It's the most wonderful time or the yearrrrr! 🎵
Tis the season for Christmas and festive bakes! So, I'm kicking off the countdown to Christmas with this yummy Christmas Cookie Box! Ho Ho Ho Peppermint Bourbons, Vanilla and Lemon Sandwich Cookies, Mini Meringues, Jam Thumbprint Cookies, and a classic Sugar Cookie With Icing Decorations.
A variety of cookies that are easy to bake and a is a real showstopper. Great for gifts or to enjoy on Christmas Day!
Recipe
A yummy Christmas cookie box filled with Peppermint Bourbons, Vanilla and Lemon Sandwich Cookies, Mini Meringues, Jam Thumbprint Cookies, and a classic Sugar Cookie With Icing Decorations!
Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Cool Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time: 42 minutes
Total Time: minutes
Servings: 52
Author: Zainab
Ingredients:
Ho Ho Ho Peppermint Bourbons (Servings: 12-13):
For the biscuits:
100g soft unsalted butter
40g caster sugar, plus extra to scatter (optional)
10g soft dark brown sugar
1 medium egg, lightly beaten
150g plain flour
50g cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
For the filling:
25g dark chocolate, chopped
50g soft butter
75g icing sugar
25g soft dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon milk
10g cocoa powder
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
For the decorations:
White chocolate, melted
Candy canes, crushed
Method:
Ho Ho Ho Peppermint Bourbons (Servings: 12-13):
1. For the biscuits, cream the butter and sugars together in a large bowl with a wooden spoon until soft and fluffy. Alternatively, use an electric mixer.
2. Mix in the egg, then sift in the flour, cocoa and baking powder, and stir to combine until the mixture comes together into a smooth dough (it’s easiest to use your hands at the end). If the dough feels a little sticky, add more flour, but try not to add too much or the dough will become tough. Wrap the ball of dough in clingfilm and chill for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
4. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, until you have a rectangle about 60 × 40cm and the thickness of a pound coin. Trim away any rough edges, then use a sharp knife to cut the dough into small rectangles. You can make your bourbons as big or small as you like, but I usually aim to make each one about 7cm long and 3cm wide. You could also use a circular cutter. Using a knife, carve 'Ho Ho Ho onto the biscuit. You should end up with about 50 biscuits.
5. Transfer the biscuits onto the lined trays, leaving a small gap between each one. Use a fork or a cocktail stick to make little dots along the length of the biscuits, in the classic Bourbon pattern, and pop in the fridge for about 15 minutes to allow the dough to firm up.
6. Put the trays in the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes, until the biscuits are just firm to the touch and not soft. Scatter over a few teaspoons of caster sugar, if you like, and leave to cool on the trays.
7. To make the filling, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of just-simmering water. Remove the bowl from the pan and leave to cool slightly.
8. Beat the butter in a large bowl with a wooden spoon until really soft, then gradually sift in the icing and brown sugars, beating until you have a fluffy consistency (add a teaspoon of milk to bring the mix together if necessary). Sift in the cocoa powder, pour in the melted chocolate, and stir to combine.
9. Sandwich the cooled biscuits together with the chocolate filling. Dip in melted white chocolate and sprinkle on some crushed candy cane pieces. Allow to cool on some parchment paper.
Jam Thumbprint Cookies (Servings: 24):
113g unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
100g granulated sugar
240g plain flour
¼ cup cornflour, sifted
A pinch of salt
½ vanilla extract
Jam of your choice, i like raspberry seedless
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F.
2. Sift together the flour cornflour and salt.
3. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until they are light and fluffy.
4. Add the egg and mix until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl.
5. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Add vanilla.
5. Roll the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. (If you have a scale they should each weigh 1 ounce.)
6. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger.
7. Drop 1/4 teaspoon of jam into each indentation.
8. Bake for about 10 minutes.
Lemon Curd Sandwich Cookies (Servings: 15-16):
200g unsalted butter, room temperature
270g plain flour
100g icing Sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 organic lemon, zested
150g of homemade or store-bought lemon curd
Method:
1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set them aside.
2. In a medium bowl, place the butter, then put in the icing sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla extract.
3. With a balloon whisk, mix the softened butter, icing sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until they are light and fluffy, then add the flour and mix the ingredients with a spatula until the cookie dough comes together.
4. Work the cookie dough with your hands until completely combined.
5. Divide dough in half and half again and pat each half into a disc; it's easier to work with little portions when you are rolling and shaping cookies. Use plastic wrap for the portion that you keep in the fridge.
6. Roll out one part of the cookie dough about ¼-inch thick (6mm). Using a 3 inch ((7.5 cm) round cookie cutter, cut out cookies.
7. Gather the scrap dough, roll, and repeat until you have 15 pieces. Place the cut-out cookies onto a lined baking sheet about 1 and ½ inches apart.
8. Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F and put the cookies in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
9. While the first half of the cookies are chilling, cut 15 rounds from the remaining dough.
10. Chill for 15 minutes while you bake your first batch of cookies in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, depends on your oven. Make sure not to over-bake them.
11. Remove from the oven, cool the cookies on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, and then carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat for the second batch.
12. Fill each cookie round with one teaspoon of lemon curd jam, and place (with a gentle press) the cookies with cutout center on top. Repeat until you have about 15 cookies.
Sugar Cookies With Icing Decorations (Servings: 24):
For the biscuits:
280g plain flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
170g unsalted butter, room temperature
150g granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
For the icing sugar and decorations:
240g icing sugar
1 & ½ egg white powder
4-5 tablespoons water
Sprinkles
Method:
For the biscuits:
1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract (if using) and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. Dough will be relatively soft. If the dough seems too soft and sticky for rolling, add 1 more Tablespoon of flour.
4. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Place each portion onto a piece of lightly floured parchment paper or a lightly floured silicone baking mat. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use more flour if the dough seems too sticky. The rolled-out dough can be any shape, as long as it is evenly 1/4-inch thick.
5. Lightly dust one of the rolled-out doughs with flour. Place a piece of parchment on top. (This prevents sticking.) Place the 2nd rolled-out dough on top. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours and up to 2 days.
6. Once chilled, preheat oven to 177°C/350°F. Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Carefully remove the top dough piece from the refrigerator. If it’s sticking to the bottom, run your hand under it to help remove it– see me do this in the video above. Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into shapes. Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used. Repeat with 2nd piece of dough. (Note: It doesn’t seem like a lot of dough, but you get a lot of cookies from the dough scraps you re-roll.)
7. Arrange cookies on baking sheets 3 inches apart. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. If your oven has hot spots, rotate the baking sheet halfway through bake time. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
For the icing sugar and decorations:
1. Add all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. If the mixture is too runny add a little more water and if the mixture is too runny add a teaspoon of icing sugar at a time.
2. Decorate cookies and sprinkle on some decoration.
Mini Meringues (Servings: 24):
300g caster sugar
150g egg whites
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Weigh out sugar onto the paper and bake 7 minutes.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 100°C. (Leave the door ajar to speed up the cooling if necessary).
4. Place egg whites into a very clean and dry Thermomix bowl and whip 4 min/37°C/Butterfly/speed 3/MC off.
5. Wipe off moisture from lid and top portion of the bowl with paper towel as necessary.
6. Slowly add the hot sugar through the hole in lid 6 min/Butterfly/speed 3/MC off.
7. Pipe meringues onto a tray lined with baking paper. Check oven temperature is accurate before baking 45 minutes. Turn oven off and leave meringues in the oven to dry out.
8. Remove sooner for a gooey center.
9. Cool completely before serving.
Notes
You can make other cookies for this Christmas box. These are just come of my favourites!
Hope you all enjoyed this recipe! If you do use this recipe be sure to tag me. My Instagram Page is: Bakewithzainab.
Also be sure to comment down below with any questions you may have.
Lots of love
Zainab xx
© Bake With Zainab – Zainab Moughal. I own all content and photos’ copyright. Before using my photos and recipes, please email me. If you would like to republish a recipe, please link back to this post and re-write the instructions in your own words.
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