Christmas Goodies

Update to how they turned out in red!!

Ok.... so this will be a post in progress. I'm trying to figure out what goodies I'm going to make for my Christmas goodie boxes. Considering that, if I choose to write down everything - I'll probably lose it or it'll get colored all over by Rylee -- I'm going to post my ideas and recipes on here. That way, at least I know it's safe! :)

Peppermint Bark
--dark and white chocolate, peppermint flavoring and crushed peppermints.
Always good and super easy.  However, when breaking it up into actual pieces, the dark and white chocolate split -- only giving me white peppermint bark.  hmmmmmm.  Still turned out good, but I need to figure out what I was doing wrong. 

Balsamic Chocolate Truffles
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/balsamic-chocolate-truffles-recipe/index.html
I'm thinking that maybe I'll add powder sugar to the cocoa powder, or maybe just roll them in powder sugar entirely, or roll them in crushed nuts. Hmmmm.... I need to see.


8 1/2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (recommended: Valrhona)
1/4 cup cream
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup cocoa powder

Directions
Melt the chocolate and cream in a double boiler over hot but not simmering water. Place melted chocolate in a small bowl. Stir in the balsamic vinegar. Cool the chocolate in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Remove from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours, until firm but moldable.

Use a teaspoon to scoop out chocolate. Use your fingertips to shape into balls about the size of a cherry. Set the chocolate balls on a parchment-lined tray.

Place the cocoa powder in a small shallow dish. Place 6 truffles at a time in the cocoa powder and roll the truffles around to coat, and return the coated truffles to the baking sheet. Continue with the remaining truffles. Place the truffles in a serving dish or airtight package.

Eh.... didn't come out the best.  Tasted okay... not amazing though.  The ganache though was a hard consistency to work with.  It was either too hard to mold into nice-looking balls or too soft and it would get all over my hands.  Again...they tasted okay -- but I won't do it again.


Shortbread Cookies dipped in chocolate with sea salt
Beat 2 sticks of butter, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup powder sugar until fluffy. Whisk 2 cups flour and 1 tsp salt , then stir into the butter mixture. Press the dough into a buttered 8 inch square dish. Using a fork, score the dough into strips (however long you want) -- chill in fridge for 30 minutes. Bake 1 hour at 300 degrees. Cool, then slice along the scored lines.
Once the shortbread is totally cooled ( maybe pop it into the fridge for a bit to make sure it's really cool) -- melt chocolate and dip one end into the chocolate - letting excess chocolate dripped off. Place on parchment or wax paper to cool. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Amazing!  Really easy and really good.  My shortbread came out a little thick, so after they were cooled, I cut them in half lengthwise, put some butter on the tops and popped them back into the oven for a bit to make the top look a little more finished (since I had to cut them...).  Then dipped in chocolate and sprinkled just a little sea salt on them.  YUMMY!

Cranberry and Date Roll Ups
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paulas-party/cranberry-and-date-roll-ups-recipe/index.html

Probably my favorite of the bunch.  the cookie wasn't that sweet and the cranberry gave it a nice pop of citrus.  I cut up the dates and in each "roll up" I used some dates, a couple of Craisens (for a little bit of added sweetness) and then 2 cranberries.  Sprinkled powder sugar on top.  My doctor RAVED about them!  He said that he even went home and told his wife about how good they were! lol   Definintely making these again!

Hazelnut Brittle **not sure about this one....
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/hazelnut-crunch-noci-croccante-recipe2/reviews/index.html#user-reviews-top

Eh..... came out just okay.  It was good and had a good flavor but it was a little too nutty for me.  I only used 2 cups of the hazelnuts (instead of the 2 1/2 cups) but I think next time I'll only use a little over 1 cup.  I like more "brittle" than "nuts" anyways.  IT was good though.  I'll make it again. Oh and FYI -- make sure you use PARCHMENT PAPER not wax paper. I thought I could just them interchangably but it turns out you can't!  The wax paper stuck to the brittle so badly that even after trying to scrape it off, I still had to toss half the batch.  :(