As we come to a close of a year that most of us could never have imagined in our wildest dreams, I wanted to take a minute and reflect on this craziness we have been living through.
For myself I have gone through all the emotions, and as I sit and type today, I still feel like this has all been a bad dream. One thing is for sure, I am super thankful for my health and family. From day one of our first lock down, I held on to hope that by the Fall this would be over soon. Now as Winter is upon us and we are in our second lock down, I continue to stay positive that we will be through this soon.
Christmas just doesn’t feel the same, but we are making the best of it. I still baked and decorated and thankfully finished the gift buying early, but is this what it’s all about? What this has really taught me is that it’s more about the gatherings. The Christmas parties with friends and family, everyone sitting around together enjoying a meal in person. Hugging and kissing your loved ones, maybe for your family it’s going together to your place of worship. Whatever you did collectively as a family that’s what it’s really all about.
So maybe this is all a big lesson and we need to look at Christmas differently. And maybe not just Christmas but every holiday or birthday. When this is all over and it will be one day, we will look back and truly be thankful for all we do have. Spending time together is worth so much more than the stuff we buy or the things we have, it’s the meals, the laughter and the hugs.
I am wishing all of you a blessed Christmas and Happy Holidays, and a New Year filled with family gatherings, afternoon tea with your best friend and laughter by the ton loads!
Here are two recipes for last minute baking and they make great care packages wrapped up in a pretty tin or box.
Christmas Crack
Ingredients
1 box of your favourite gluten free table crackers (I use Schar table crackers)
1 cup of organic salted butter or dairy free butter (Melt butter sticks or Earth Balance)
1 cup of organic brown sugar
1 pkg (270g-300g) of fair trade chocolate chips
½ cup of slivered almonds (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a large baking pan with foil and then a piece of parchment paper. Make sure the entire pan is covered properly.
Next line the pan with the entire box of crackers single layered, they all should fit.
Meanwhile in a medium saucepan, melt your butter and brown sugar on medium low heat whisking until the butter and sugar are combined. Bring to a boil and whisk constantly for 5 minutes (Set a timer). Remove from heat and quickly pour over the crackers making sure to cover all of them. I use an offset spatula to spread it.
Pop in the oven for 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven immediately and sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.
Let stand for 1-2 minutes until the chocolate has melted and spread across the crackers with the offset spatula.
Quickly sprinkle with the slivered almonds so they stick to the chocolate.
Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours until hard. Then peel off the paper and foil and break into pieces.
Will store in the fridge for 2 weeks or freezer for 3 months.
Linzer Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup of almond flour
1 ¼ cups Bob’s Red Mill gluten free 1 to 1 flour
¼ cup of tapioca starch
½ teaspoon of baking powder
¾ cup of organic butter softened or dairy free butter ( melt brand or earth balance)
¾ cup of organic granulated sugar
1 large organic egg room temperature
2 teaspoons of good quality vanilla
½ cup of organic raspberry jam
¼ cup of organic powdered sugar for dusting the cookies
White rice flour for rolling out your dough
Linzer cookie cutter
Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, gluten free flour, tapioca starch, and baking powder. Set aside.
In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for two minutes, and then add your sugar and beat for 2-3 minutes more.
Next, add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-low speed until combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the mixer and mix on low until all the flour is combined.
Then up the speed to medium until a dough forms. The dough will be sticky but formed, that is what you want.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line two cookies sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Once the dough is chilled dust your counter with the rice flour and start to knead your dough for a few seconds. You can divide your dough in half and start to roll half the dough to about ¼ inch thickness. Using your linzer cutter, cut about 15-20 full circles first. Place them on the prepared cookie sheet about 1 inch apart and bake for about 18 -20 minutes. They should have just a slight golden colour on the bottom.
Well those are baking, prepare the tops which will have the holes. Make sure you roll out equal bottoms to tops.
The tops will bake for less time, about 15- 17 minutes.
After all the cookies are baked and completely cooled, prepare the raspberry jam by heating it in a small pot until runny.
Drop about a teaspoon on each cookie and place the top on.
Let the cookies set for about 2 hours then lightly dust with the powdered sugar.
These taste best the next day, these keep well in an airtight container for several weeks or can be frozen for a few months.
You can change up the jam filling for a different taste as well.
Linzer cookies make a lovely Valentine cookie with a heart shaped center and it’s red and white colouring.
Hope you will enjoy making these treats with your family over the holidays and sharing them with loved ones.
Merry Christmas & Cheers
Wendy
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