In the last couple of days, I have had the opportunity to take it a little easy…..and in my usual style, that does not mean, I did nothing :-). I decided to catch-up on Christmas baking for the family + hamper gifts (gift baskets) for our two neighbors.
First, was my Pineapple Fruit Cake (my version of Christmas Fruit Cake, since I am not a fan).
Second, Orange Lightening Cake (as muffins).
Thirdly, Star Wars Sugar Cookies, with green and red sugar sprinkles for a Christmas flare. The forms, we purchased at Williams and Sonoma, while they were on special for $4.95. For these, I used this recipe, but found I had to add 1 additional egg, and 1/2 stick of additional butter as it was very dry.
Lastly, something for my husband to remind him of home, German Christmas Cookies (made with almond meal)….recipe below. 
German Christmas Cookies
Ingredients
1 egg (separate egg yolk and white)
60 g (1/2 cup) Almond meal
180 g (1 1/2 cups) All purpose flour
1/2 tsp Baking powder
pinch salt
80 g + 40 g (1 cup) icing sugar (confectionary sugar)
80 g (3/4 stick) butter (softened)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp water
Mix the yolk, almond meal, flour, baking powder, salt, 80g icing sugar, butter, vanilla and milk in a large bowl. NOTE: I start mixing with a fork and then use my hands as the dough starts to form). Form the dough into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F (200 degrees C). Once dough has chilled, place it between two layers of plastic wrap and roll out the dough. Cut out your cookies using your forms and place on a tray that is covered with baking paper (cookie sheets).
Mix the rest of the icing sugar (40g), egg white and water in a bowl and whisk to dissolve the icing sugar. With a brush thinly coat the top of the cookies with the glaze-mixture. Bake cookies for ~12 minutes or until golden.
Remove from the oven, leave on tray to cool for 5-10 minutes. Place on cooling rack thereafter until completely cooled.
What have you been baking for Christmas? I would love to hear.
I suspect that your house smells delightfully delicious as a result!! It all looks very yummy!
I have not baked this Christmas (a first in my living memory) but have made salted caramel butter icecream so we will still be having a little piece of decadence this evening as we open our traditional Christmas Eve present and hang our stockings!
Have a wonderful Christmas Michelle and thanks for your blogging support this year! (Those photos of the Lotta Jansdotta workshop stand out as one of my blogging highlights this year!)
Thank you!! I love salted caramel anything, the ice cream sounds wonderful. Have a great Christmas and New Year too. I have loved getting to know you in blogland and look forward to reading more in the upcoming year 🙂
Baking, let’s see…. Gluten Free Drunken Christmas Cake (I keep the rum bottle next to the cake box…), Christmas Spice Cookies, Peanut Butter/Choc Chip cookies with Christmassy stuff iced on the top, a sponge cake for my sherry trifle, my own bread (GF), and I expect there’ll be a batch of chocolate fudge brownies coming up sometime between now and then… And if you love salted caramels, try these: http://thepinkrosebakery.com/2013/12/11/soft-salted-caramels/ – the woman’s a genius! Have a great Christmas
Great, I went over and started following the pink rose bakery!!
Yummy! Merry Christmas!