Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgingerbread Darcy

Hmmm, I should have mentioned this earlier... Baking Bites, a cooking blog that I've followed for quite a while, is having a Gingerbread cookie decorating competition this Christmas season. The entry deadline in midnight tonight, which is why I should have mentioned it earlier, now that I think about it. Sorry. *dodges flying tomatoes*

Amidst the craziness of the Christmas season, I determined to enter, and since it will be judged on creativity instead of quality of picture (I confess I don't have a Canon Rebel like 90% of the blogging world!) I figured I might have a shot. I started sketching ideas on paper and a Victorian gent with a monocle very soon turned into a Regency gent with a high collar and... it was MR DARCY.



So naturally, Lizzy followed.




I made the cookies four days ago (I don't really intend to eat them, so I didn't care how old they would be!), using a traditionally gingerbread man cutter for the basic shape and just cutting out the modifications like Darcy's hat and Lizzy's skirt with a paring knife.


Using Royal Icing* and Wilton gel colorings I began the fun today! I had two sets of Darcys and Lizzies because I had a pretty good idea that I'd need a choice for final pictures. I was right. One Mr. Darcy resembled a Leprechaun more than anything else. And one Lizzy had a straying eye. Creepy.

For the record, Wilton colors are AMAZING. Black actually makes black icing. I can't express how over-joyed I am about this. Also, about twenty minutes into it, I gave up the pastry/decorating bag and settled for a ziplock bag with a finely snipped corner. It was so much easier to rinse out between colors, and I could make as fine a line as I wanted. Our finest metal tip was too large.

Between Google Images and my memory of the mini-series, this is what I came up with:




Nowhere could I find a picture of Mr. Darcy's green jacket (except perhaps under the gray overcoat in the picture above?) or Lizzy with her bonnet on, but I have vivid memories of both. I didn't have time to watch all 6 hours of the mini today just to make sure, so if there are costume flaws, I beg your forgiveness.




My mom asked me why I let them both be so pudgy. It's because this represents them after 25 years of marriage.

Raspberry Almond Thumb-prints

These... are just awesome. I made them for our church Christmas party, and a bunch came back home with me after. This is not a good thing. I had a resolution to maintain my weight throughout the holidays. I'm worried now. These things are addicting. Try this recipe at your own risk.

Raspberry Almond Thumb Prints

1/2 C butter, softened
1/2 C sugar
1 large egg, separated
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 C flour
2/3 C sliced blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
Raspberry jam

Beat butter with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar. Add egg yolk and vanilla, beating until blended. Stir in flour. Dough will be crumbly, but easily pressed together. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic-wrap and refrigerate 3 hours.

Let dough stand for a few minutes at room temperature. Shape into 24 balls (3/4" or so. I used the small Pampered Chef scoop.. yes, I admit, I love those things, nearly to obsession.) Lightly beat egg whites. Dip each ball into egg white then roll in almonds, pressing firmly. Place on lightly greased pans, 1" apart. Press an indentation in the center of each with your thumb, and fill with 1/4 tsp raspberry jam.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks. Try not to eat more than a dozen in one sitting.

Christmas Monster Cookies!

Monster cookies are some of my favorite cookies ever. Huge, chewy and moist, peanut-buttery and full of chocolate, what's not to like? I got this recipe from a friend who runs a diner - never fear, she does not own the recipe, so I'm not betraying her secret recipe. These were very popular at her diner when I was last there; I remember a young boy coming in just as I pulled them out of the oven. He bought a baggy of them, and in five minutes he was back for more. :)

Since these contain M&Ms, they are easily made into Christmas cookies by using red and green M&Ms. I made several dozen for a party last week and very few came home!

Monster Cookies

1/2 C soft butter
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C peanut butter
1 C flour
2 tsp baking soda
3 1/2 C old-fashioned oats
1 C chocolate chips
1 C M&Ms

Cream butter and sugars together until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla, then peanut butter. Mix in flour and soda thoroughly before adding oatmeal. And last, mix in chocolates. I use the large Pampered Chef scoop to drop the cookies onto cookie sheets, but optionally you could use a 1/4 C measuring cup. You'll probably only get about 8 to a pan.

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, until the bottom edges begin to turn brown. They should be still gooey in the centers, this is crucial. Allow the cookies to sit on the pans a few minutes before transferring to cooling racks. The centers will be cooked but still moist, and will remain so for several days.

Enjoy with a cup of cocoa!

Kitchen Gadgets #1

Introducing - Pampered Chef's medium scoop! Basically a stainless steel mini ice-cream scoop.




Pampered Chef actually carried three scoop sizes, but the medium one is destined to be my favorite. The reason? It's the exact size you need for drop cookies. And they don't make ordinary drop cookies; they make PERFECT drop cookies. Each the same size, each beautifully rounded. The peanut butter cookies I made today satisfy my baker's soul entirely.


I got the three piece set for my birthday ( may I take a moment to say I have awesome friends? I have awesome friends!!!) and they are quickly making their way up on my list of favorite gadgets, right next to the pastry blender.

Another perk to this marvelous invention is that drop-cookies are now a one handed task! I was able to talk to a dear friend on the phone with one hand and drop domes of dough with the other.

Okay, so this one is my favorite, but what of the other two? Well, the large scoop is perfect for muffins, making filling tins very quick with minimum mess. And the small... I haven't used it yet, but I understand that you can make melon balls and fill mini muffin tins with it. There are probably many more uses for these, I just haven't discovered them all yet.