Sacajawea
Has No Life - Lives on TB
OK, this is actually 2 recipes - a sugar dough crust and the topping. It's 2 days of work before you even cut the 1"x 2" bars and store them. They store quite a while, airtight and they can be frozen. Not technically a Christmas cookie, but that's generally when I make them. You'll need 2 jelly roll pans.
NOTE: Because the sugar pastry crust makes 2 jelly roll pans, you'll need to DOUBLE the amounts of the cookie (topping) recipe; OR you can freeze half the crust dough and bring to room temp before making a second batch later.
Sugar pastry:
2 c butter; room temp
2 c. sugar
7 eggs
7 3/4 c. all purpose flour
pinch of salt
Using a stand mixer, cut butter into chunks & cream with sugar JUST until light, fluffy & smooth; about 5-6 mins. Add eggs 1 at a time.; mix well after each.
In a large bowl, mix flour & salt. Add butter mixture and combine with pastry fork until it begins to pull away from bowl. DO NOT OVERWORK. It will be very soft dough! Scrape out onto lightly floured board and shape into ball or rectangle. Handle lightly & as little as possible (they MEAN IT). Dust with flour & wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least several hours or overnight.
Honey Cookies - double amounts to use all the pastry recipe above
1 recipe Sugar Pastry
1 1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 c butter
1 c honey
3/4 c whipping cream
1 1/2 c glacéd cherries
4 c sliced almonds
3/4 c raisins
Let pastry dough warm up to room temp. Roll out half on floured surface to 1/4". Fit in sheet pan and trim to fit bottom. Chill 1 hr. Then repeat with 2nd pan, if baking now. Preheat oven to 350, rack in the middle. Place a sheet of foil on top of dough then use dried beans or pie chain to hold flat. Bake 30 mins; barely browning.
Topping
In large saucepan, mix sugar, butter, honey & whipping cream. Heat on high to a hard boil & cook without stirring to 260 degrees. Lightly chop cherries, Remove pan from heat & add cherries, almonds & raisins. Using a wooden spatula or spoon, mix thoroughly and spread over baked pastry; 15-20 mins till golden brown. Cool completely on rack and let them sit overnight, covered loosely with wax paper. Then slice into 1" x 2" bars the next day, using a serrated knife.
Store in airtight tin or tupperware. Do not refrigerate; but they can be frozen.
These are ALMOST healthy! LOL. But there is enough sugar & butter & eggs to scare off people on special diets. (And they are very rich; resist making bigger cookies!)
NOTE: Because the sugar pastry crust makes 2 jelly roll pans, you'll need to DOUBLE the amounts of the cookie (topping) recipe; OR you can freeze half the crust dough and bring to room temp before making a second batch later.
Sugar pastry:
2 c butter; room temp
2 c. sugar
7 eggs
7 3/4 c. all purpose flour
pinch of salt
Using a stand mixer, cut butter into chunks & cream with sugar JUST until light, fluffy & smooth; about 5-6 mins. Add eggs 1 at a time.; mix well after each.
In a large bowl, mix flour & salt. Add butter mixture and combine with pastry fork until it begins to pull away from bowl. DO NOT OVERWORK. It will be very soft dough! Scrape out onto lightly floured board and shape into ball or rectangle. Handle lightly & as little as possible (they MEAN IT). Dust with flour & wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least several hours or overnight.
Honey Cookies - double amounts to use all the pastry recipe above
1 recipe Sugar Pastry
1 1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 c butter
1 c honey
3/4 c whipping cream
1 1/2 c glacéd cherries
4 c sliced almonds
3/4 c raisins
Let pastry dough warm up to room temp. Roll out half on floured surface to 1/4". Fit in sheet pan and trim to fit bottom. Chill 1 hr. Then repeat with 2nd pan, if baking now. Preheat oven to 350, rack in the middle. Place a sheet of foil on top of dough then use dried beans or pie chain to hold flat. Bake 30 mins; barely browning.
Topping
In large saucepan, mix sugar, butter, honey & whipping cream. Heat on high to a hard boil & cook without stirring to 260 degrees. Lightly chop cherries, Remove pan from heat & add cherries, almonds & raisins. Using a wooden spatula or spoon, mix thoroughly and spread over baked pastry; 15-20 mins till golden brown. Cool completely on rack and let them sit overnight, covered loosely with wax paper. Then slice into 1" x 2" bars the next day, using a serrated knife.
Store in airtight tin or tupperware. Do not refrigerate; but they can be frozen.
These are ALMOST healthy! LOL. But there is enough sugar & butter & eggs to scare off people on special diets. (And they are very rich; resist making bigger cookies!)
