Vintage Christmas Recipe Series #4 - 'Cooky' Christmas Tree

                             Vintage Christmas Recipe Series #4 - 'Cooky' Christmas Tree

This recipe comes from the 1945 edition of the Woman's Home Companion Cook Book : 

Cooky Christmas Tree

Prepare 2 recipes of vanilla rolled cookies. Roll out 1 1/2cm thick.

Cut out 8 star-shaped cookies in graduated sizes, the first a 20cm star, the second a 17cm and so on down to a 3cm star.

Cut out 16 small round cookies, 2 to be used between each 2 stars.

Cut a small round hole in the center of each cooky (cookie) except the 3cm star.

Bake as directed.

Frost the stars with white or green frosting and garnish with silver dragees to resemble Christmas-tree ornaments.

With a pastry tube make small rosettes of frosting on the points of each star.

In the center of each rosette put tiny red, blue or white candles made by cutting birthday candles in 3 or 4 pieces, then scraping away the wax to free the wick.

Prepare a slender round stick supported on a small square base so that it will stand. Decorate the base with frosting or cover with tinfoil. Slip the 20cm star onto the stick, then 2 round cookies, then the 17cm star, then 2 round cookies, and so on until only the 3cm star is left. This is the top of the tree and be stuck to the top of the stick with a little frosting. Alternate the points of the stars to get the effect of Christmas-tree branches.

Vanilla Rolled Cookies

3 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs, well beaten

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Sift voucher; measure; add baking powder and salt; sift again.

Cream shortening; add sugar gradually and continue to best until light. Add we'll beaten eggs and blend thoroughly; add vanilla.

Combine the dry ingredients and the creamed mixture; mix all thoroughly and chill.

Roll as thin as possible on a lightly floured board and cut with cooky cutter. Or form small balls of the dough and place on a greased baking sheet; flatten with bottom of glass tumbler, first greased and then dipped in sugar, or with the palm of the hand, floured, or with the tines of a silver fork, pressing the balls down twice with the the markings at right angles.

Sprinkle with sugar, chopped nuts or coconut. Bake in a hot oven (400 degrees F. / 204 degrees Celcius) 6 to 10 minutes. 

With love from,

Vintage Christmas Recipe Series #3 - Yule Log

This festive recipe comes from the Woman's Own Book of Cake Decorating & Cake Making (1966): 

Vintage Christmas Recipe Series #3 - Yule Log

Ingredients for Log:

3 eggs

3 oz. (85g) castor sugar

1 tsp Vanilla essence

2 ½ oz. (42g) plain flour

1 tbsp. cocoa

1 tbsp. warm water

Ingredients for Filling & Icing:

4 oz. (114g) butter

8 oz. (226g) icing sugar

1 tbsp. cocoa

Grease and line a Swiss roll tin approx. 12” x 9”. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla essence until thick, light and fluffy. Fold in the sieved flour and cocoa. Carefully stir in the warm water. Pour into the prepared tin. Bake in oven at Mark 6, 400 deg., for about 10 minutes. When cooked, turn at once on to a piece of sugared greaseproof paper. Trim the edges of the sponge with a sharp knife and carefully roll up so that the paper is rolled inside.

While the sponge is cooing, make up the butter cream by beating together the butter and icing sugar and adding a little milk or water if necessary to form a soft, dropping consistency. Divide this mixture. Blend the cocoa with a little boiling water. Mix well and allow to cool. Then beat the blended cocoa into one half of the butter cream, making chocolate cream. When the sponge is quite cool, gently unroll and spread with the white butter cream. Re-roll and spread the chocolate cream over the outside. Draw a fork along the surface to give the effect of bark on a log. Dust with sieved icing sugar to represent snow. Add a sprig of holly.

With love from,

 

Vintage Christmas Recipe Series - Bohemian Christmas Twist

This vintage recipe comes from the 1950 edition of the Culinary Arts Institute - Encyclopedic Cookbook. This is a real treasure trove of fabulous recipes :

Bohemian Christmas Twist

1 cake yeast

¼ cup lukewarm water

1 cup milk

½ cup sugar

¼ cup butter

2 eggs or 4 yolks

Grated rind of 1 lemon

1/8 tsp mace

1 tsp salt

4 ¼ cups sifted flour

½ cup raisins

½ cup chopped blanched almonds

1 recipe Coffee Cake Icing

Soften yeast in lukewarm water. Scald milk and add sugar and butter. Cool to lukewarm add softened yeast, beaten eggs, lemon rind, mace, salt and 2 cups flour. Beat well to make a smooth batter. Cover and let rise until lights. Add raisins, nuts and remaining flour to make a dough just firm enough to be handled easily. Knead until smooth. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk. Punch down and divide dough into 3 large portions and 5 smaller ones. Roll each portion into a long roll. Braid the 3 larger rolls loosely and place on greased baking sheet. Then braid 3 of the smaller portions and place on top of the large braid. Twist the last 2 portions together and place on top. Cover and let rise until light. Brush with sweetened milk and bake in hot oven (400°F or 200°C) 45 minutes. When cool, spread with icing and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Makes 1 loaf.

Coffee Cake Icing:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons warm milk

½ tsp vanilla

Combine ingredients and mix thoroughly. 

Enjoy!

With love from,