Christmas Cutouts With White Chocolate Glaze Food

CLASSIC CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIE CUTOUTS

Steps:

• In large bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, the butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, almond extract and egg until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.
• Heat oven to 375°F. Divide dough in half. On lightly floured surface, roll each half of dough 3/16 inch thick. Cut into assorted shapes with cookie cutters, or cut around patterns traced from storybook illustrations. If cookies are to be hung as decorations, make a hole in each 1/4 inch from top with end of plastic straw. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In medium bowl, beat all frosting ingredients until smooth and spreadable. Tint with food color if desired. Frost and decorate cookies as desired with frosting and colored sugars.

WHITE CHRISTMAS SLICE

Steps:

• Grease and line a 20cm x 28cm rectangular slice tin and set aside.
• Melt the white chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl (on 50% power for 3-4 minutes or until melted - stir every 30 seconds).
• Add the Rice Bubbles, dried cranberries, sultanas, slivered almonds and desiccated coconut and stir to combine.
• Spoon into the prepared tin and press down firmly.
• Place into the fridge for 3-4 hours (preferably overnight) before cutting into slices.
• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• Grease and line a 20cm x 28cm rectangular slice tin and set aside.
• Place the white chocolate into a clean and dry Thermomix bowl. Melt for 3-4 minutes, 80 degrees, Speed 2.
• Add the Rice Bubbles, dried cranberries, sultanas, slivered almonds and desiccated coconut and mix on Reverse, Speed 2 until combined (you'll need to use the spatula to help mix).
• Spoon into the prepared tin and press down firmly. Place into the fridge for 3-4 hours (preferably overnight) before cutting into slices.
• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

EASY WHITE CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Steps:

• Heat all the ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until the white chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and of desired drizzling consistency.

CHRISTMAS CUTOUTS WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. , Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one portion to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut into desired shapes with floured 2-in. cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. , Bake at 350° for 7-9 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool., In a microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate; stir until smooth. Tint with food coloring. Transfer to a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner of bag. Pipe designs on cookies.

CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT CAKE POPS WITH MIRROR GLAZE

Steps:

• For the cake pops: Prepare and bake the cake according to the package directions for a 9-by-13-inch pan. Let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, put the white chocolate and heavy cream in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth, stirring halfway through, about 1 minute. (You can also use a double boiler.) Carefully remove from the microwave and add the orange extract; stir to combine.
• When cool, crumble the cake finely into a large bowl and add the dried cranberries and orange-white chocolate ganache. Mix with a rubber spatula or your hands until the mixture is very well combined, completely moistened and holds together when pinched.
• Using a 3/4-ounce scoop, scoop rounded mounds of the mixture and shape into balls and place on a baking sheet. You should have about 36 balls. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• For the white chocolate shell: Put the white chocolate chips and vegetable shortening in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth, stirring halfway through, about 1 minute. (You can also use a double boiler.) Carefully remove from the microwave and stir once more to make sure no lumps remain.
• Dip the tip of a lollipop stick into the chocolate shell and stick halfway into a cake ball. Dip the entire cake ball in the chocolate shell, letting any excess drip off, then press the stick into the Styrofoam block to stand upright. Repeat with the remaining balls and sticks. Refrigerate the cake pops until completely chilled and set, about 1 hour.
• For the mirror glaze: Sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup water in a small bowl; stir and set aside 5 minutes. Combine the remaining 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan with the granulated sugar and sweetened condensed milk. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat until the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, then add the gelatin mixture and stir to dissolve.
• Put the white chocolate chips in a large bowl and set a fine-mesh strainer on top. Pour the gelatin mixture through the strainer to catch any small lumps; remove the strainer. Let stand 5 minutes for the chocolate to soften, then stir with a rubber spatula until smooth. Tint with food coloring (divide the glaze in half if you are using more than 1 color), then let sit, stirring occasionally, until thickened and a thermometer registers 90 degrees F. Transfer to a tall, wide glass container (such as a wide-mouth mason jar) for easy dipping.
• Working one at a time, dip the cake pops into the mirror glaze to completely coat letting any excess drip off. Return to the foam board (it may continue to drip for a minute or two). Transfer to the refrigerator to set completely, about 1 hour. (Even after setting, mirror glaze stays sticky, so make sure to space the pops apart).
• Using a small, clean art brush, dust the peanut butter cups with edible gold pearl dust, then place one on top of each cake pop "ornament" (see Cook's Note). Keep chilled until ready to serve.

WHITE CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Steps:

• Combine chocolate and half-and-half in top of a double broiler. Place over simmering water until chocolate is almost melted. Do not overcook. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. Cool glaze 10 to 15 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

CHRISTMAS CUTOUTS

Steps:

• Cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Shape into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm enough to roll, 2-3 hours., Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2-in. cookie cutters. Place on ungreased baking sheets., Bake until edges begin to brown, 7-8 minutes. Remove from pan to wire racks; cool completely. , For frosting, beat confectioners' sugar, butter, vanilla and enough milk to reach desired consistency; tint with food coloring if desired. Spread over cookies. Decorate as desired.

EASY CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Steps:

• Place chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup in 2-cup microwavable measuring cup. Microwave uncovered on Medium (50%) 1 to 2 minutes or until chocolate can be stirred smooth.

WHITE CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Steps:

• Place all ingrediants in microwave safe bowl.
• microwave in 10 second intervals.
• dip doughnuts in chocolate sprinkle with chopped strawberries.
• Note chocolate glaze can be made by switching out white chocolate chips with semi sweet chocolate chips.

CHRISTMAS CUTOUTS WITH VANILLA ICING

Steps:

• For cookies:
• Sift first 3 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and 1 cup sugar in large bowl to blend well. Add egg, sour cream, and vanilla; beat 1 minute. Beat in dry ingredients in 2 additions until just blended. Gather dough together; divide in half. Flatten each half into disk; wrap in plastic and chill 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Soften dough slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Sprinkle work surface and top of dough disks with additional sugar. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness (dough will be very soft). Using assorted 2- to 3-inch cookie cutters, cut out cookies. Transfer to prepared sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Gather scraps and roll out on sugared surface; cut out more cookies. Repeat until all dough is used. Chill all cookies on baking sheets at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until light golden at edges, about 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely.
• For icing:
• Combine 4 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, and vanilla in medium bowl. Stir until icing is well blended, smooth, and spreadable, adding more milk by teaspoonfuls if too thick or more sugar by tablespoonfuls if too thin. Using small icing spatula or table knife, spread thin layer of icing atop each cookie. If using colored sugar crystals, sprinkle over cookies before icing sets. If using food-safe colored markers, let icing dry about 30 minutes; decorate cookies as desired. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper at room temperature.)
• *The Bon Appetit test-kitchen staff used food-safe colored markers, called FooDoodler pens, to decorate these cookies. The markers are available at Sur La Table stores or can be ordered from King Arthur Flour (800-827-6836) or bakerscatalogue.com.

HANDWRITTEN VALENTINE CUPCAKES WITH CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Steps:

• Dip tops of each cupcake in chocolate glaze, letting excess drip off. Let stand until set, about 30 minutes. Fit a pastry bag with the smallest plain round tip. Fill bag with melted white chocolate, and use to write on cupcakes. Decorated cupcakes will keep, covered, for up to 2 days.