Ruby Jewel Christmas Cookies Williams Sonoma Recipes

CHRISTMAS JEWEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Set butter aside in a large bowl to soften.
• In another bowl mix together flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.
• Set aside enough cherry halves so that there is enough to top each cookie with one.
• Add remaining fruit and walnuts to a third bowl. Add 1/2 cup of the flour mixture to the fruit and stir until it is coated with flour and mixed well. (This helps separate the fruit and keep it from sticking together.).
• After butter has softened, beat butter, sugar and eggs until creamy. Mix in buttermilk and vanilla.
• Add half of flour mixture and mix well. Add remaining flour and mix.
• Note: At this point, make sure everything is mixed well because the mixture will be very stiff and hard to stir after adding the fruit.
• Stir in half of the fruit mixture into the cookie dough. Add remaining fruit and mix.
• Refrigerate dough for an hour or more (may be refrigerated overnight).
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls on non-stick or lightly greased cookie sheet. Top each cookie with one reserved cherry half.
• Bake 12-15 minutes, until almost no imprint remains when touched lightly with finger.
• Remove and cool.

ORANGE MADELEINES (WILLIAMS SONOMA)

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven, preheat to 375°F Using a pastry brush, heavily brush room-temperature butter over each of the 12 molds in a madeleine pan, carefully buttering every ridge. Dust the molds with flour, tilting pan to coat the surfaces evenly. Turn the pan upside down, tap it gently, and discard the excess flour.
• By Mixer: In a large bowl, combine the eggs, granuated sugar, and salt. Beat on medium-high speed until pale, thick, and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts. Sprinkle the sifted flour over the egg mixture and mix on low speed to incorporate.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the orange zest and half of the melted butter just until blended. Fold in the remaining butter.
• Divide the batter among the 12 prepared molds, using a heaping tablespoon of batter for each mold. Bake the cookies until the top springs back when lightly touched. 8 - 12 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven and invert it over a wire rack, then rap it on the rack to release the madeleines. If any stick, use your fingers to loosen the edges, being careful not to touch the hot pan, and invert and rap again.
• Let cool on the rack for 10 minutes. Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust the tops with confectioner's sugar and serve. Alternatively, cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Before serving, heat the cookies in a 250F (120c) oven until warm, then dust with the confectioners' sugar.

KEY LIME JEWEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a medium bowl mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and lime zest; set aside.
• In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar together.
• Add the egg yolks, and combine well.
• Next, mix in the almond extract, and the lime juice.
• Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and mix well.
• Add the water to make the dough come together more easily.
• Add the green food coloring and work through the dough to get even color.
• Lay the chopped pine nuts out in one layer on a plate.
• Pinch off chunks of the dough and roll them between your hands to form 1 inch balls.
• Roll the dough balls in the pine nuts to get them evenly coated, and then place them on parchment paper lined baking sheets.
• Take your index finger and make an indent into the middle of each dough ball.
• Carefully drop 1 teaspoon of the raspberry preserves into each indent on your cookies.
• Bake for about 35 minutes, or when the pine nuts start to lightly brown on the edges.(Your cookies may bake quicker, my oven is not the best, just use your best judgement folks).
• Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheets for a couple minutes.
• Then transfer the cookies to cooling racks to cool completely before lightly dusting them with the powdered sugar. Enjoy!