Swedish Butter Cookies

We didn't have anymore pecans, but the hubby wanted to make them anyway... He says that he'll get some pecans later. When he thaws them out at Christmas, he says that he'll brush them with butter and roll them in chopped pecans. I say leave them alone and make another batch when you get the pecans! LOL

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, separated
1 tbsp half & half cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 finely chopped pecans
maraschino cherries, halved

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk, vanilla and cream. Combine flour and baking powder and gradually add to the butter mixture. Stir in 1/2 cup pecans. Roll about a tablespoon of the dough into a ball. Repeat with remaining dough.

In a small bowl, beat the egg white. dip the top of the balls in the egg and then dip in the remaining pecans. Place them about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Using the handle of a wooden spoon, make a hole in the top of each cookie. Place a cherry in each hole, cut side down. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an air tight container.

Christmas Caramels

I found a few recipes for homemade caramels, but the problem was I didn't have the ingredients for any of them. So, if you know me, you know that didn't stop me! LOL, I compromised and combined what I did have into one consolidated recipe. Notice that there is NO butter or vanilla! The hubby said that the result is just as good if not better than Werther's Caramels! Woo Hoo!

1 cup Heavy Cream 

1/2 cup Half & Half
1 cup granulated Sugar
1 cup packed Light Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Other tools and supplies... Candy thermometer, parchment paper and waxed paper.

In a heavy saucepan, combine cream, half & half, sugars and salt. Over medium to medium high heat bring mixture to a boil while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. (Make sure the pot is double the size you think you need, because this mixture foams up and will make a huge mess if the pot is not big enough!)

Once the caramel comes to a boil, attach candy thermometer and stop stirring.

While the caramel is boiling, prepare your dish. Butter a 13x9 baking dish, line with parchment, and then butter the parchment. Make sure you leave some parchment showing on two ends of the dish. This will give you 'handles' to lift the caramel out when it is set.

Continue boiling, without stirring until the temperature reaches 245 degrees, the firm ball stage. Don't turn your back or walk away at this point. The caramel can foam over and burn on the stove, or it could boil over on you and cause serious burns. This caramel doesn't wash off. It sticks and burns, so use caution during this stage, and you'll be fine! (Keep kids away from the stove/kitchen while getting the candy up to temperature!)

Remove from heat and pour into your prepared pan. Let the caramel rest in a safe place out of reach (so little fingers won't be tempted... like the hubby here!) for about least 8 hours or overnight before cutting. It should be completely cool and set. It will be a little tacky.

To cut, lift the caramel using the 'handles' of parchment you left showing. Turn it out on a cutting board that you have lightly sprayed with oil. Peel the parchment away and cut as desired. (I used a knife heated in hot water. It cuts easier that way.) I wrapped mine individually in strips of wax paper. This recipe made 100 wrapped candies of various sizes. Next time, I'm going to cover some in milk chocolate! :-)