until lightly golden. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Store in tightly covered containers 2 to 3 weeks to develop flavor. Yield: about 4 dozen.

Note: if you don’t have a sifter, you can use a mesh strainer to shake the flour through. Sifting is critical in this recipe.

Clare Haynie shared a recipe for Fraggle Mints, a knockoff recipe for the Bon Marches Frango candy. These melt-in-your-mouth morsels keep best refrigerated but stand up well for several hours at social gatherings.

Fraggle Mints

1 12-ounce package of mint chocolate chips

1 6-ounce package (1 cup) of milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup butter (not margarine) at room temperature

Two eggs at room temperature

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Prepare a 10 x 6-inch pan with cooking spray, then line it as smoothly as possible with plastic wrap and set aside.

In a large microwave-safe bowl, cut butter into small pieces. Add mint and chocolate chips. Place bowl in microwave and microwave until melted.

With an electric mixer, beat the melted mixture until smooth. With the same beaters, in a separate bowl, beat eggs until smooth, then add to the melted chocolate mixture. Add powdered sugar, beating until smooth and shiny.

Working quickly as the mixture sets up fast, pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the surface and refrigerate overnight. Cut into desired-size pieces with a warm knife. Yield about 2 pounds of candy.

Note: if you can’t find mint chocolate chips, use semi-sweet chips and add up to 1 tablespoon of mint extract. Also, if you want pieces like Clarene makes, cut the candy into fourths, lengthwise, then slice each into 1/4 inch pieces.

Café Mocha is easy to make hot beverage mix, great to have on hand for festive gatherings or gift-giving. Package in decorative jars or zip-closure bags and tuck

into a festive mug to give as a gift.

Café Mocha

1 cup instant coffee

2 cups Nestle’s Quik

3 cups powdered milk

Combine all ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Package in airtight containers.

To prepare, add 3 tablespoons to a mug of boiling water and stir until dissolved. Yield: 6 cups mix.

For many, it’s not Christmas until they have some egg nog. Holiday Egg Nog is a recipe that cooks the egg mixture thoroughly and needs to be prepared ahead of time. The recipe makes about a gallon of nog, but the recipe may be easily cut in half.

Holiday Egg Nog

12 large eggs

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 quarts whole milk

1 cup brandy (optional)

2 Tbsp vanilla extract

Ground nutmeg

2 cups heavy whipping cream

Mix eggs, sugar, and salt in a heavy 4-quart saucepan with a wire whisk until blended. Gradually stir in 1 quart of the milk and cook over low heat, constantly stirring, until the mixture thickens to coat the back of a metal spoon, about 25 minutes. The combination should be about 170 degrees. Do not let the mixture boil, or it will curdle.

Pour mixture into a large bowl, and stir in brandy, vanilla, 1 teaspoon nutmeg and remaining milk—cover and chill for at least 3 hours.

To serve, in a small bowl, beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Then, gently fold whipped cream into the custard mixture with a wire whisk.

Pour eggnog into a chilled serving bowl or individual serving cups. Sprinkle with nutme

yield: about 1 gallon of eggnog.

Share your favorite holiday gift-giving recipes by sending them to Welcome to My Kitchen, c/o The Lincoln County Record-Times, P.O. Box 458, Odessa, WA 99159, email them to the record@odessaoffice.com or drop them in the Welcome to My Kitchen mail tin in The Odessa Record office.

Keep fresh-cut Christmas trees watered. Fresh-cut wreaths and swags will stay nice longer if mister with water daily. Also, check the strings of lights for exposed or worn wires, and replace or repair them, as this is a fire hazard.