Summer Snowballs Food

SNOWBALLS II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Cream the butter with 1/2 cup of the confectioners' sugar and the vanilla. Mix in the flour, pecans, and salt. Roll about 1 tablespoon or so of dough into balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until bottoms are golden, about 15 minutes. Do not allow these cookies to get too brown: it's better to undercook them than to overcook them. While cookies are still hot, roll them in confectioners' sugar. Once they have cooled, roll them in confectioners' sugar once more.

SNOWBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C.) Lightly butter 2 baking sheets, or line with parchment paper.
• Cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Sift together the flour and salt; mix into the butter mixture. Stir in the pecans. Dust your hands with a little of the confectioners' sugar and roll the dough into 1 inch balls.
• Place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets and bake for 25 minutes or just until brown. Put on racks to cool for 15 minutes, then roll in the confectioners sugar.

MEXICAN SNOWBALLS

Steps:

• Cover two large baking dishes with plastic wrap, pulling so surface is taut. Drop 16 scoops of ice cream onto prepared dishes, dipping the ice-cream scoop in hot water as you work. Freeze balls until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss coconut with cinnamon. Toast, tossing occasionally, 6 to 10 minutes; let cool.
• Working with one ice-cream ball at a time, remove from freezer, and roll in coconut mixture; return to dish in freezer. Freeze until set, at least 30 minutes (or up to 1 day).

SWEET SNOWBALLS

Steps:

• Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Meanwhile, crush the biscuits and Maltesers in a large bowl with a rolling pin.
• Add mini marshmallows, dried cranberries and cake crumbs, then the chocolate and golden syrup. Mix well. Tip desiccated coconut onto a plate. Drop large spoonfuls of mixture onto the plate, then roll them around, coating in coconut and shaping into balls. Place on a baking tray and chill for 30 mins before serving. Sprinkle with edible glitter if you like.

SUMMER SNOWBALLS

Steps:

• With an ice-cream scoop, form ice cream into 8 balls, dipping scoop in hot water as you work and dropping balls onto prepared dish. (To prepare the dish, tightly cover a baking dish with plastic wrap, stretching it over the top; this will prevent the snowballs from flattening on the bottom.) Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
• One at a time, remove balls from freezer, roll in desired coating (1 1/2 cups total), and return to freezer. Freeze until set, at least 10 minutes, before serving.
• TOFFEE CHIPS: Use toffee chips straight from the bag, or crush up your favorite candies.
• TOASTED COCONUTS: Spread sweetened shredded coconut on a rimmed baking sheet; bake at 350 degrees, tossing occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
• TOASTED ALMONDS: Spread sliced almonds on a rimmed baking sheet; bake at 350 degrees, tossing occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely.

SUMMER SNOWBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F if using coconut or almonds. Spread the coconut and/or almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven, tossing occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate, and let cool completely before using.
• Tightly cover a baking dish with plastic wrap, stretching it over the top (this will prevent the snowballs from flattening on the bottom.) With an ice-cream scoop, form vanilla ice cream into 8 balls, dipping the scoop in hot water as you work and dropping the balls onto the prepared dish. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
• One at a time, remove the balls from the freezer, roll in the desired topping, and return to the freezer. Freeze until set, at least 10 minutes and up to 2 days, before serving.