Fruity Meltaways Recipes

MELTAWAYS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Cream butter with an electric mixer until light. Gradually add the fructose and beat thoroughly. Beat in the almond extract, vanilla extract and water.
• Combine the flour, salt and pecans. Add to the creamed mixture, a little at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Roll doll into date-sized balls and place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 13 to 14 minutes. Roll in confectioners' sugar while warm and then again once cool.

FRUITY MELTAWAYS

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a stiff spatula, mix butter, confectioners' sugar, salt, lemon juice and vanilla until creamy and combined. Add ground freeze-dried fruit and mix until distributed. Add flour, and mix until it all comes together into a soft dough.
• Divide the dough into two (250-gram) portions. On pieces of parchment paper, wax paper or plastic wrap, roll each portion of dough into a 10-inch-long log. Chill for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator or up to 3 months tightly wrapped in the freezer.
• Set oven racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven, and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two sheet trays with parchment paper.
• Using a sharp knife, trim about ⅛-inch off each side of the chilled dough logs, just so that you have flat ends. Slice the logs into scant ¼-inch-thick cookies. Roll the log a quarter turn after each slice to keep it round. (If the dough cracks while slicing, let it warm up at room temperature for 10 minutes.) Arrange on sheet trays ½-inch apart and bake, rotating the trays once during baking, until set and barely golden underneath, 10 to 12 minutes.
• While the cookies bake, make the sugar coating: Sift together the powdered sugar with the ground freeze-dried fruit. While still warm, gently toss the cookies in the powdered sugar mixture and return to the sheet tray to fully cool. The cookies will keep for 2 weeks stored at room temperature in an airtight container.

LEMON MELTAWAYS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• In large bowl, beat softened butter, 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar and the lemon zest with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Stir in flour until soft dough forms. Shape dough into 36 (1 1/4-inch) balls. Place 1 1/2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets; flatten each ball to 1 1/2-inch circle (cookie does not spread).
• Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are set but not brown. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. In small bowl, place 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar. Roll each warm cookie in powdered sugar, and place on cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Roll cookies again in powdered sugar to coat.
• In small bowl, beat 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice with spoon until smooth. If too stiff to drizzle, add additional lemon juice, 1 teaspoon at a time. Spoon into resealable food-storage plastic bag; partially seal bag. Cut small tip from corner of bag; pipe over tops of cookies. Let stand about 1 hour or until icing is set. Store covered in airtight container.

PECAN MELTAWAYS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in pecans. Refrigerate until chilled., Preheat oven to 350°. Roll into 1-in. balls and place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Roll warm cookies in additional confectioners' sugar; cool completely on wire racks. Roll cooled cookies again in confectioners' sugar.

LIME MELTAWAYS FROM ''THE MARTHA STEWART SHOW''

Steps:

• Put butter and 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add lime zest and juice and vanilla, and mix until fluffy.
• Whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl. Add to butter mixture, and mix on low speed until just combined.
• Divide dough in half. Place each half on an 8-by-12-inch sheet of parchment paper. Roll in parchment to form a log 1 1/4 inches in diameter, pressing a ruler along edge of parchment at each turn to narrow log. Refrigerate logs until cold and firm, at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove parchment from logs; cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Space rounds 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake cookies until barely golden, about 13 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. While still warm, toss cookies with remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a resealable plastic bag. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 weeks.

LEMON MELTAWAYS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, cream together 3/4 cup butter and 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar until smooth. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Combine the flour and corn starch, and blend into the lemon mixture to form a soft dough. Divide dough in half, roll each half into a log about 8 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until firm.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Cut each roll into 1/4 inch slices and place onto the cookie sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 12 minutes, or until set. Cool completely before frosting.
• In a small bowl, blend together 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon lemon zest with an electric mixer until smooth. Frost cookies and allow to dry before serving or storing.