Italian Christmas Cookies With Cocoa And Orange Liqueur Food

ITALIAN CHRISTMAS COOKIES WITH COCOA AND ORANGE LIQUEUR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 2 baking sheets.
• Sift flour and baking powder together in a bowl. Beat white sugar and butter together in a separate bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy; beat in eggs. Stir creamed butter mixture, cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons liqueur, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract into flour mixture until dough is just combined.
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead, adding flour as needed to keep from dough sticking to your hands. Roll dough, 1 to 2 tablespoons per cookie, in your hands and form a log-shape; twirl log into desired shape. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges of cookies are lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
• Stir confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons liqueur, water, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract together in a bowl until icing is creamy. Dip cookies into icing. Place a piece of waxed paper under a wire rack and place cookies on wire rack to cool.

ORANGE RICOTTA CAKE ROLL

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a bowl. Preheat oven to 325°. Line bottom of a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan with parchment; grease paper. Sift cocoa, flour and salt together twice., In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until slightly thickened. Gradually add 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar, beating on high speed until thick and lemon-colored. Beat in vanilla. Fold in cocoa mixture (batter will be very thick)., Add cream of tartar to egg whites; with clean beaters, beat on medium until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until soft glossy peaks form. Fold a fourth of the whites into batter, then fold in remaining whites. Transfer to prepared pan, spreading evenly., Bake until top springs back when lightly touched, 9-11 minutes. Cover cake with waxed paper; cool completely on a wire rack., Remove waxed paper; invert cake onto an 18-in.-long sheet of waxed paper dusted with confectioners' sugar. Gently peel off parchment., In a small bowl, beat cheeses and sugar until blended. Stir in Kahlua, orange zest and vanilla. Spread over cake to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Trim ends; place on a platter, seam side down., Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour before serving. To serve, dust with confectioners' sugar.

ITALIAN CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in ricotta and vanilla. Combine flour, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture. , Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. , In a large bowl, cream together butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to reach spreading consistency. Frost cooled cookies and immediately decorate with sprinkles. Store in the refrigerator.