From Russia With Love Cookies Recipes

"FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE" COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks one at a time; add vanilla, lemon juice and zest. In another bowl, whisk flour and baking soda; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Reserve 1/2 cup of dough; wrap and freeze. Shape remaining portion into a rectangle; wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 350°. Roll larger portion of dough on a lightly floured piece of parchment into a 12x8-in. rectangle, about 1/4-in. thick; transfer to a baking sheet. Spread preserves over dough to within 1/4-in. of edge. Grate remaining frozen dough over preserves. Bake until light golden brown, 24-28 minutes. Cool on pan 5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Cut into bars.

RUSSIAN TEA COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until smooth. Add almond and vanilla extracts. Slowly add flour and salt to butter mixture, and mix until incorporated. Mix in pecans and walnuts.
• Use a cookie scooper to scoop the dough and then roll into balls (or use your hands to form 1" balls). Bake for 10-12 minutes. (These cookies barely brown, so if they don't look done, it's okay!).
• Roll in powdered sugar while still warm, and roll again when cool.

RUSSIAN GINGERBREAD COOKIES (PRYANIKI)

Steps:

• Cookies: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in honey and egg. With mixer on low, add flour mixture; mix just until a dough forms. Dough will be soft. Divide dough in half, wrap each half in plastic, and pat into rectangles. Refrigerate until firm, 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line three rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Working quickly with one rectangle at a time, roll out dough 1/4 inch thick on a well-floured surface, turning, lifting, and flouring dough (and rolling pin) as needed. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, cut out rounds and transfer to prepared sheets. Brush off excess flour; freeze until firm, 1 hour. Repeat process with remaining dough.
• Top half the rounds with 1 teaspoon each plum jam. Brush edge of dough lightly with water, then top with another dough round and press edges together to seal. Reshape each cookie into a neat circle, if necessary, on sheets, spaced 2 inches apart. Bake until puffed and dry, 14 to 16 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets.
• Glaze: Whisk together confectioners' sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Dip the top of each cookie in glaze, then transfer to a wire rack until glaze is set, 1 hour. Glazed cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.

CHOCOLATE KOLBASA (RUSSIAN NO-BAKE FUDGE COOKIES)

Steps:

• Place cookies in a bowl and use a masher to crush them into bits. (The biggest pieces should be no larger than 1/2-inch square.) Dump mixture into a colander and shake to remove most of the tiny crumbs. You should have about 2 cups pieces remaining. Return to bowl and add nuts.
• In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Whisk in condensed milk. If using bar chocolate, break into medium-size pieces. Add chocolate, cocoa powder and salt, and whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Scrape chocolate mixture into bowl with cookies. Stir together and set aside at room temperature for 15 minutes to firm up.
• Meanwhile, lay 2 sheets of aluminum foil, each about 18 inches long, on a work surface. Top each with a sheet of waxed or parchment paper. Divide cookie mixture between the two. Using paper and your hands, shape and roll mixture into two cylinders of dough, each about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Roll dough up in the paper, then again in foil. Roll on the work surface to make sure the log is even, then twist the ends of the foil to secure.
• Refrigerate the logs until firm, at least 1 hour. After 1 hour, check to make sure they are setting evenly. If necessary, roll on the work surface again until smooth (no need to remove the foil and paper). Refrigerate until fully set, another 2 hours or up to 3 days.
• When ready to serve, remove logs from refrigerator and unwrap them on a work surface. Sprinkle confectioners' sugar over them, turning to coat. Shake off excess and use a serrated knife to slice into 1/4-inch rounds. Plate and serve, or refrigerate up to 2 hours.

RUSSIAN BUTTER COOKIES FOR CHRISTMAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Beat well the butter and sugar together.
• Blend in the remaining ingredients.
• Chill for several hours or overnight.
• Shape/roll into 1 inch balls.
• Bake at 400°F for 10-12 minutes.
• Roll AT ONCE, while warm, in 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar.
• Cool and then roll AGAIN in confectioner's sugar.
• These are so simple and yet so special.