Christmas cookie/biscuit making

[TRavine]

The first vanilla crescents are done

[merry]

Those look so delicious! I'm dying to try them out. But... time .... Hoping all the mad christmas rush is done soon and we can just settle down and bake delicious things!

I remembered today that I made these cupcakes for Broadway Show, the decorated cupcake class.

No need for a recipe, just standard cupcakes, but thought the design might be of interest - it was really simple.

The muzzles, I seem to recall, are something called Milla Biscuits which I very bravely made myself, fiddly little things they were too, but you can buy these.

The antlers are pretzels. I think plain ones would have worked better aesthetically, rather than chocolate-dipped ones, with hindsight.

The red nose is obligatory !

[mimosa]

TOM -- yay for getting your vanilla crescents going!
Merry -- those are cute. Those are the things of "too-much-work" for me...but I love the idea so much. And those are the kind of things that kids love. You made those nilla wafers?! WOW!

Well, nothing like getting a kick in the who know what to bake. Holy Smokes...I made that fudge plate, I was busy yesterday and last night, and I baked like a madwoman this morning. The last thing I made wasn't ready in time or looked like they were supposed to...probably because I used homemade sweetened condensed milk. Sigh. I hope they taste good...but yeah, they didn't make the tray.

Here's what I managed to pull off with what I had squirreled away, made on Monday for R's birthday, and most of the things this morning...it's only half of what I do...but it worked, and no one will ever know. This is for Peter's work party...a little bit late, so hopefully some of it gets eaten (and appreciated). And now I have to finish cutting and putting away....I only needed one tray for the platter. I almost forgot the picture, and that would have been a pity. I'm sure I'll make another one or two with more choices, but less of them.

ME

[mimosa]

Wonderful topic, Mim!

Do you people know vanilla crescents? I'm not sure if they are an Austrian thing or known internationally. They are quite the traditional thing here. My great grandma's cousin used to work as a cook for some fancy Austrian Count a hundred years ago and the secret recipe of vanilla crescents she made specifically for him is still in use in our family today.
I even veganized it, which is easy (you only have to swap the butter for margarine, as the recipe doesn't contain milk or eggs). I'll ask my mom to send it to me tomorrow, then you can have it, if you like.

Well, Tom, I made them!

I measured everything on the scale. And I also halved the recipe. I only baked two trays of them, so I'll have to finish it up later. I think I can make adjustments.

For a half recipe, I worked it out to 1/2 of a 3/4 cup of sugar, a heaping cup (250 ml measuring cup) of super minced nuts, 2 cups (last one heaping somewhat) of flour, and 1 cup minus 2 tbsp of butter. If I were to do it again, I'd use 1 cup of nuts, 2 c of flour and 1 cup butter. It worked out to 11 minutes at 350F (180C), but I might take off a minute. I loved the vanilla sugar...I used a small hand sieve to sift the icing sugar. And, for a non-chocolate cookie, they were pretty addictive...I bet I could have eaten the whole tray. I feel that they are better fresh and not freezable...just worried that the icing sugar would "melt" on the cookies as they come to room temperature. Would that be true, do you think?

Here it is!

ME

[TRavine]

Wonderful topic, Mim!

Do you people know vanilla crescents? I'm not sure if they are an Austrian thing or known internationally. They are quite the traditional thing here. My great grandma's cousin used to work as a cook for some fancy Austrian Count a hundred years ago and the secret recipe of vanilla crescents she made specifically for him is still in use in our family today.
I even veganized it, which is easy (you only have to swap the butter for margarine, as the recipe doesn't contain milk or eggs). I'll ask my mom to send it to me tomorrow, then you can have it, if you like.

Well, Tom, I made them!

I measured everything on the scale. And I also halved the recipe. I only baked two trays of them, so I'll have to finish it up later. I think I can make adjustments.

For a half recipe, I worked it out to 1/2 of a 3/4 cup of sugar, a heaping cup (250 ml measuring cup) of super minced nuts, 2 cups (last one heaping somewhat) of flour, and 1 cup minus 2 tbsp of butter. If I were to do it again, I'd use 1 cup of nuts, 2 c of flour and 1 cup butter. It worked out to 11 minutes at 350F (180C), but I might take off a minute. I loved the vanilla sugar...I used a small hand sieve to sift the icing sugar. And, for a non-chocolate cookie, they were pretty addictive...I bet I could have eaten the whole tray. I feel that they are better fresh and not freezable...just worried that the icing sugar would "melt" on the cookies as they come to room temperature. Would that be true, do you think?

Here it is!

ME

Oh Mim
Those look wonderful!! I'm happy to hear you like them. In my experience they are best stored in a tin cookie jar, in a somewhat cool place - we always keep them on a step, on the stairs which lead down to our basement, where it's not too warm, but not totally cold either. They actually last a good while there (as in weeks, if you manage to not finish eating them for that long). My mom makes so many that sometimes we eat for over a month. Usually the icing stays just fine long-term.

[merry]

Nilla Wafers! That's it! I knew there was something wrong with my version yes I made them, fiddly little things.

Mim, your platters always look so WONDERFUL! Imagine being one of Mimosa's neighbours/friends! lucky things! I bet Peter was dead proud of you when he took that in to his works party.

I was going to bake Tom's Crescents today and realised I don't have any ground nuts! I'll see if i have some shelled walnuts to process - but Tom's mum didn't specify walnuts so not sure....

[TRavine]

Nilla Wafers! That's it! I knew there was something wrong with my version yes I made them, fiddly little things.

Mim, your platters always look so WONDERFUL! Imagine being one of Mimosa's neighbours/friends! lucky things! I bet Peter was dead proud of you when he took that in to his works party.

I was going to bake Tom's Crescents today and realised I don't have any ground nuts! I'll see if i have some shelled walnuts to process - but Tom's mum didn't specify walnuts so not sure....

Merry, you can use any kind of nuts you like Just make sure you grind them pretty well. But walnuts are perfect!

[merry]

Thank you, Tom! Walnuts have a very recognisable flavour - but it's a flavour I love

Do you like nuts? Nuts are good for vegans aren't they? full of good things?

[TRavine]

Thank you, Tom! Walnuts have a very recognisable flavour - but it's a flavour I love

Do you like nuts? Nuts are good for vegans aren't they? full of good things?

Walnuts are terrific! I love nuts! I also eat nutbutters regularly or salted nuts (although I SHOULD watch my salt intake! It's my fatal vice!) I do think my mom puts walnuts (and hazelnuts) into her vanilla crescents, so it's actually very close to the original.

[TRavine]

BTW Mim, I got an entire set of measuring cups and spoons for Christmas

[mimosa]

BTW Mim, I got an entire set of measuring cups and spoons for Christmas

No way!! So cool! I'm so excited for you!

ME

[mimosa]

This morning's cookie platter for the Sunday/Christmas coffee social after church this morning.

Tom, when I finally got around to making the rest of the cookies, they were too dry to make into crescents, so I rolled them like a mexican wedding cake/russian tea cake...similar. So they still worked out. But I'm in love with vanilla sugar.

ME

[TRavine]

Tom, when I finally got around to making the rest of the cookies, they were too dry to make into crescents, so I rolled them like a mexican wedding cake/russian tea cake...similar. So they still worked out.

Oh no! Yeah, I suppose it's best to not wait too long, but I'm happy to hear that you still found a creative way to make something out of them. That actually sounds really cool!

[mimosa]

I've ground my star anise...I'm ready to start baking...I have about four things so far. Don't have a lot of time before Reuben's birthday! I had better make a plan. I have some serious busyness happening...music, movie, bank meeting, homeschool Christmas concert...etc.

I have a new printout of vanilla crescents, so they'll be happening for sure in the next two weeks.

ME

[merry]

I love to think of your kitchen at Christmas time, mim.