Recipes

[SharkE]

RUSSIAN TEA CAKES

16 TABLESPOONS ( 2 STICKS) UNSALTED BUTTER (NO SUBSTITUTE)

1/2 CUP GRANULATED SUGAR (WHITE SUGAR)

1TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT

1/2 TEASPOON SALT

2 CUPS ALL PURPOSE FLOUR

3/4 CUP PECANS , CHOPPED FINE, (CAN BE TOASTED)

1 CUP 10X POWDERED SUGAR

BEAT BUTTER, GRANULATED SUGAR, VANILLA AND SALT IN MIXER OR BY HAND UNTIL VERY FLUFFY ABOUT 3 MINUTES. REDUCE SPEED TO LOW, ADD FLOUR AND MIX UNTIL COMBINED. ADD NUTS TILL DISTRIBUTED. COVER BOWL WITH PLASTIC WRAP AND REFRIGERATE FOR ONE HR. (I PUT MINE IN FREEZER FOR HALF HR)

ADJUST OVEN RACKS TO UPPER MIDDLE AND LOWER MIDDLE POSITIONS (DON'T WANT TO CLOSE TO ELEMENT). PREHEAT TO 400'. LINE 2 BAKING SHEETS WITH PARCHMENT PAPER. (DON'T GREASE THE PAN IF YOU DON'T USE PARCHMENT COOKIES HAVE PLENTY OF BUTTER IN THEM)

ROLL DOUGH INTO 1 INCH BALLS, SPACE 1 1/2 INCHES APART ON SHEETS. BAKE UNTIL EDGES ARE LIGHT GOLDEN BROWN. 10 MINUTES. ROTATE SHEETS HALFWAY THRU BAKING. LET COOKIES COOL ON SHEETS.

SIFT 10X POWDERED SUGAR IN BOWL. ROLL WARM COOKIES GENTLY IN SUGAR. WHEN COMPLETELY COOLED DOWN ROLL AGAIN INTO THE POWDERED SUGAR (FIRST COATING WILL ABSORB THE POWDERED SUGAR) TO MAKE THEM WHITE COVERED.

TELL U THE TRUTH SOMETIMES THEY MELT AWAY WHILE BAKING IT'S KIND OF HIT AND MISS. COLDER THE DOUGH BEFORE YOU PUT IN OVEN THE BETTER CHANCE THEY WILL STAY SOLID DURING BAKING. DON'T WANT THE DOUGH TOO COLD OR YOU CAN'T HANDLE THEM TO FORM THE BALLS, BUT, COLDER THE BUTTER THE BETTER. STILL WANT THE DOUGH TO BE SOFT ENOUGH TO SHAPE.

COMES WITH EXPERIENCE JUST HAVE TO PRAY THEY HOLD UP

TRICKY.

[SharkE]

[Drythe]

@SharkE

Thank you for taking the time on Christmas to send this recipe.

Always record the name and date on recipes, so this one will read -

SHARKEY    12 - 25 - 2018

THANKS!

[SharkE]

Hope works out for you !

[Lorita Rutenberg]

I am good at baking cakes, slices of bread and pizza at home but yes, my cookies are also getting fail. I tried to follow various online recommendations but always find issues in the final product. 

[shy bobcat]

Thank you!   Ladies/Gents you are always very helpful.  I want to try your suggestions when I bake next time.  Who knows when that will be but, I am curious about my fail.

From your thoughts and suggestions I realized some mistakes ... pans too warm, softened butter in Microwave, did not use new baking powder and did not chill dough. It was Christmas Eve and I was in a hurry with family coming over that night.  I learned that I cannot rush the baking process!  It was interesting that the recipe did not indicate chilling the dough but, that makes sense since my dough was really too sticky.  

With love and best wishes for a Happy New Year.

[SharkE]

I put up a recipe for a good cookie over in 'Kitchen' that I thought I put here, but, discovered I put it there. LOL

Anyway, it's a keeper.

[shortbreadlover]

try the holiday cookie recipe inthe perfect cookie by america's test kitchen.  they reverse cream the flour, sugar and butter. also they chill the dough overnight and then again after they roll it out and right after they cut the cookies out before baking.  the recipe makes a flatter cookie that can be decorated easier.

[aroc3435]

@shortbreadlover  Thank you for this tip.  Still not finished with the holiday cookie baking until January 6.  Have to keep replenishing.  I am going to try this reverse creaming idea.  

I do always chill everything thoroughly as described and always let the sheets cool throughly between batches.

[shortbreadlover]

if you can get a hold of the book the perfect cookie, the recipe is great.  i can't copy and paste as they are picky  about copying their recipes.  the copy from the library is checkout or i would post it from there.