Peppermint Delights

Sugarplums sparkling in the silver light of a cloudy afternoon.  Sugarplums are so easy and so healthy.  We only discovered them a few years ago, but they’re now something I look forward to most eagerly. The richness of the dried fruits, nuts, and cinnamon play off the brightness of the orange zest.  The only sugar you add is what is rolled onto the outside.

As promised, the recipe.  It’s a heavily modified recipe built from 3 different sources.

Peppermint Crunch Cookies

• 1/2 c butter, softened
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1 egg
• 1tsp peppermint extract
• 1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp each salt and baking soda

Beat butter and sugar til fluffy beat in egg and peppermint.  In a separate bowl, combine the dry indredients. Add to the butter mixture in two batches. Divide in half and shape into two rolls about 3 cm thick.  Chill for half an hour at least.  When firm, cut with a sharp knife in 5mm slices.  Bake at 180 C (350 F) for 9 min, til firm to the touch and just barely golden.

Hard Glaze

• 1/3 c meringue powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3-4 c icing sugar
• 1/3-1/2 c cold water
• 1 tsp vanilla
• green food colouring

Combine dry ingredients. Add 1/3 c water and vanilla and beat on low speed. It will seem hard and lumpy, but keep going. Add water 1 TB at a time til it’s the consistency of corn syrup.

Once cookies are cool, pour glaze into a small bowl. Dip the cookies into the glaze and place glaze side up on waxed paper. You may need to spread it with a knife to smooth the surface.  Sprinkle with crushed candy canes before the glaze hardens – don’t try to glaze all the cookies and then do the sprinkling.

These can be frozen.  When storing, make sure there’s a layer of waxed paper between the layers of cookies to keep them pretty. Depending on the size of your rolls, a single batch will make more than 75 of these sweet morsels.

Stash Yarn Club

I printed off the patterns, sorted out the yarns, and packaged up my Stash Yarn Club bags the other day.  8 + 4 bonus bags.  On the first day of each month Rainer will ‘deliver’ a bag from the box and some months, when I’m being super productive, I’ll ask for a bonus delivery.  Or I’ll use the bonus bags for the fall months if they’re left then.

The 8 monthly ones are a mix of Christmas gifts for 2009, socks, and mittens and hats I want to have knitted up before next fall. It’s a pleasant way to knit up some things I know I want to get to.  And anything that adds brightness and sparkle to a task should be heartily embraced, don’t you think?

I’m charmed by my own enjoyment of this.  January first has a whole playful cast in my thoughts now.

May your week be filled with delights and delighted faces.

Advertisement