The recipe for the Gs' favorite Christmas cookie is shared on SFNative's thread about Absolute, Hands-down Favorite Christmas cookie. That (and grocery shopping for the ingredients today) got me to thinking about my family's #s2, 3 and 4 favorites.
In no particular order, they are:
Pineapple Macadamia Fruitcake
3 cans (20 ozs. ea.) pineapple chunks in heavy syrup – undrained
4 ½ cups sugar, divided
1 ½ cups light corn syrup
2 Tablespoons butter
2 cups flour – divided
1 ½ cups coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup flaked coconut
3/4 cup butter – room temperature
5 large eggs – room temperature
2 Tablespoons milk – room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
To candy pineapple:
In a large, heavy kettle combine: pineapple and its syrup, 3 cups of the sugar and the corn syrup. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Lower heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, 50 minutes. Stir more frequently, as syrup thickens.
Add 2 Tablespoons butter and cook, stirring frequently, until syrup becomes very thick and pineapple is lightly caramelized, about 10-15 minutes.
Remove from heat, let stand 30 minutes. With slotted spoon remove pineapple and place in single layer on a rack with a cookie pan underneath. Bake at 225º for 25 minutes. Cool on rack several hours or overnight.
There should be approximately 5 cups candied pineapple. Store the syrup in the refrigerator (2-3 cups) for use on pancakes.
To make the cake:
Preheat oven 300º.
Line 3 loaf pans with waxed paper and lightly grease surface of paper. Set aside. Set aside 1 cup of the prepared candied pineapple for garnishing.
In a large bowl toss 3/4 cup of the flour with the remaining pineapple, nuts and coconut. Coat all pieces thoroughly. Set aside.
In large bowl of electric mixer, cream together butter and remaining 1 ½ cups sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating 25 seconds after each addition. Beat in remaining 1 1/4 cups flour alternately with milk and vanilla. Beat only until well blended.
With a large spoon, fold in reserved pineapple-nut mixture until flour is completely blended in.
Divide mixture evenly among the 3 prepared pans. Divide reserved pineapple and press gently into top of batter.
Bake 300º for 75-90 minutes, or until lightly browned and cake tests done.
Cool in pans 15 minutes. Turn out of pans, cool completely and remove waxed paper. Wrap in foil or plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.
Mrs. G's notes: You can also bake this in a prepared tube pan. Although stored in the refrigerator, this is best served at room temperature.
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Viennese Crescents
Confectioners’ sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup blanched almonds, very finely ground
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Two hours before serving, or up to 2 weeks ahead:
Preheat oven 325º.
Grease large cookie sheet. In large bowl, by hand, mix 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar with remaining ingredients until well blended.
With hands, shape 1 teaspoon cookie dough into 1 ½” crescents. Place onto cookie sheet, 1" apart. Bake 20 minutes or until lightly golden.
Remove cookies to wire racks, cool completely.
Store crescents in tightly covered container. Just before serving, roll in confectioners’ sugar.
Yield: appx. 3 dozen.
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Cranberry Bliss Bars
For Cake Base:
½ pound (2 sticks) sweet butter -- softened
1 1/4 cups brown sugar-- packed
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1½ cups flour
1/4 cup minced dried cranberries
1/4 cup Lindt, Perugina or other quality white chocolate -- coarsely chopped
1/4 cup minced candied ginger
For Frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese -- softened
1½ cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons butter -- softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
For Garnish:
2 Tablespoons minced dried cranberries
1/3 cup white chocolate chips (e.g. Ghiradelli or Guittard) -- melted
Preheat oven to 350º and lightly grease a 9x13 pan.
Beat butter and sugar together for the cake base, and add eggs and vanilla, beating until fluffy. Sift together flour, ground ginger, and salt and then add to the butter/sugar mixture, beating well. Fold in the cranberries, chocolate and candied ginger. Spread thick batter into pan and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden.
When cake is cooled, mix all frosting ingredients together and spread a thin layer over the cake. Immediately sprinkle with the minced cranberries. Then, using a pastry bag of melted white chocolate with a tiny decorating tip (like the size used for writing), drizzle the chocolate over the cake.
Cut into bars immediately because the white chocolate hardens pretty fast and can make cake cutting messy.
Merry Christmas!
Strive for respect instead of attention. It lasts longer.
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