Forget the presents, the music and the decorations, one of the best parts about the Holiday season is definitely the baking. Delicious recipes are a tradition passed down for generations, and what becomes even more important than the directions and ingredients are the great stories behind them. Here are a few from some Cochrane residents:
This recipe comes courtesy of Amanda Silverstein. She said this delicious recipe for truffles is one that her friends and family love and she has been making for years.
Ingredients:
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese softened
3 cups of powdered sugar
12 squares (1 pkg) of Bakers semi-sweet chocolate
1 tsp of vanilla
Directions:
Beat cream cheese, then gradually add sugar and mix well.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave and add melted chocolate and vanilla into mixture. Chill the mixture in the fridge for one hour. Scoop out mixture with a small spoon and roll into little balls. Roll the truffles in walnuts, cocoa, coconut, powdered sugar or whatever else you want and enjoy!
Nothing says Holidays like some shortbread, and Jennifer Penner shared one of her favourite such recipes. It is her grandmother’s recipe that she said her mother also makes.
Penner said they melt in her mouth and she can’t wait to share them with her daughter when she grows up.
Ingredients:
2 cups of soft butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
cup of cornstarch
1 cup of icing sugar
3 cups of flour
Directions:
Whip butter. Add cornstarch, icing sugar, flour and vanilla. Drop dough by the teaspoon onto a cookie sheet. Flatten with a fork. Bake at 350F for 12 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies start to brown.
Variation: Top cookies with a sliced cherry on top.
Lindsey Hopkins said this recipe is from her mother-in-law’s mom and that she would probably blush if she knew it was going in the paper. It is a family favourite according to Hopkins and her husband asks for it every year. She also runs a blog with more recipes that can be found at thejoyfulowl.blogspot.ca.
Ingredients:
#1 – The base:
1 cup of butter
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 cup of all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup of cocoa powder
1/2 cup of walnuts (optional)
#2- The topping:
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 cup of shredded unsweetened coconut
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment. To make the base, first cream butter and sugar. Beat the eggs and add to the butter and sugar mixture. Add remaining ingredients for the base.
Bake for 30 minutes. Then pull pan from oven and while it’s still hot, spread condensed milk over top and sprinkle with coconut. Cook again for 15-20 minutes.
Optional icing recipe: To get super decadent and reach maximum Christmas treat overload, add this icing.
Beat together:
2 cups icing sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
2 tsp butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 tsp milk.
Drizzle over top and let cool.
Michelle Gauvreau said that ever since she was a little girl her mom used to make these famous shortbreads for family and friends and people would rave about how amazing they were. Gauvreau said she has since passed and now she continues the tradition of making the delicious shortbreads for her friends and family.
Ingredients:
1 cup of unsalted butter
cup plus 3 tbsp of icing sugar
cup of cornstarch
1 cups of flour
Directions:
Use one cup of unsalted butter and Gauvreau said the trick is to melt it for a few seconds in the microwave. Then mix the butter with a handheld blender until it is mousse-like. Then add icing sugar, cornstarch and flour. The final product should be like an airy mousse. Drop the mixture by teaspoon onto baking sheet. Use a fork dipped in icing sugar to flatten and bake in 375F oven temp for 10 minutes.
