Christmas Cookies
I thought I'd share my favourite recipe for chocolate chip cookies...pictured below with freebie printable calendar from Eat Drink Chic...a batch of cookies and a 2013 calendar is a sweet little gift for anyone!
These cookies are perfect for this time of year because you can make the dough ahead of time and keep it in the fridge or freezer and have a batch of freshly baked cookies ready to go almost instantly. I often wrap them in cellophane with a ribbon & a tag and you're good to go with last minute thank you or Christmas gifts. It's also worth noting that having the dough at the ready in your freezer means you're always only minutes away from satisfying that sugar craving when there's nothing else in the pantry...or ice cream sandwiches with a DVD...can't go past them :)
I've adapted them slightly from a recipe in Margaret Fulton's classic cookbook. My copy is an actual 70's hardcover version with an inscription in the front from my Nan to my Mum wishing her `many happy years of cooking'...love this.
Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies
170g (6oz) butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 1/4 cups plain flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Sprinkle of nutmeg to your taste (this gives you an excuse to taste the batter...as if you needed one!)
As many dark or milk chocolate chips as you like
Preheat oven to 180 degrees (C). Cream room temperature butter, gradually add brown sugar and continue to cream. Add egg, vanilla and beat well. Sift flour with salt and baking powder...and stir into creamed mixture along with sprinkle of nutmeg. Add chocolate chips and mix well. Turn dough onto lightly floured bench and shape into ball & wrap with Glad Wrap. Put in fridge for about 15-30 minutes to help it take shape...then either roll out and cut with cookie cutters...or I normally just break off bits into cookie sized balls and put on tray with lightly greased baking paper. Bake in moderate oven until cookies get a tinge of brown around the edges...about 7-10 minutes. If you've gone with cookie balls...as they come out of the oven and cool on their tray...press the top of them gently with a fork to flatten slightly and get the wrinkled/cracked look which makes for a more rustic looking cookie! Left over dough will keep in plastic wrap in fridge for up to 2 weeks and in freezer for months.
Below is my first attempt at a little stop motion Merry Christmas video...I used delicious Harcourt cherries from Edwards Greengrocer, and a sweet little clip from MorgiMac in amongst my own Christmas decorations...music is `Storytime' by Danny Elfman. You will have to click through to Vimeo if you want to see a larger version.
And now the craziness of Christmas Eve has begun...I'm off to make two desserts (naturally!)...one of them being Luke's birthday cake...stay tuned for a photo or two :) I will be back online January 2nd...have a lovely Christmas! xx