Evergreen wreath is a fragrant welcome.
Invite friends, family and special guests to your home for the Christmas season. This is a great time to show your hopitality and to show-off your inviting home when it is decorated in all it’s splendor for Christmas.
Entertaining requires a bit of forethought, but not necessarily much extra work. If you have a quality, reputable baker near by. If you are handy, an afternoon in your kitchen can provide you with some tasty treats that you can keep on-hand for any drop-by guests. We recommend serving easy, nastalgic cookies and candies. They will be a great way to welcome guests, and return them to their yesteryears, if even for a fleeting moment.
Old-Fashion Sugar Cookies diplayed in a simple cracker tray.
Having apple cider, hot cocoa mix and eggnog on hand is a quick fix when offering your guests something to warm them from the chill out side. Hot tea and coffee are also safe bets. A splash of Bailey’s Irish Cream is a festive way to dress either up with some cheer.
Keeping your Christmas cookies displayed and tightly wrapped on a platter, saves you steps when guests have already arrived. Using a glass dome to cover your platter is also an option, which allows you to sample them, even when guests don’t drop by.
Remember, there are certain treats that will keep fresh longer than others. This is a good thing to inquire about when purchasing holiday cookies, cakes and candies from your baker. Most recipes will tell you the best way to store and or serve goodies made at home. At Caffè Victoria, we recommend certain cookies which have the greatest “shelf life,” such as Old-Fashion Sugar Cookies and Snowballs. These sell in the Caffè for $4.oo/dozen. We also have beautiful and whimsical Sugar Cookie Cut-outs that are thick and soft, and colorfully iced and decorated, which are $12/dozen. These keep well if they are stored in air tight containers.
OLD-FASHION SUGAR COOKIES
Dough should be rolled into logs about 12″ long, with 1-1/2″ diameters and refrigerated for 3 hours, before brushing with eeg white and rolled in sanding sugar.2 sticks butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg + 1 egg white, divided
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
sanding sugar
Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add 1 egg and vanilla and mix well. Mix in flour and baking powder. Dough should come together. Roll into logs, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate 3 hours.
Pre-heat oven to 350 ° F. Remove from refrigerator, brush with egg and roll in sanding sugar. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Cut logs into coins, about 1/4-inch thick. Place on cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart. Bake about 8-9 minute until just a hint of golden color shows. Cool completely before wrapping or storing.
CHEF’S NOTE: These are also excellent rolled in nuts, such as pecans, walnuts or crushed almonds. Consider spreading a dalop of chocolate ganache on the bottom of one, and placing the bottom of another on to first one, creating a sandwich.
Simple packaging is an excellent way to display sparkle and creativity of hand-made treats.
Finally, never underestimate the simple elegance of having platters of butter cookies around at a holiday party. Simple, delicious, and bite-sized that are tempting and inviting to your guests. If guests are too far away to come for a visit, consider wrapping up a package of cookies to mail to them across the miles. It is a thoughtful, loving gift. And this year, when a gift-giving budget is something to consider, it’s a great choice.
