Dutch Dainties

INGREDIENTS     BASE:  ♥ 1/2 cup butter  ♥ 1/2 cup brown sugar  ♥ 1 egg yolk  ♥ 1 cup all purpose flour  ♥ 1/8 tsp baking soda  ♥ 1/8 tsp salt      Filling:  ♥ 2 egg whites  ♥ 1/2 cup brown sugar  ♥ 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut  ♥ 1/4 cup nuts of your choice chopped (I used peanuts)  ♥ 1/4 cup maraschino cherries  ♥ Pinch of baking powder  ♥ Dark chocolate chips melted Baking quick notes:  I ended up short one cup so divide base dough sparingly, about 1/4" deep, press down into cup with small spoon. I think the meringue needed to be whipped longer as last time it collapsed when folding in the filling ingredients, or maybe pull back on the coconut and brown sugar measurements. Dice maraschino cherries finely next time. I have amended this recipe to add salt to the base. The topping was overly sweet so I later coated each dainty in dark chocolate so that the acidic nature could temper the sweetness.

Instructions:

•     Start with the base: Cream butter and sugar together, then add egg yolk until well mixed. Gradually add sifted dry ingredients until well mixed. Press into muffin cups that have been greased or lined with foil baking cups.

•     Move on to the topping: Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Mix brown sugar, coconut, nuts, cherries and baking powder in a separate bowl. Gently fold this mixture slowly into the egg whites. Spoon on top of base.
•     Bake in 325°F oven until filling is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Makes a dozen.
  
  
•     After cooled spoon melted dark chocolate over top of each dainty. Allow time to set up at room temperature. Serve. Let cool thoroughly before storing in an air tight container otherwise moisture will impact meringue topping.

    

Original Source: By Joan Orsatti of Orangeville, ON; taken from an old cookbook from the 1990's made by a charity that is now known as Kerry's Place, located in Ontario.

Spritz Cookies

INGREDIENTS  ♥ 1 cup butter (softened)  ♥ 1 cup granulated sugar  ♥ 1 egg  ♥ 1/4 tsp salt  ♥ 2 tsp vanilla  ♥ 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour  ♥ Cookie press  ♥ Sprinkles (optional) Baking quick notes:  Using exact butter measurement is imperative for formed dough, also do not use room temperature butter but butter that has softened up in about an hour, then grate into the mixing bowl, this way it retains it's shape. Keeping the cookie tray cooled before hand will also prevent the cookies from expanding and losing their shape.

Instructions:

•    Pre-heat oven to 400°F.
      
•     In a mixing bowl beat butter and sugar together until creamy. 
     
•     Add egg until well blended, if mixture starts to curdle add flour a little at a time. Once all flour is incorporated mix until well blended.
       
•     Roll a "log" of cookie dough thin enough that you can insert it into the tube of the cookie press, pack firmly. Select a faceplate for the cookie press and assemble as instructed for the unit. 
       
•     Press cookies onto a chilled baking sheet about 1" apart (add sprinkles here, opt.) and bake for 6-8 minutes until the edges are a light golden brown. Transfer to cooling rack. 

    

Makes approximately 2-3 dozen cookies depending on selected size and plate design.

Variation: Chocolate cookies can be made by adding two squares of unsweetened chocolate melted and gradually mixed into the batter before putting into the press. Likewise, you can tint the dough using gel food colouring to achieve vibrant festive colours when baking (do not overbake otherwise edges will brown).

Original Source: Unknown publisher