Hi,

I am making enough cookies for 12 people in case there are any last minute sign-ups. If there are less than 12 attendees, then more for my family later.

Regards,

There is room for 5 more participants.

Attendees:

Cathy2 - Linzercookie
Cookie Monster - peanut butter blossom
diane ck - Sugar Shuttles
Holly of Uptown - something from the coconut family
irisarbor - Chocolate Sparkle Shortbread cookies
RomanticCynic - Heleneschnitten - an traditional (but not commonly known) German almond cookie.

In absentia
Foodie1 - Espresso Cookies

Unfortunately I'm not going to be able to make it.

Could someone please confirm where I am to drop off my cookies? Thanks in advance!

I have PM'd you with the address provided to me by Cookie Monster.

Hi,

In my usual last minute lulu fashion. I just finished making my cookies.

Regards,
Cathy

Thanks again to Cookie Monster for hosting a most enjoyable afternoon. It was nice to meet everyone and I truly enjoyed all the cookies.

It was indeed really nice to meet everyone and enjoy all the treats and cookies.
I found the channel 7 video here
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=6536437
Thanks for letting me know about it dianeck.
It's a really nice piece cookiem. and I hope it brings you lots of visitors!
Thanks again for hosting!

Knew I forgot something..... My recipe only makes about 20 cookies per batch for the recipe you gals have.

Thanks everybody for coming.
The cookies were awesome, ie not too sweet.
Thanks for the chicken salad it was delicious and for smoked fish dip, my 4 year old had it for dinner
without the green stuff.
i will go and make tea now to enjoy the wonderful cookies.
Have wonderful holidays everyone.

Hi,

To inspire participation next year, I submit the outcome of 2008 LTHforum Christmas Cookie Exchange hosted by Cookie Monster:



Clockwise from 12 o'clock:

Linzercookie, made by Cathy2

Helenenschitten (Helene's slices), made by RomanticCynic

Navettes Sucrees (Sugar Shuttles), Gourmet Magazine, December, 1951, made by diane ck

Chocolate and Plain Macaroons, Martha Stewart Living, made by Holly of Uptown

Chocolate Sparkle Shortbread, made by irisarbor

Expresso Cookies, made by foodie1

Dorie's dark and stormies, Chicago Tribune's 2008 Holiday Cookie Contest winner, created by Dorie Greenspan, made by Cookie Monster

Nice afternoon, talking about life and sharing the joys and pitfalls of the various recipes prepared.

Thanks to everyone who participated and especially to Cookie Monster who opened her home to us.

Regards,

Wow, those are inspiring! Boy, that plate looks an awful lot like what I'd planned to bake anyway - sorry I missed it! I'd particularly been looking at the sugar shuttle recipe: what are those like to eat?

The sugar shuttles turned out exactly how Gourmet Magazine described it: crispy on the outside and cakelike in the inside, in my opinion not overly sweet. Dipping them in the egg white really makes for a crispy exterior. My only note is that the Gourmet recipe baking time really added up to about 15 minutes for slightly browned cookies in a 350 degree oven.

I have been munching on our cookies and I am amazed that they taste so wonderful even a couple days later. The sugar shuttles are wonderfully crisp on the outside and not too sweet. the coconut macaroons are coconutty but not too sweet. The espresso cookies are not too overwhelmingly coffee but hit the right note of flavor.
The helenschnitten are very delicate and crumbly, the chocolate sparkles have a lovely crunch. The linzer cookies have moistness, delicate cinnamon flavor and a wonderful raspberry jam inside.
If this was dancing with the stars everyone would get a 10 from me.
Quick question about the helenshnitten, can you grind the nuts more or is this the way the cookie is supposed to be?
Cathy you mentioned that your cookies are supposed to be dipped in nuts? Did I understand this correctly?
My entire family has been crunching away on these cookies. My brother even tried to sneak my whole stash of cookies out of the house, but I caught the little devil!
Cathy, thanks for posting the picture.

Cookie Monster wrote:Cathy you mentioned that your cookies are supposed to be dipped in nuts? Did I understand this correctly?

My recipe stated there was the option to roll the balls of cookie dough in egg white, then ground almonds. If I had not started to bake these so late in the game, I probably would have brought them rolled in nuts. They are still a good cookie without this step, though they are even better with the nuts.

LinzerCookies
Adapted from Joy of Cooking

Blend until creamy:
½ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar

Beat in:
1 egg
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 cup sifted all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt

Chill dough for several hours

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Roll dough into one-inch balls* and arrange on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 5 minutes.

Remove cookies, then use a thimble, your thumb or a round-tip handle to make an indent. I will have a glass of water to dip the handle to keep the dough from sticking. Return indented cookies to finish baking for 7-8 minutes more.

Cool, then fill with raspberry jam.

Makes about 25 cookies.


*Alternatively, roll the balls in an beaten egg white, then roll in finely chopped almonds.

You could definetely grind the nuts finer. I think I probably reached the limit of my equipment. Since I use the same equipment my mom does - it does come out the same as what I'm used to. I guess I could use my coffee grinder..... hmmmm..

It would be interesting to try the cookie with a finer texture. However - I have tried the cookie (the outer layer) using almond flour - but it really isn't the same, so that seems to be going too far.

If you experiment - please let me know - I'd love to try them out....

As soon as I get a minute I will definitely try them with the nuts more finely ground.
I also think that it will make the dough easier to work with.

I'm so sorry that I missed meeting everyone in person... and I'm glad my espresso cookies got there (thanks to Mr.Foodie1). Unfortunately my schedule is a bit hectic this week so I'm unable to pick up my cookies. But Cookie Monster, please do enjoy them with your family... I'd hate for those cookies to sit around when they can be enjoyed!

I forgot to include the recipe for the espresso cookies when they were dropped off, but here it is for those interested:

Espresso Shortbread Cookies
(adapted from Fine Cooking, found on Alpineberry blog)

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temp.
1/3 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp espresso powder dissolved in 2 tsp water
1 tsp finely ground coffee or espresso beans
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
pinch of salt


Cream the butter and sugar until well blended. Mix in the dissolved espresso powder. Add the ground espresso beans, flour and salt and mix until dough comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Use the plastic to help form the dough into a log about 7-inches long. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 3 days.

Preheat oven to 350F. Cut the chilled dough into 1/4-inch slices and arrange on parchment lined sheet pans. Bake until the tops look dry and edges just start to brown, about 12 minutes.

I have kept your cookies in a nice and cold place so come on over and get them.
Let me know when you will be coming.

participants; can the cookie recipes be added to the lth recipe index? justjoan

justjoan wrote:participants; can the cookie recipes be added to the lth recipe index? justjoan

LAZ periodically reviews threads looking for recipes for the index.

Regards,

Recipe adapted from Gourmet Magazine, December 1951

1 cup sifted flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup softened butter
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
extra sugar for rolling/can be colored

Sift 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt into a bowl. Add 1/4 cup soft butter, 2 egg yolks, and 1 teaspoon vanilla and knead until the dough is well blended. Chill it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Divide the dough into portions the size of a small walnut. Roll each piece of dough with the palm of the hand on a lightly floured board to give it the shape of a small sewing-machine shuttle (3-4 inch cigar shape). Dip each in egg white and roll in granulated sugar. Bake on a lightly buttered baking sheet (if non stick, you can skip this but lightly buttered will give you a crisp crus in a moderate oven (350° F.) for about 15-20 minutes, or until the little cookies are lightly browned