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Pecan Butter Balls, Russian Tea Cakes or Mexican Wedding Cookies?
These cookies were made for our family by my Grandma Lizette every year that I can remember. I continued the tradition growing up and have made them with my children and for holiday gifts every year. No matter how busy the holiday season, not one has gone by that this cookie isn’t at the top of the list. The ingredients are simple but using the best is important and for me that means good vanilla and butter. I admit that at one time in my young life I wasn’t so crazy about vanilla. How could that be you ask? Well, you know how good it smells when you open that bottle of real vanilla extract? I decided to sneak a sip when Grandma wasn’t looking and let’s just say, the magic happens somewhere in between the mixing and the baking because drinking it straight did not exactly give me the rewards I was looking for! Luckily I’ve moved beyond that experience, as well as moved beyond using artificial (anything) and always have a supply of both vanilla extract and vanilla beans on hand (yum, vanilla sugar). I’ve recently found that toasting nuts prior to including them in baked goods makes for an even better flavor so this year we’ve included that spin with this old favorite. It’s not a requirement but does punch up the pecan flavor a bit. With a cookie called PECAN Butter Balls that’s not bad, right? These are my favorite cookies of all time. If there were a cookie award that I made to my own cookies, they would win. Though there are versions I’ve seen and tasted called Mexican Wedding Cookies and Russian Tea Cakes, all include some slight variation on ingredients. My grandmother was neither Mexican or Russian so it’s a great example of how recipe traditions spread all over the world. For me…I’ve seriously had none better than these. Maybe it’s my memories that make them my favorite. I will always think of that wonderful sweet woman I was lucky to call Grandma! Pecan Butter Balls, Russian Tea Cakes or Mexican Wedding Cookies Ingredients 1 C butter 4 Tbsp. sugar 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract 2 C flour 1/4 tsp. salt 2 cups pecans, toasted for 5-7 minutes in 350 degree oven (just until you can start to smell the nuts from the heat), cool Confectioner’s sugar Preparation Finely chop pecans. I use my food processor but if you don’t have one and are doing by hand, they do need to be finely chopped. Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla and mix til thoroughly combined. Add flour and salt and mix thoroughly. Add nuts incorporate into dough; using a paddle attachment or your hands. Refrigerate 30 minutes (I’ll make the night before too, refrigerate and then let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before continuing) Roll into 1-inch balls and place one inch apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees until set but not brown. Remove from oven and let set for 1 minute. Roll in confectioner’s sugar. Roll again if desired when cool. For a change, we will sometimes roll them in a combination of confectioner’s sugar and pastel colored granulated sugar; it makes for a very winter wonderland sort of look with blue, pink and purple sugars. Makes 4 dozen cookies. Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Beanilla! related searches : Pecan
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