Raspberry Sticks Recipes

RASPBERRY STICKS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and 1/2 cup shortening. Add sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat until well combined.
• Beat in flour. Knead dough together until well blended and shape into a ball. Set aside.
• Combine preserves, apricots, and orange peel.
• Divide dough in half. Roll each half between pieces of wax paper to a 6x12 inch rectangle. Remove top wax paper.
• Spread preserve mixture lengthwise on half of each rectangle of dough, to within 1/2 of edges. Fold dough over filling and seal edges. Use the wax paper to invert onto a greased cookie sheet and use fork tines to reseal edges.
• Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet on a wire rack.
• When cool, cut each square of dough into 3/4 inch wide sticks. Put sticks on the cookie sheet and bake at 375°F for 8-10 minutes or until crisp. Cool on a wire rack.
• In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the white chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons shortening for 2 minutes or until melted, stirring twice. Dip cookies in this mixture, then in decorating sugar. Cool on waxed paper.

PEPPERMINT STICKS

Steps:

• Coat a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, and set aside. Place sugar, corn syrup, and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan. Cover; bring to a boil. Remove lid, and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until syrup registers 305 degrees (hard-crack stage) on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and carefully stir in lemon juice, extract, and food coloring.
• Pour hot syrup onto prepared baking sheet, being careful not to touch syrup. Using a metal spatula coated with cooking spray, fold edges toward the middle (this will help cool the syrup). When it is cool enough to handle but still quite warm, using plastic gloves, strech and pull candy, folding it over onto itself before pulling again, until it is opaque and just starting to firm up, about 10 minutes.
• Immediately pull off pieces to form long pencil-thin ropes. Working quickly, cut into 7-inch lengths with a pair of kitchen scissors. Continue pulling until all candy is used or is no longer pliable.
• Temper chocolate: Heat 2/3 of chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water until chocolate registers 118 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove pan from heat, and add the remaining chocolate; stir with a rubber spatula (avoid using a wooden spoon, which can impart other flavors) until it cools to 84 degrees. Remove any unmelted pieces, and discard. Return bowl to pan, and stir until chocolate reaches 88 to 90 degrees.
• Dip top 3 inches of each pepperment stick in the chocolate, if desired. Allow excess to drip off; set on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and let harden.

RASPBERRY PASTRY TWISTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks. In another bowl, mix the flour, confectioners' sugar and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate overnight. , Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before rolling. On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion of dough into a 12x8-in. rectangle. Spread 3 tablespoons filling widthwise over half of the dough. Fold dough in half over filling. Cut widthwise into sixteen 1/2-in. strips. Twist each strip three times; pinch unfolded ends to seal., Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. If desired, lightly brush tops with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Bake at 375° for 15-17 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

HINDBAERSNITTER (DANISH RASPBERRY SLICES)

Steps:

• Prepare the dough: In a medium bowl, toss together the butter and flour. Using a pastry cutter (or your fingertips), rub the butter bits into the flour until the mixture resembles cauliflower rice. Stir in the confectioners' sugar and salt. (The mixture will look like very finely crumbled Parmesan at this point.)
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and vanilla extract. Stir into the dough - or use a pastry cutter to integrate it - just until the mixture is smooth. (It may look like the mixture needs more liquid, but the butter and egg should suffice.) Take your hands and squeeze the dough a few times just until it comes together and appears fully hydrated (no dry white spots). Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight) before using.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Divide the chilled dough into two equal portions (each about 350 grams). Cut parchment paper to line two large baking sheets, plus a third piece of similar size to help roll out the dough. Working on one sheet of parchment at a time, roll out each portion of dough, sandwiching it between the extra sheet of parchment for ease, until roughly 10 inches wide, 12 inches long and a scant 1/4-inch thick. (Expanding the dough evenly requires even pressure applied to your rolling pin. If your dough is expanding in the wrong direction, trim outside portions and move the trimmed portion to a more desired central position, "gluing" it in place with your fingertips.) Prick each slab of dough all over with a fork to prevent them from puffing.
• Using the parchment paper to lift the dough, transfer each to a large baking sheet. Bake both until lightly golden, about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks to cool, about 15 minutes.
• Once the cookies have cooled, spread one of them with the jam until evenly coated. Carefully set the other crust on top, pressing gently to adhere.
• Prepare the frosting: In a medium bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar with 2 tablespoons hot water; whisk to combine. The mixture should be as thick as loose honey; add additional hot water by the teaspoonful if needed to achieve the desired consistency. Drizzle on top of the pastry, spreading all the way to the edges in an even layer.
• Sprinkle immediately with dried raspberries or sprinkles. (The frosting can firm up fairly quickly, so you'll want to garnish it while the toppings can still stick.) Let sit until the frosting firms up, about 1 hour.
• Using a sharp knife, trim the edges of the pastry to form clean lines. (Reserve those to snack on.) Cut into squares or rectangles, in any size you fancy. Raspberry slices will keep a few days, covered, at room temperature - or in the refrigerator, if the weather is balmy (though they are best enjoyed at room temperature). If layering them for storage, separate each layer with parchment or wax paper to protect the frosting.