Sherried Walnut Cookies Food

SHERRIED ORANGE WALNUTS

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
• Place the brown sugar, white sugar, salt, sherry, orange zest, and orange extract into a heavy saucepan, and stir until well combined. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly; boil for 1 minute. Stir in the butter. Remove from heat, and stir in the walnut halves to coat with syrup.
• Spread the candied walnut halves out onto the prepared baking sheet, and allow to cool thoroughly, at least 1 hour. Break into bite-size chunks to serve.

CHERRY WALNUT COOKIES

Steps:

• In bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla.
• Then add flour and salt; stir until blended.
• Stir in cherries and walnuts.
• Divide dough into thirds; shape each into 10" (25 cm) long log.
• Wrap and chill until firm, at least 3 hours.
• Cut logs into 1/8th" or 3 mm thick rounds and place about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, on parchment lined baking sheets.
• Bake in top and bottom thirds of 325 deg F oven, rotating and switching pans halfway through, just until edges begin to colour, 8-10 minutes.
• These cookies brown even faster than shortbreads, so keep a close eye on them! I start checking early, and they're usually done around the 8 minute mark.
• Let cool on pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and let cool completely before storing. Store layered with waxed paper in airtight container for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to one month.
• Makes about 12 dozen cookies (less, of course, if you cut them a little thicker).
• These are really delicious cookies, well worth the time it takes to make them!
• Hint: If you want to use red and green cherries do not mix the cherries in same batch, they look better if made separately!
• Note: chill time of 3 hours is not included in prep time.

SHERRIED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Line 2 cookie sheets with waxed paper. Combine first 5 ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Cook without stirring until clip-on candy thermometer registers 240°F., about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add nuts and stir until syrup begins to look cloudy, about 2 minutes. Divide mixture between cookie sheets. Working quickly, separate nuts with fork. Cool. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

POLVORONES: GROUND WALNUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Using an electric mixer, beat the butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until well blended. Beat in the flour, and then the ground and chopped walnuts. Divide the dough in half, forming each half into a ball. Wrap separately in plastic and chill until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Working with half of the chilled dough at a time while keeping the rest in the fridge, roll the dough by 2 teaspoonfuls between your palms into balls. Arrange the balls on a large baking sheet, spacing them 1/2-inch apart.
• Bake the cookies until golden brown on the bottom and just pale golden on top, about 18 minutes. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Toss the warm cookies in the powdered sugar. Transfer the sugar-coated cookies to a rack to cool completely. (The cookies can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature). Sift additional powdered sugar over the cookies, if desired, before serving.

WALNUT COOKIES (POLVORONES)

Steps:

• With an electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the granulated sugar and beat until well blended. Beat in the flour, and then the chopped and ground walnuts. Remove the dough from the bowl and form into a large disc. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Cut the dough into quarters, and then cut each quarter into sixths for a total of 24 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough between your palms into 2-inch balls. Arrange the 24 balls onto the prepared baking sheets (12 cookies on each sheet), spacing them 1 inch apart. Bake the cookies until golden brown on the bottom and just pale golden on top, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Toss the warm cookies in the confectioners' sugar. Transfer the sugarcoated cookies to a rack to cool completely. (The cookies can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.) Sift more confectioners' sugar over the cookies before serving or toss in sugar a second time.

BLACK WALNUT SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast nuts on a rimmed baking sheet until fragrant and golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
• Beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in orange zest. Reduce speed to low; add flour and salt, scraping down side of bowl as needed. Mix in walnuts.
• Divide dough in half, and transfer each to an 8-inch square baking dish, pressing down until flat. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Prick lines into dough every inch with a fork. Bake until pale golden, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle Demerara sugar over surface of each. Bake until sugar is set, about 5 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Cut into 2-inch squares while warm. Transfer pans to wire racks, and let cool.