Charlotte’s Kitchen

Archive for December, 2008

Ingredients:

1 12 ounce bag chocolate chips

10 sugar cones

1 package of nonpareils for decoration

1 package of fruit strips

Icing for decorating cakes (comes in tubes)

Directions:

Melt chocolate chips and using a spatula spread over each sugar cone. Let the chocolate harden for about 1 hour (or 20 minutes in the refrigerator).

For chinstraps, use icing to attach the ends of a fruit strip or a length of shoestring licorice (depending on what you like) to the inside of each cone.

Use icing to decorate the hats (write the new year) and attach nonpareils.

These serve as both festive decorations and a sweet topping for a scoop of ice cream.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter (no substitutes)

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 t salt

1 egg

1 1/2 t Watkins Caramel Flavoring

2 cups all-purpose flour

Caramel Frosting (recipe follows)

Directions:

Beat butter in a large mixing bowl for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and salt; beat till combined. Beat in egg and caramel flavoring. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Cover dough and chill about 1 hour or till easy to handle.

Divide dough into eight portions. Roll each portion ona lightly floured surface into a rope 1/2 inch in diameter. Cut ropes into logs about 3 inches long. Place logs on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes or till done. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool. Frost tops with Caramel Frosting. pull tines of fork through frosting so it resembles bark.

Makes 48

Caramel Frosting

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar

3 T milk

1 t Watkins Caramel Flavoring

1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups confectioner’s sugar

Beat butter or margarine in a small mixing bowl for 30 seconds. Gradually add 1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar, beating well. Beat in milk and caramel flavoring. Grandually beat in additional confectioner’s sugar to make a spreadable frosting.

Ingredients:

1 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 t Watkins Vanilla

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 t Watkins Baking Powder

1/4 t Watkins Cinnamon

1/4 t Watkins Nutmeg

1/4 t salt

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Toast the sesame seeds on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes. stirring occasionally to keep them from burning. Set the seeds aside to cool thoroughly.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, mixing until thoroughly combined. fold in 1/3 cup of the sesame seeds.

Shape the dough into 3/4 inch balls and roll them in the remaining sesame seeds to coat the surface of each one. Place the balls on two greased cookie sheets, leaving at least 1 inch between them and bake until golden bown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for 2 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer them to a wire rack.

Makes about 5 dozen.

Ingredient:

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, well drained and finely chopped

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 T sugar

1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)

1 cup semesweet chocolate pieces

2 t shortening

Directions:

Pat cherries dry with paper towels. Set aside. Stir together flour and sugar in a medium bowl. cut in butter till mixture resembles coarse crumbs and starts to cling. Stir in cherries. Knead till well combined and nearly smooth.

Roll dough on a lightly floured surface till 1/2 inch thick. Using a 1 1/2 inch heart-shape cookie cutter, cut out dough. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or till bottoms just start to brown. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.

Heat chocolate pieces and shortening in a small, heavy saucepan over low heat just till melted, stirring occasionally. Dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate. Let stand till the chocolate is set.

Makes about 18.

These mini calzones are easy to assemble (kids can help!)

Ingredients:

30 square wonton wrappers (Nasoya are stronger)

Pepperoni slices

1/3 cup pizza sauce, plus extra for dipping

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 large green pepper, cut into thin strips

Vegetable oil

Directions:

Lay the wonton wrappers on a dry work surface. In the center of each wrapper, place a slice of pepperoni, 1/2 t of pizza sauce, 1/2 T of cheese and 1 pepper strip. Dip your finger in water and moisten all 4 edges of the wonton, then fold it in half, pressing along the edges to seal it.

Heat 1 t of oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the pockets until brown, about 2 minutes on each side, adding more oil as needed. Remove the wontons from the pan and place them on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Arrange them in a wreath shape and serve with extra sauce for dipping.

Tip: For garnish use cherry tomatoes, sprigs of parsley and cut stars from a yellow sweet pepper.

Ingredients:

16 chocolate wafer cookies (such as Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers)

1/3 cup chocolate hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)

1 pint premium chocolate ice cream

1/3 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

Directions:

Spread flat side of each wafer with hazelnut spread; set aside. Scoop 8 ice cream balls, about 3 tablespoons each; keep in freezer until ready to assemble.

To assemble sandwiches, remove ice cream balls from freezer; let stand 1 minute to soften. Place 1 ice cream ball on 8 hazelnut-spread wafers. Top with remaining wafers; press gently together.

Sprinkle edges with nuts. Place sandwiches on baking sheet lined with waxed paper; freeze 3 hours or until firm. To store, freeze up to two weeks in self-sealing plastic bags.

Makes 8 sandwiches.