Cinnamon Madeleines

Yield: 24

Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup plus 3 tbs sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 5 tbs milk
• 9 tbs unsalted butter, melted and cool to room temperature
• Cooking oil spray (like Pam)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
   
2. Spray cooking oil on and flour molds. Tap out excess flour.
   
3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and cinnamon; set aside.
   
4. Beat eggs and sugar until creamy. Add flour mixture and milk; mix until smooth. Add butter (melted), and beat until creamy.
   
5. Cover with plastic, chill for 20 minutes.
6. Spoon or pipe mixture into the prepared molds.
   
7. Transfer to oven, and bake until golden brown, about 9 minutes.
   
8. Remove from molds immediately to cool.

Infasciadedde (Sicilian Twisted Cookies)

Yield: 96 narrow 4-inch cookies

Past Frolla

• Almond Filling
• 12 oz (3 cup) whole unblanched almonds
• 1 c honey
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Finishing

• Honey
• Amount 2 oz toasted sliced almond

Directions:

1. To make the dough, in the work bowl of a food processed with the steel blade, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Pluse two ro three times to mix, Add the butter and pulse repeated until it si finely incorporated and mixture is cool and powdery. Add the eggs, all at once, and continue to pulse until the dough forms a ball. Scrape the dough onto a floured surface, the place it on a pieces of plastic wrap. Press the dough into a square about an inch thick and wrap it. Chill the dough while preparing the filling.
2. For the filling, place the almond in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until finely ground. Add the honey and cinnamon and pulse to make a smooth paste. Scrape the filling into a shallow bowl.
3. When you are ready to bake the cookies, set the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
4. Take the dough out of the refrigerator, unwrap it, and place it on a floured surface. Knead the dough lightly to make it malleable again and roll it up into a cylinder. Cut the cylinder into four equal pieces.
5. Place one pieces of the dough on a floured durface and roll it out to a 12-inch square. Cut the dough into eight strips, each 1 1/2 x 12 inches. Spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the filling into a narrow line down the middle od each strip of dough, the flod the strip of dough so the two long ends meet, but do not press them together. Cut the folded strip into 4-inch length and twist each once or twice. Arrage the cookies on the prepared pans about an inch apart in all directions. Repeat with the other pieces of dough and remaining filling.
6. Bake the coolies for about 15 minutes, or until they are golen. Slide the papers on racks to cool the cookies.
7. Right before serving, drizzle the cookies with the honey and sprinkle with the toasted sliced almond. The honey and almond make the cookies a little sloppy to eat, but they add an extra dimension to the flavor - the cookies would be bland without them.
8. Store the cooled cookies between sheets of parchment or wax paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover.

Viennese Crescents

Yield: 4 dozen 2 1/4-inch cookies
Source: Joy of Cooking Christmas Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 c unsalated butter
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 c ground walnuts or ground blanched almonds
• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup powder sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease cookie sheets
2. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy.
3. Beat well and add vanilla and ground walnuts/almonds.
4. Sift flour over the butter mixture, gradually stir in the flour, then knead until well blended.
5. Pull off generous 1-tablespoon pieces of dough and shape into crscents. If the dough is soft and ard to handle, refrigerate until firmed slightly.
6. Bake 1 sheet at a time in the upper third of the oven for 13 to 16 minutes, ot until the crescents are lightly tinged with brown and barely darer at the edges.
7. Transfer sheets tp wire racks and let the cookies firm up slightly, about 2 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool thoroughly.
8. Sift over powdered suger, until evenly coated.

Pecan Brownies

Yield: 24 2-inch brownies
Source: Cookies Unlimited

Ingredients:

• 16 tbsp unsalted butter
• 8 oz bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 4 ea eggs
• 1 c dark brown suger, firmly packed
• 1 c sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 c all-purpose flour
• 10 oz coarsely chopped pieces

Directions:

1. Set rack in the middle level of the oven and preheated to 350 degrees.
2. melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat,. Off the heat add the chocolate. Let stand 2 minutes, then whisk smooth. If all the chocolate has not melted, return the pan to very low heat and sitr constantly to melt the chocolate.
3. In a large bowl, use a rubber spatula to stir one egg into the brown suger. Make sure any lumos in the sugar are dissolved. Add the remaining eggs, one at a time, stirring each in with the rubber spatula in the same way. Stir in the granulated sugar, then the vanilla and salt. Stir in the chocolate mixture.
4. Finally, fold in the flour, the 2 cups of the pecans.
5. Scape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Scatter the remaining chopped pecans over the top of the batter and with your fingertips gently press them in.
6. Bake the cake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick or a small knife inserted into te center emerges clean. Cool completely on a rack.
7. Wrap and refrigerate the pan so that the cake solidifies completely - at least 4 hours; overnight is best. This also makes the cake easier to cut.
8. Transfer the whole cake to a cutting board and slife a long knife or spatula under it to loose the paper or foil, the pull ot away. Use a ruler to mark, the cut the ckae into 2-inch squares.
9. For up to several days, store the brownies between sheets of parchment or wax paper in a tin or plastic container with tight-fitting cover in the refrigerator. Freexe for longer storage. If you plan to keep the brownies for any length of time, it is better to wrap them individually in cellophane.

Cheesecake Brownies

Yield: 24 2-inch brownies
Source: Cookies Unlimited

Brownie Batter:

• 8 tbsp unsalted butter
• 6 oz bittersweet chocolate
• 3 ea eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 1 c all-purpose flour

Cheesecake Batter

• 16 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2/3 c sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 ea eggs

Directions:

1. Set a tack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
2. For the borwnies batter, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat,. Off the heat add the chocolate. Let stand 2 minutes, then whisk smooth. If all the chocolate has not melted, return the pan to very low heat and sitr constantly to melt the chocolate.
3. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, salt, vanilla, just until mixed. Whisk in the sugar in a stream, then whisk in the chocolate and butter mixture. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in flour.
4. To make the cheesecase batter, in the bowl of stand mixer fitted iwth the paddle attachment, beat the crease cheese and suagar on the medium speed for about a minute, or until smooth. Add the vanilla. Scape the bowl and beater well, then beat in on the eggs. Scrape again and add the remaining egg. Beat only until incorporated.
5. Scrape the brownie batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Drop tablespoon s of the cheesecake batter over the brownies to cover it completely.
6. Bake the cake for about 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick or a small knife inserted into te center emerges clean. Cool completely on a rack.
7. Wrap and refrigerate the pan so that the cake solidifies completely - at least 4 hours; overnight is best. This also makes the cake easier to cut.
8. Transfer the whole cake to a cutting board and slife a long knife or spatula under it to loose the paper or foil, the pull ot away. Use a ruler to mark, the cut the ckae into 2-inch squares.
9. For up to several days, store the brownies between sheets of parchment or wax paper in a tin or plastic container with tight-fitting cover in the refrigerator. Freexe for longer storage. If you plan to keep the brownies for any length of time, it is better to wrap them individually in cellophane.

Mexican Wedding Cake

Yield: 5 dozen 1 1/2-inch cookies
Source: Joy of Cooking Christmas Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 c coarsely chopped pecans
• 1 c unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 1/3 c powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F, Grease cookies sheets
2. Spread pecan in a baking pan and toast in the oven, stirring occasionally, 5 to 8 minutes, until lightly browned. Set aside to cool thoroughly. Using food processor or blender, grind until verly finely chopped but not powdery or oily.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, salt sugar and vanilla until fluffy and well blend.
4. Gradually beat the pecans into the butter mixture
5. Sift flour over, then beat in until evenly incorporated.
6. Pull off piecesof the dough and roll between the palms into generous 1-inch balls. Space 1 1/4 inches apart on the sheet.
7. Bake 1 sheet at a time, the upper third of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until tinged with brown.
8. Transfer sheets to wire rack and let the cookies firm up slightly. Then transfer the cookies to wire rack to cool thoroughly.
9. Roll in powdered suger until evenly coated.

Almond Thumbprint Cookies

Yield: 3 1/2 dozen 1 3/4-inch cookies
Source: Joy of Cooking Christmas Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
• 1/3 c cornstarch
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking sode
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 3 tbsp corn or canola oil
• 1 tbsp light corn syrup
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1 ea egg
• 3/4 tsp very finely grated lemon zest
• 2 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 tsp almond extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Lightly grease cookie sheets
2. Using wire whisk, thoroughly stir together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking sode and salt, set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat together butter, oil, corn syrup, sugar, egg, lemon zest, vanilla and almond extract until very well blended and smooth.
4. Beat flour mixture into the egg mixture until just smooth. With lightly greased hands, pull off pieces of the dough and roll between the palms to form 3/4-inch balls. Don't make then larger, as the cookie should be small and will puff and spread a bit during baking.
5. Place the balls on sheets about 2 inches apart. With the thumb( or knuckle), press down the center of each ball to make a large, deep well.
6. Fill the wells seedless fruit jam or preserves. Very slightly sprinkle the top of the cookies with choped sliced almond.
7. Bake on middle oven rack for 6 to 9 minutes, or until the tops are just barely tinged with brown.
8. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cookies firm up slightly, about 2 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to wire rackes until completely cool.
9. Store, airtight, in 1 layer, for 10 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.

Chocolate-glazed Toffee Bars

Yield: 24 1x2 2/3-inch bars
Source: Joy of cooking Christmas Cookies

Base Layer:

• 2/3 c all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tbsp suger
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 c unsalt butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 2 tsp milk

Toffee and Chocolate Layers:

• 1 1/2 c chopped pecans
• 1/3 c unsalted butter
• 1/2 c packed light brown suger
• 2 tbsp clover or ther mild honey
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 c semi-sweet chocolate morsels
• 2 tbsp finely chopped pecans

Base Layer:

1. Lightly grease an 8 inch square baking pan
2. Using a wire whisk, mix flour, suger and sugar together. Add cutted butter, using pastry blender, knifes or fingertips, cut the butter into the flour mixure until the mixture resembles fine meal. Sprinle the mixture with milk. Light stir to mix, knead until the milk is distributed and particles begin to hold. If necessary, add 1 or 2 teaspoon more milk, until the mixture holds together but is not wet.
3. Firmly pressed the dough into the pan to form a smooth, even layer. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake the chilled dough on middle oven rack for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

Toffee and Chocolate Layers:

1. Spread pecan in a baking pan and toast in the oven, stirring occasionally, 5 to 8 minutes, until very lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
2. Combine butter, light brown sugar, honey, milk and salt in a heavy medium saucepan. Stirring frequently, bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Boil the mixture, uncovered, for 3 minutes; remove from the heat. Stir in the toasted pecan and vanilla.
3. Spread the mixture evenly over the baked layer. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, ot until the mixture is bubbly, golden brown, and just slightly darker at the edges. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool until warm.
4. Sprinkle the top with chocolate morsels. Let stand several minutes until the chocolate morsels partially melt, then smooth across the surface with a table knife to partially spread the chocolate. Garnish by sparkling with finely chopped pecans.
5. Let the chocolate cool until thickened but still slightly soft, then carefully cut into bars using a sharp knife; let cool thoroughly before lifting the bars from then pan. Retrace cuts to seperate bars, if necessary.

Mocha Java Congo Bars

Yield: 18 3x2-inch bars
Source: Joy of Cooking Christmas Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 c unsalted butter
• 2 1/3 c packed dark brown sugar
• 4 ea eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 2/3 c all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp instance expresso powder
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 c semisweet chocolate morsels
• 1 1/2 c walnuts
• 1/2 c flaked or shredded sweetened coconut (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt buter . Remove from the heat and stir in brown sugar, then add eggs and vanilla.
2. Add flour, espresso powder and baking powder.
3. Stir in chocolate morsels, walnuts and coconut.
4. When the batter is mixed, turn out into the pan, spread to edges. Baking on the middle oven rank for about 25 minutes, until firm when lightly tapped and toothpick inserted in the center comes out slight wet.
5. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let stand until completelu cool. Using the overhanging foil as handles, lift the bars to a cutting board. Carefully peel off the foil. Cut into bars.

Chocolate Walnut Slices

Yield: 40 Cookies
Source: Cookies Unlimited

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 salt
• 8 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 c sugar
• 1 ea egg
• 2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 oz coarsely chooped walnut pieces

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking sode and salt, stir well to mix.
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on the medium speed until well mixed, about a minute.
3. Beat in the egg until it is well incorporated and mixture is smooth, then beat in the chocolate and vanilla. Scrape the bowl and beater well and beat in the flour mixture followed immediately by the walnuts
4. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and shape and squeeze it into two rough cylinders, about 10 inch long and 2 inches in diameter.
5. Roll a piece of parchment or wax paper around each piece of dough and tighten the paper by pressing it in with the side if a cookie sheet or piece of stiff cardboard. Chill the dough until firm. Or at this stage, it can be double wrapped in plastic, frozen and kept for up to several weeks.
6. When you are ready to bake the cookies, set the rack in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheated to 350 degrees.
7. Slice the cookies 1/4 inch thick. Make sure to rotate the roll of dough often so it doesn't become squashed from the weight of the knife.
8. Arrage the cookies on thr prepared pans about an inch apart in all directions. Brush the surface of each cook with the egg whits, then sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of sugar. Bake the cookies for about 10 to 12 minutes, until they haave spread slightly and are a very pale golden color. Slide the papers from the pans to racks.
9. After the cookies have cooled, store them btween sheets of parchment or wax paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover.

Apricot Almond Ruglach

Yield: 24 cookies

Cream Cheese Pastry:

• 1 c all-purpose flour
• 8 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
• 4 oz cold cream cheese, cut into 12 pieces

Filling:

• 1/4 cup apricot jam
• 2 oz chooped toasted almonds
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

Topping:

• 1 ea egg
• 1/4 sugar
• 1 oz chopped almonds

Directions:

1. Set rack in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
2. In the work bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade, combine the flour, butter and crea, cheese. Pulse until the dough forms a ball. Remoce the dough from the work bowl and divid into two pieces. Place each on a piece of plastic wrap and press out into 6-inch disk. Wrap in plastic and regrigerate while preparing the filling.
3. To make the filling, stir the jam until iti is spreadable; stir together the almond, sugar and zest in a bowl.
4. Remove one the pieces of dough from the regrigerator and place it on a lightly floured surface. Flour the dough and roll it out into a 9-to10-inch circle. Using a pizza wheel, cut the circle in twelve equal wedges. Spread with half the jam and evenly scatter on half almond mixture. Roll each triangle of the dough into a small crescent from outside inward. As the ruglach are formed, place then on the prepared pan. Repeat with the other piece of dough and the remaining filling.
5. To make the topping, beat the egg in a small bowl until well broken up, In another bowl, mix the sugar and almonds, Brush the top of each pastry with beaten egg, then sprinkle with the almond sugar.
6. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golfrn and slightly caramelized. Slight the papers from the pans to racks.
7. Ruglach are best on the day they are baked, but they will certainly keep between sheets of parchment or wax paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover.

Palm Beach Lemon Cookies

Yield: 100 small thin cookies
Source: Cookies Unlimited

Ingredients:

• 3 c all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 10 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 c sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
• 3 ea eggs, seperated
• 4 tbsp strained lemon juice

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking sode and salt, stir well to mix.
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on the medium speed until well mixed, about a minute, then beat in the lemon zest.
3. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Lower the mixer speed and beat in half the flour mixture, then all the lemon juice. Scrape the bowl and beater well; beat in the remaining flour mixture.
4. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and shape and squeeze it into two rough cylinders, about 8 inch long and 2 inches in diameter.
5. Roll a piece of parchment or wax paper around each piece of dough and tighten the paper by pressing it in with the side if a cookie sheet or piece of stiff cardboard. Chill the dough until firm. Or at this stage, it can be double wrapped in plastic, frozen and kept for up to several weeks.
6. When you are ready to bake the cookies, set the rack in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheated to 350 degrees.
7. In a samll bowl, beat the egg whites with a fork, just until mixed. Cut each log into apporximately 48 cookies. Make sure to rotate the roll of dough often so it doesn't become squashed from the weight of the knife.
8. Arrage the cookies on thr prepared pans about an inch apart in all directions. Brush the surface of each cook with the egg whits, then sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of sugar. Bake the cookies for about 10 to 12 minutes, until they have spread slightly and are a very pale golden color. Slide the papers from the pans to racks.
9. After the cookies have cooled, store them btween sheets of parchment or wax paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 35 cookies
Source: Cookies Unlimited

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 8 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 c firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 c granulated sugar
• 1 ea egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 c semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 oz (3/4 c) coarsely chooped walnut or pecan pieces

Directions:

1. Set the rackes in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheated to 375 degrees.
2. In a bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking soda; sitir well to mix.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined, then beat in the egg and vanilla, beating until smooth. Don't overbeat.
4. Remove the bowl from the mixer and with large rubber spatula stir in the flour mixture. Stir in the chips and optional nuts.
5. Dtop tablespoonfuls of the dough 2 or 3 inches apart on the prepared pans.
6. Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, or utnil they are deep gold and firm.
7. Slide the paper off the pans onto racks.
8. After the cookies have cooled, detach them from paper and store them between sheets or parchement or wax paper in a tin or plastic container with tight-fitting cover.

Chocolate Mocha Biscotti

Yield: 3 1/2 dozen 1/2x3-inch biscotti
Source: Joy of Cooking Christmas Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 c whole blanched almond
• 1 1/3 c whole hazelnuts
• 6 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
• 3 c all-purpose flour
• 1/4 c unsweetened cocoa
• 2 1/2 tsp baking pwder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 c unsalted butter, softned
• 1 c suger
• 3 ea eggs
• 1 ea egg white
• 1 1/2 tbsp light corn syrup
• 1 tbsp instant coffee granultes or powder
• 1 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/4 tsp almond extract(optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 35o F. Grease cookie sheet.
2. Spread almond and hazelnut in seperate small baking pans. Toast and stir occasionally, until the almonds are tingked with brown and grangrant, and the hazelnut skins are loosened, 8 to 12 minutes. Let cool, the rub hazelnuts in a kitchen towel or between palms to remove as much skin as possible. Coarsely chop the nuts, set aside.
3. Chop chocolate into small bit and set aside.
4. Thoroughly stir flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt together.
5. Using an electric mixer, beat together butter and suger until bery fluffy and well combined.Then one at a time, add eggs, egg whites, coffee powder, vanilla and almond extract. Continue beating until the coffee resolves. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until throughly incorporated. Stir in nuts and chocolate.
6. Divided the dough into 2 1 1/2-inch-wide and 15-inch-long logs.
7. Bake on the middle oven rack for 35 minutes. Transfer the sheet to a wire rack. When just cool enough to handle, carefully transfer logs to a cutting board and cut crosswise on a slight diagonal, into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Lay the slice flat on the sheet.
8. Return to the oven and toast for 16 to 20 minutes, or until slices are almost firm when pressed on top. Transfer the biscotti to wise rack and let stand until completely cool.
9. Store, airtight, for 3 weeks, or freexe for up to 3 months.

Raspberry Brownies

Yield: 24 2x 1/4-inch bars
Source: Joy of Cooking Christmas Cookies

Ingredients:

• 12 oz unsweetened choclate coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 c unsalted butter
• 6 ea Large eggs
• 3 c suger
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
• 2/3 c raspberry jam

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Line a 13x9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, allow it to overhang the two narrow ends of the pan by about 2 inches. Grease the foil or coat with nonstick spray.
3. Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler. Stir constantly until the chocolate melts. Remove at once from heat. Using a wire whisk, beat until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
4. In a seperate bowl, beat or whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla until well blended. Fold in the cooled chocolate mixture with wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
5. Add flour and mix. WHen the batter is just mixed, turn out into the pan, spreading to edges.
6. Drop raspberry jam by teaspoonfuls evenly over the top. Insert the tip of a knife 1/2 inch into the batter, then evenly distribute the jam by swirling the knife.
7. Bake on the middle overn rack for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the center of the top is almost firm when lightly tapped and toothpick inserted in the center comes clean except at the bottom, which will look a little moist.
8. Transfer the pan to a wired rack and let stand until completely cool. Using the overhanging foil as handles, lift the brownies to a cutting board. Carefully peel off the foil. Using a large, sharp knife, cut into bars, wipting bits of bownies off the knife with a damp towel as you work.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Yield: 18 3x2-inch bars
Source: Joy of Cooking Christmas Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 ea large egg
• 1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
• 1 lb cream cheese
• 1/2 c sugar
• 2 ea large eggs
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp gound cinnamon
• 3/4 c pumpkin puree
• 1 pinch salt
• 3/4 sour cream
• 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1 oz bittersweat or semisweat chocolate

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F, Have ready a 13x9-inch baking pan
2. Using electric mixer, beat butter and suger together until smooth, then beat in one large egg. Stix flour to mix.
3. With your fingers, press the dough evenly into the bottom of the pan, bake on the middle oven rack for 15 to 20 minutes, just until dough begin to brown, Remove the pan from the oven and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 F.
4. Using an electric mix, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth, then mix in two eggs. Stir in ground ginger, ground cinnamon, pumpkin puree and salt.
5. Using rubber spatula, spread the mixture evenly over the baked crust. Bake on middle oven rack for 25 minutes, or until firm. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let stand until completely cool.
6. Mix together sour cream and sugar until smooth.
7. With a rubber spatula, spread the mixture evenly over the pumpkin.
8. Melt chocolate in double boiler, Using a spoon, drizzle over bars.
9. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set. Cut into bars using a sharp knife. Wipe the blade clean with a damp paper towel between cuts.
10. Store, airtight, in the regrigerator, for 2 to 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.

Rocky Road Bars

Yield: 18 3x2-inch bars
Source: Joy of Cooking Christmas Cookies

Ingredients:

• 4 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 c all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp unsweetned cocoa
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 c walnuts or pecans
• 1 c semisweet chocolate morsels
• 1 c mini marshmallows

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare a 13x9-inch baking pan
2. Melt chocolate in double boiler, cool to room temperature
3. Using an electric mixer, beat together butter and suger until smooth, then beat in eggs and vanilla.
4. With a wooden spoon, fold in the cooled chocolate mixture. Stix in flour, cocoa powder and salt.
5. In seperate bowl, mix together walnuts, chocolate morsels and marshmallows.
6. Stir in all but 1 cup of the nut mixture into the batter until well combined. Turn the mixture into the pan, spreading to edges. Sprinke the remaining nut mixture over the top.
7. Bake on middle oven rack for 25 minutes, until top is firm when tapped and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out slightly wet. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let stand until completely cool. Using the overhanging foil as handles, lift the bar to a cutting board. Carefully peel off the foil and cut into bars.