Holiday Treats

The folks at The Rose Table shared this recipe for holiday treats.

Fiori di Sicilia Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar
2 farm fresh eggs
1 tsp Fiori di Sicilia
2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Cream together butter and shortening. Add sugar and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add Fiori di Sicilia. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter-sugar mixture. Cover the dough and chill at least two hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a flat surface sprinkled with flour, roll dough to desired thickness. Cut into shapes. (Keep shapes roughly the same size or the smaller ones will burn before the bigger ones have had a chance to bake.) Bake on ungreased cookie sheet about 7 minutes. Cool completely then frost with your favorite vanilla frosting.

Vanilla Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp milk

Beat butter until fluffy. Add 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and blend well. Add 1 Tbsp milk and blend until it's starting to look like frosting. Add remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 Tbps milk, and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Add a bit more milk if you need it to get your desired consistency.

Candy Cane Brownies

3/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup dark cocoa powder (I use Hershey's Special Dark)
3 large eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
Candy cane frosting, recipe follows
Chocolate drizzle, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a 9×13 pan, line with parchment paper, and grease the paper.

In a large bowl with a wooden spoon, mix the melted butter, sugar, and salt. Add the cocoa powder and stir well to incorporate. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in the flour and baking powder. Add peppermint extract.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake for about 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan.

Frost with frosting. Drizzle with chocolate. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Candy Cane Frosting

3 cups confectioners' sugar
6 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons milk
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
4 candy canes, crushed in a food processor

To make the candy cane frosting, stir together the sugar, melted butter, peppermint oil, and milk. Add a drop of two of peppermint extract. Stir in crushed candy canes. Ooh and ahh as the frosting turns a beautiful pink color! I reserve a few large chunks to sprinkle on top.

Chocolate Drizzle

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped bittersweet chocolate
2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream

Combine the chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on medium until the cream is very hot and starting to form bubbles. Remove from the microwave, and stir until the chocolate is melted.

LINK: therosetable.com