Christmas is coming, and that means you all need to taste new cookie recipes. This year I decided to bake a lot of different cookies, pack them in a lovely boxes and give to my friends as a small holiday gifts. This recipe is just a first try, but I’m already crazy about these delicate sugar balls, because they have all I like so much: cocoa powder, nuts, dried cranberries and pinch of love! That’s why they are so delicious.

You can replace pecans with any of your favorite nuts. Walnuts, hazelnuts or peanuts would be super good too.

I will try to do my best and post at least one new holiday cookie recipe every week. Please, share with me your favorite cookie recipes, I need some inspiration. Cookie marathon officially begun!

Cranberry sugar nut balls

By voloshyna, December 3, 2013

Ingredients:

• butter - 2 sticks, room temperature
• confectioners sugar - 3/4 cup, + more for dusting the cookies
• unsweetened cocoa powder - 2 tablespoons
• egg yolks - 2
• vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon
• flour - 2 1/4 cup
• salt - 1/2 teaspoon
• toasted pecans - 1 cup
• dried cranberries - 1/2 cup

Instructions:

Using a stand or hand mixer, cream the butter, sugar and cocoa powder until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Beat in the yolks and vanilla extract, until smooth. In a food processor, process nuts and cranberries, until you'll get some sort of paste. In a medium bowl mix flour and salt, combine with the butter mixture, until just incorporate. Follow the nut mixture, mix well. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in a plastic and transfer into refrigerator for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lay cookie sheet with a parchment paper. Form 1 tablespoon of dough into a small balls; place on a cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Let to chill in a fridge for 15 minutes. Bake 20 minutes, or until cookies are firm. When the cookies are cool enough to handle, roll in remaining confectioners sugar and transfer to a platter.

I would call this cake an Extra Apple Cake with chopped nuts and hint of honey, just like I love!  You can serve it as dessert or a breakfast coffee cake, everybody will like it.

Honey Apple Cake

By voloshyna, April 25, 2013

• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
• Cook time: 40-50 minutes

Ingredients:

• Granny Smith apples - 1 lb, pilled and cubed
• grated lemon zest - 1 tbsp
• lemon juice - 2 tbsp
• flour - 1 1/2 cup
• salt - 1/4 tsp
• baking powder - 1/2 tsp
• baking soda - 1/4 tsp
• eggs - 2
• brown sugar - 1/2 cup
• vegetable oil - 3 oz
• honey - 1/2 cup
• chopped walnuts - 3/4 cup
• confectioners sugar - 2 tbsp

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter an 8-inch springform pan. In a medium bowl mix together cubed apples, lemon juice and zest; set aside. In an other bowl sift flour with salt, baking soda and baking powder. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Slowly add the sugar while whisking; continue until the eggs become pale. Pour in the oil, whisk again. Add honey, and flour mix until combine. Then follow by the apples and half of the nuts, mix well. Pour the batter into the mold and sprinkle with a remaining nuts. Bake for about 40-50 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean; the cake may pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 5 minutes. Carefully run a blunt knife around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the springform pan. Allow the cake to cool until it is just slightly warm or at room temperature. Sprinkle with a confectioners sugar.    

Always wanted to learn how to cook eclairs. In fact, it was much easier than I expected. The main thing is just to start. The dough is very easy to cook, and cream all done in a jiffy. The key to success – is to follow the instructions in the recipe, and everything will turn out.

Cream puffs with fruit and mascarpone cream

By voloshyna, July 11, 2012

• Total Time: 01h 05min
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• For dough: -
• unsalted butter - 4 oz
• water - 1 cup
• flour - 1 1/2 cup
• salt - 1/4 tsp
• eggs - 3
• For filling: -
• mascarpone - 8 oz
• heavy wiping cream - 1/2 cup
• powdered sugar - 3-4 Tbsp
• vanilla extract - 1 tsp
• mix of diced fruits and berries - 1 cup
• For icing: -
• unsalted butter - 3 Tbsp
• cocoa powder - 3 Tbsp
• milk - 3 Tbsp
• powdered sugar - 2-3 Tbsp

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 390 F. To prepare the dough brewing (that's how we call it in Russian) you need to bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the butter and salt, stir until melted. Reduce heat and gradually sieving flour into a saucepan, stirring constantly. The dough should have no lumps. Remove it from heat. Beat the eggs lightly with a fork, add small portions in a dough, mixing well. Cover the baking shit with parchment paper. Put a tablespoon of dough at a distance of approximately 5 cm from each other. Bake 30 minutes in the oven until golden brown. Turn off the oven, but do not open the door for 10 more minutes, so the dough does not fall. Do not open the door during eclairs are baked,  too. Then transfer to a wire rack and let cool 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the cream. Beat mascarpone with a cold cream, sugar and vanilla essence until creamy. Cut the top of the eclairs with a knife. Using a pastry bag, fill the void with a cream, put the fruit and cover with a cut top. For the icing, melt the butter in a saucepan, add cocoa, sugar and milk, so the glaze has become quite liquid. Stir well and remove from heat. Pour the finished eclairs with chocolate icing.