Bear Y Cookie Salad Recipes

SWEET COOKIE SALAD WITH HOMEMADE COOKIES AND MANDARINS

Steps:

• For the pudding: Combine the granulated sugar, flour and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the egg yolks and then the cream over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it's thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Add the vanilla and almond extracts, pour into a heatsafe bowl and cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of the pudding. Refrigerate until cooled, about 1 hour or overnight.
• For the cookies: Combine the flour, confectioners' sugar and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. With the mixer running on low, add the vanilla and almond extracts and then gradually add the butter. Mix until the mixture comes together into a dough, slowly increasing the speed once you're confident that doing so won't result in flour flying everywhere. Divide the dough in half, press into discs, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight. (If you're impatient, fine, skip this step.)
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/8 inch by 1/4 inch thick. Cut out 2-inch circles with a biscuit cutter and then use a big piping tip to cut out 1/2-inch holes from the center. (Re-roll scraps as needed.) Place the cookies on baking sheets 1 inch apart. Bake until they're just starting to brown around the edges (start checking for doneness at 12 minutes). Let cool on the pans.
• Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each. Let it cool slightly and then pour into a piping bag. Snip off the tip and then pipe 4 thick chocolate stripes on each cookie. Let the chocolate harden at room temp or in the fridge.
• For the assembly: In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the cream and confectioners' sugar to stiff peaks.
• Fold together the whipped cream and pudding in a large bowl. Crush the cookies by hand or in a ziptop bag with a rolling pin or other blunt object (reserving 6 to 8 whole cookies for the topping) and fold them in. Drain and fold in the mandarin slices, reserving some for the topping too. Top with remaining cookies, mandarin slices and sprinkles. Refrigerate until you're ready to serve.

COOKIE SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together the pudding mixes, buttermilk, milk and vanilla. Fold in the whipped topping until incorporated. Fold in the pineapple and most of the orange segments, reserving some for garnish. Chill for at least 1 hour.
• Crush, then stir in two-thirds of the cookies just before serving. Garnish with the reserved mandarin orange segments and remaining whole cookies.

RUGELACH COOKIE SALAD

Steps:

• For the pudding: Combine the granulated sugar, flour and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the egg yolks, then the heavy cream. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Add the vanilla and most of the orange zest (save some for garnish), pour into a heat-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap so that it touches the surface of the pudding. Refrigerate until cooled, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• For the rugelach: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Roll the pie dough out on a lightly floured surface to a large round, about 1/4 inch thick. Brush the dough with the egg wash, then sprinkle the granulated sugar, cinnamon and half of the walnuts in a light even layer across the dough. Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut the dough into 8 triangular wedges. Roll up each section starting with the wide end. Transfer the rugelach to a parchment-lined baking sheet and space them 1 inch apart. Lightly brush the top of the rugelach with the egg wash and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar, flaky salt and the rest of the walnuts.
• Bake until golden brown; start checking for doneness at 15 minutes. Let cool completely on the pan or a cooling rack.
• For the whipped cream. In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar to stiff peaks.
• For the assembly: Roughly chop half of the rugelach cookies, leaving the rest intact.
• In a large bowl, fold together the whipped cream and pudding. Add the marshmallows, apples and chopped rugelach and mix together. Top with the intact rugelach, some marshmallows, the remaining orange zest and a few more toasted nuts. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

POLAR BEAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, mix cookie mix, flour, melted butter and egg until soft dough forms.
• Shape into 24 (1 1/2-inch) balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown on edges. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely.
• Using knife, spread 1 teaspoon frosting on cookie. Immediately sprinkle sugar evenly over frosting. Slightly flatten 2 miniature marshmallows, and press on cookie for ears. Using chocolate icing, pipe eyes, nose and mouth on cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies.