Eggnog Santa Cut Outs Food

EGGNOG BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until combined. Beat the butter and 1/2 cup of the sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the cream, rum extract, cloves, egg yolk and 2 teaspoons of the nutmeg and beat until smooth. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until the dough just combines.
• Roll the dough into twenty-four 1-inch balls using a 1/2-ounce ice cream scoop or a tablespoon. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons nutmeg in a small bowl. Roll the balls in the spiced sugar to coat, and then arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake the cookies, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through, until golden brown at the edges, about 14 minutes. Remove the baking sheets from the oven, place on wire racks and immediately press a chocolate drop in the center of each cookie while it is still soft and warm. Do not move the cookies until the chocolate has completely set and the cookies are cool, at least 1 hour.

EGGNOG CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a bowl.
• Cream together sugar and butter with an electric mixer in a second bowl. Mix in eggs, eggnog, vanilla extract, and rum extract. Add flour mixture and mix by hand until dough comes together. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Roll out dough to 1/2" thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters and place 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in batches in the preheated oven until cookies are lightly browned on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together eggnog, corn syrup, vanilla extract, rum extract, and nutmeg for the icing in a bowl. Mix in as much powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, until icing is smooth and desired consistency is reached.
• Dip cookie tops in icing and place on waxed paper to dry.

EGGNOG CUTOUTS

Steps:

• Sift the flour, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and the salt into a large bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a separate large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the whole egg, egg yolk, the brandy and vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture in 2 batches and beat until just incorporated. Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Dust each piece of dough with flour and roll out between pieces of parchment to 1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Cut into shapes and transfer to the baking sheets. Gather the scraps and refrigerate until firm; reroll once to cut out more cookies. Chill the cutouts 30 minutes.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Bake the cookies, switching the pans halfway through, until just golden, 11 to 13 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
• Make the icing: Beat the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each cinnamon and nutmeg, and 3 to 4 tablespoons water with a mixer on high speed until smooth and thick. Transfer to a resealable bag and snip a small corner; pipe onto the cookies and decorate with nonpareils. Let set 30 minutes.

EGGNOG CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Stir in eggnog. Combine the flour, salt, baking soda and nutmeg; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle., On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2-1/2-in. cookie cutters. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. , Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. , In a small bowl, beat the confectioners' sugar, nutmeg, if desired, and enough eggnog to achieve icing consistency. Add food coloring, if desired. Spread over cooled cookies; let stand until set.

MARTHA'S CLASSIC EGGNOG

Steps:

• Beat yolks in a very large bowl until thick and pale. Slowly beat in sugar. Whisk in milk and 2 cups cream. Mix in bourbon, rum, and Cognac. Cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
• Just before serving, beat whites until stiff peaks form. Fold whites into eggnog. Whisk remaining 1 cup cream until stiff peaks form, and fold into eggnog. (Alternatively, you can fold half the whipped cream into eggnog, and top with remaining half.) Sprinkle with nutmeg.

EGGNOG CUT-OUT COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, combine sugar, butter and eggs; beat until light and fluffy.
• Stir in eggnog and vanilla.
• Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off.
• In medium bowl, combine flour, nutmeg and baking powder.
• Add flour mixture to butter mixture; blend well.
• Cover dough with plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes for easier handling.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine egg yolks and water; blend well.
• Divide mixture into several small cups; tint with food color.
• If paint thickens, add a few drops water.
• Heat oven to 350.
• On floured board, roll half of dough at a time to 1/8-inch thickness.
• Cut with assorted 2 1/2 to 3 inch cutters, re-rolling dough as necessary.
• Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Using small paint brush, paint designs on cookies with egg yolk paint.
• Bake at 350 for 8 to 11 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.
• Remove from cookie sheets.