Painted Holiday Delights Recipes

PAINTED HOLIDAY DELIGHTS

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine egg and orange juice; stir into crumb mixture just until moistened. Shape into a ball; cover and chill for 1-2 hours or until easy to handle. , On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a 2-in. round cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool., Combine filling ingredients; spread on the bottom of half of the cookies. Top with remaining cookies. , For glaze, combine sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Spread over tops of cookies; dry. Using a small new paintbrush and food coloring, paint holiday designs on cookie tops. Store in the refrigerator.

HOLIDAY CHOCOLATE-DIPPED DELIGHTS

Steps:

• Microwave chocolate in small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.
• Dip assorted dippers into chocolate; let excess chocolate drip off.
• Let stand at room temperature, or refrigerate on wax paper-lined baking sheet, 30 min. or until chocolate is firm.

HOLIDAY PAINTED COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in medium bowl. Set aside. Beat sugar and butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually stir in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll dough on generously floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out shapes with holiday cookie cutters. Place on ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
• Spoon 1 container of the frosting into medium microwavable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 20 to 30 seconds, stirring every 10 seconds. (Frosting should be a pourable consistency.) Dip tops of cookies into frosting. Microwave remaining container of frosting as needed. Place frosted cookies on wire rack set over foil-covered baking sheet. (The baking sheet will catch drips.) Let stand 10 minutes or until frosting is dried.
• Prepare desired colors of Holiday Flavor Paints (see tips). Using small clean paint brushes, paint designs on cookies.

CHOCOLATE-FILLED DELIGHTS

Steps:

• 1. Spatter each egg: If you wish, cover your worktable with newspaper. Slide the eggs onto skewer on a Styrofoam drying rack (see tip, below). Dip the paintbrush in the food coloring, hold it in one hand above the egg and run your thumb along the bristles or tap the handle to create a spray of paint. Revolve each egg to splatter the entire surface. Allow the eggs to dry for several hours.
• 2. Seal the hole in the wider end of each blown egg with a small piece of masking tape. Using the pliers, gently chip away the shell around the other hole, enlarging it to the size of a pea. Place the eggs in an egg carton, open-end up.
• 3. One at a time, fill the eggs with chocolate: Place 1 cup of the baking chips in a food storage bag and twist the bag like a pastry bag to secure the chips in one bottom corner. Microwave on medium for 1 minute, until soft. Snip the corner from the bag and pipe the chocolate into the egg, tapping the egg periodically to compress any air bubbles and filling it completely, to the top of the hole.
• 4. Refrigerate the eggs overnight so the chocolate is firm. Remove the masking tape. Store in the refrigerator if not eating soon.
• 5. Tap the eggs on the table to crack the shells, and peel. Yum.