X Cookies Recipes

SICILIAN X COOKIES

Steps:

• In food processor or bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add butter; pulse or cut in with pastry blender or 2 knives until fine crumbs form. Add eggs, orange rind and vanilla; blend until in ball. On lightly floured surface, divide into thirds; press each into rectangle about 1 inch thick. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, spread hazelnuts on baking sheet; bake in 350°F oven for about until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer to tea towel; rub until most of the skins are removed. Let cool.
• Dissolve instant coffee in 3 tbsp water. In food processor or in bowl and using chef's knife, chop together hazelnuts, coffee, figs, chocolate chips, raisins, jam, cinnamon and cloves until in chunky paste. (Dough and filling can be refrigerated in separate airtight containers for up to 2 days.)
• Between sheets of waxed paper, roll out each portion of dough to 12- x 9-inch rectangle. Cut lengthwise into three 3-inch wide strips. Spread ¼ cup of the filling lengthwise along centre of each strip. Brush sides with water; fold 1 side over filling and continue to roll log over to enclose filling and place seam underneath. Pat to flatten slightly and seal seam.
• Cut each log of dough into four 3-inch long pieces. Make lengthwise cut about 1 ¼ inches long in both ends of each piece. Bend ends outward slightly to form X shape. With spatula, transfer to greased baking sheet. Bake in 375°F oven until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to rack and let cool. Dust with icing sugar. (Cookies can be stored in airtight container for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 weeks.)

LEMON LIME WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Add the flour, baking soda and salt to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• Add the butter and sugars to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream the butter and sugar together until lighter in color and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the egg and beat until incorporated. Add the lemon zest, lime zest and vanilla extract. Beat until evenly combined. Add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture and mix until just incorporated. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold the chocolate chips in with a rubber spatula.
• Use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, keeping them 2 inches apart. Fill each tray with 12 to 16 cookies, then bake until the edges are golden brown and the centers are still soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Repeat the process with the remaining dough. Alternatively, the cookie dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 1 month.

X COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter using a pastry blender, or pinching between your fingers. Add egg, and mix until a dough forms. It may take a couple of minutes of mixing. When the dough starts to hold together, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead briefly. Shape dough into a long roll, wrap, and set aside.
• Place the figs, almonds, apricot preserves, raisins, orange peel, chocolate, rum, and cinnamon into a food processor or blender. Process until finely chopped. If the fruit is hard, it may be soaked in boiling water to soften for 15 minutes before processing.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a small bowl, mix together the remaining egg and milk to make an egg wash.
• Divide dough into 12 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece out into a 3x12 inch rectangle. Brush the strips of dough lightly with egg wash. Place a strip of the fruit mixture lengthwise down the center of each piece of dough, and fold the edges over. Roll gently to seal. This will make the filled tube of dough a little bit longer. Cut each tube into 3 inch pieces. Make a one inch long slit with a knife down the center of each cut end. Spread the ends out to form an X shape. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto lightly greased cookie sheets.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are golden. Allow cookies to cool on the tray for at least 5 minutes, so they will not be too delicate, before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar when cool.