Sunday, December 12, 2010

Twelve Weeks of Christmas Cookies: Week Eleven

Another recipe with coffee this week.  I have few words this week so I'm going to get pretty much straight into the recipe. I did want to add that this is the first time I've used an electric beater for years!  I must say it was so much easier and required much less effort.  Before this is was just my wooden spoon and my arm muscles. I think I creamed the butter and sugar a bit better too because it was so easy.  Thanks to my mother for giving me her electric beater!

Warning: This cookie is super sweet with the frosting, so if you do not like super sweet then I would advise using either a cranberry glaze or a thin coating of the frosting.  I'm in a sugar coma after tasting the frosting then eating a cookie.

Espresso Cookies with Cranberry Frosting

175g unsalted butter
1 heaped cup of caster (fine) sugar
1 egg
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
3 heaped Tbsp ground coffee
3 Tbsp espresso coffee (or very very strong brewed coffee)

Sift flour, cocoa and baking powder into a bowl and set aside.  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy then add egg, ground coffee and vanilla extract and beat into butter and sugar.  Add dry ingredients to wet and mix with a spoon, then add espresso and mix well.  Roll dough into golf ball sized balls and slightly flatten on baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes at 300F then  remove from oven and let cool before frosting.

Frosting
1/2 cup frozen or fresh cranberries
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup confectioners sugar

In a saucepan, simmer the cranberries, water and 1/2 cup sugar until it reaches the thick syrupy stage (about 15-20 minutes simmering) and then let cool.  Beat confectioners sugar and butter until light and fluffy then add cooled cranberry sauce.  Beat again for several minutes then spread on cooled cookies.




Week 11 Twelve Weeks of Christmas:

6 comments:

  1. I've never had a cranberry frosting, but it sounds great! I'll have to try it sometime this winter.

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  2. How delightful! And such an interesting flavor combination!

    I'm hosting a Christmas Recipe party on Thursday (with prizes). Hope you can stop by!

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  3. That cranberry frosting sounds like it would be good on all sorts of treats.

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  4. I love cranberries but I've never thought of having cranberry frosting! Love the way it sounds and I bet it would be good on loads of things!

    Have a wonderful Christmas!

    Manuela

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  5. Those sound (and look!) delicious!

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