Christmas Treats and Sweets by Chef Bari

Thanks for dropping by for Christmas Treats and Sweets. 

Welcome to Christmas Treats and Sweets with Chef Bari. Enjoy your Christmas Season with my cookies and treats recipes.

UPDATE: 2013 - Join Me on my Facebook Page : Christmas Cookbook for new recipes and great step by step photos.

Gingerbread Men or Women Cookies

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ cup(114grams) butter – room temp.
• ½ cup (110 grams) sugar
• 1 large egg or 2 small eggs
• 2/3cup(175ml) molasses



Method:

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of your favourite mixer (or by hand), with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and molasses and beat until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture beating until mixed.
3. Divide the dough in half, and wrap each half in saran wrap and refrigerate for at two hours or better yet - overnight. 
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside while you roll out the dough. I just use “Pan” spray instead of parchment paper – but – if you are not experience in baking use parchment paper.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Use a gingerbread cutter to cut out the cookies. 
6. With a metal long offset spatula (place in hot water first) lift the cut out cookies onto the baking sheet, placing the cookies about 1 inch (2.54 cm) apart. 
7. Make holes with at the top of cookies if you love to hang your cookies on the Christmas Tree or for placing a red or green ribbon when making it as a gift. Bake for about 8 - 12 minutes depending on the size of the cookies.
8. Check your cookies in ten minutes (depending on the size of your cut-outs – they may cook faster when smaller. Don’t overcook - the edges are just beginning to brown. 

Remove the cookies from the oven and let firm before moving – approximately five minutes to rest.

Check out Chef Bari 

Christmas Treats Series with Canadian Recipes of the Great White North

Once again, Welcome to Christmas Treats and Sweets with Canadian Recipes of the Great White North. Enjoy your Christmas  Season with my cookies and treats recipes on my Christmas Cookbook on Facebook with new recipes and step by step photos.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Christmas at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas by Canadian Recipes of the Great White North 

Christmas Cake

Christmas Cake by Chef Bari

Ingredients:
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 1 cup hot water
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups raisins
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ½ cup white flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup candied chopped mixed peel fruit

Directions or Method:

1. Spray bottom and sides with “Pan” Spray – use a 9 x 5 x 3 cake pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C)
2. In a large saucepan, over medium heat, bring to a boil the sugar, water, butter, spices, and raisins. 
3. Boil for five minutes remove and let cool till lukewarm. Stir into this mixture the lightly beaten eggs, flour, baking soda, vanilla and candied fruit. 
4. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 45 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Cover and store, if possible, for a few days before serving.

Makes one - 9x5 inch loaf

Canadian Recipes of the Great White North makes a Great Christmas Gift :

Christmas Treats Series with Canadian Recipes of the Great White North

Christmas is a wonderful time of the year to be close with your family and enjoy Christmas Treats by Canadian Recipes of the Great White North.

Join Us - Canadian Recipes of the Great White North and Christmas Cookbook on Facebook

Christmas Treats and Sweets

Join me with wonderful recipes that will help make your Christmas a very special season of the year with your family.
Treats and sweets always make a great gift during the Christmas Season. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2013

Christmas Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour 
• 1/4 teaspoon (2 grams) salt 
• 1 cup (250 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 1/2 cup (60 grams) icing sugar 
• 1 teaspoon (4 grams) pure vanilla 

Method: (Makes about 20 shortbread cookies)

1.  Using your favorite mixer (or by hand), cream the butter until smooth (approximately 1 minute). 
2. Add the sugar and beat until smooth 
3. Beat in the vanilla extract. 
4. Stir in the flour mixture just until mixed. 
5. Flatten the dough into a disk shape, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill the dough for at least an hour. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) with the rack in the middle of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to 1/4 inch (.5 cm) thick.
Cut into rounds or whatever shapes you wish using lightly floured cookie cutter.
Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet and place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
This will firm up the dough so the cookies will maintain their shape when baked. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly brown. Cool on rack.

Shortbread with keep in an airtight container for about a week or frozen for several months and they make a great Christmas Gift for all. Makes about 20 shortbread cookies
Enjoy!
Merry Christmas 

Merry Christmas Treats by Chef Bari

MERRY CHRISTMAS 

Christmas is a wonderful time of the year to be close with your family and enjoy Christmas Treats by Canadian Recipes of the Great White North on Facebook. 
Canadian Recipes of the Great White North have over 4500 visitors a year. Lets see if we can reach 10,000 a year. Join Us on Facebook : Canadian Recipes of the Great White North - Merry Christmas!
Now until Christmas I will be making Christmas Cookies and Treats - I like to call it :

Christmas in Las Vegas - Vegas Reviews

Christmas Treats and Sweets

Christmas Chew Cookies by Canadian Recipes of the Great White North

Ingredients:
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup molasses
• 2 Large Eggs or 3 small Eggs
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 2 ¾ cups flour
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp baking soda
• ¼ salt



Method:
1. Cream butter & brown sugar in your favourite mixer.
2. Adding Liquid Items – mix in one egg at a time, add molasses and vanilla. Just be sure it is mixed.
3. Using a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon by hand. (Tip: Using your hands incorporates the dry products more evenly)
4. Combine with wet items in mixer. Add the flour mixture a cup at a time
5. Place batter in fridge for a couple of hours
6. Pre-heat the oven at 350 degrees F
7. Take batter out of the fridge – There are two ways of preparing the cookies. You can either place the batter in saran wrap and make a roll for easy cutting Or if you’re in a hurry, take some batter into the palm of your hands and make small balls.
8. If you like – you can roll the balls in sugar ( for that extra sweet tooth)
9. Place on baking sheets of your choice, pressing the ball down with the palm of your hand or you can use a fork to press it down.
10. Bake for ten minutes – Should be soft in the center but firm.

Merry Christmas! Check out Chef Bari Website

Gingerbread Men or Women Cookies   Christmas Cake Recipe   Christmas Shortbread Cookies

Check out my cookbook - Canadian Recipes of the Great White North  makes a Great Christmas Gift - Check it out 

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