Merry Xmas 2 all our readers!Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Christmas Cookie
Stained Glass Wreath CookiesIngredients
- 1 (16-ounce) tube sugar cookie dough
- 1 bag assorted round hard candies (recommended: Lifesavers)
- 1 small tube white decorating icing
- 1 package silver dragees
- 24 (8-inch) long pieces string or ribbon
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with silicone baking pads.
Slice dough log at 1/4-inch intervals and place onto prepared baking sheets spaced 1 inch apart.
Press a 1-inch round cutter into the center of each cookie round. Remove the small circle of dough and replace it with a round hard candy.
Bake in oven 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove from oven. While still warm, make a hole at the top of each cookie with a large straw. Place baking sheet on the cooling rack and cool completely.
When the cookies have completely cooled, use the decorative icing and evenly space 6 icing dots around the edges of each cookie. Lightly push the silver dragees into the icing dots. Allow icing to harden.
Place the 8-inch piece of ribbon through the hole at the top and tie the ends together.
Repeat with remaining cookies.
You can eat your cookies or hang them as ornaments on a Christmas tree or in a window.
Gingerbread Cookies with Royal IcingIngredients
Gingerbread cookies:
- 1 package sugar cookie mix
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 cup dark molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Royal Icing
- 2 large egg whites or 5 tablespoons meringue powder
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- Food coloring, if desired
For Gingerbread Cookies:
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, blend all ingredients together and chill for up to 1 hour. Roll dough out on floured board about 1/8-inch thick. Cut desired shapes with cookie cutters and place onto sheet pan. Bake for 8 minutes in preheated oven.
For Royal Icing:
With a hand mixer, beat the egg whites with the lemon juice or extract until frothy. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined, smooth, and shiny. Turn to high and beat approximately 5 minutes till stiff and glossy. Add food coloring, if desired, and transfer to a pasty bag to pipe onto cookies.
Pecan-Caramel Spiders
Christmas Dessert Recipes
Christmas Crescent RingIngredients
Crescent Ring:
- 2 (8-ounce) containers refrigerated crescent roll dough
- 1 (7-ounce) container pure almond paste
- 1/4 cup seedless red raspberry jam or cherry jam
Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons water
- 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
- Sugar-dipped cherries and small pears, optional
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Unroll crescent dough; separate along dough perforations into 16 triangles. Overlap 8 dough triangles on prepared baking sheet, positioning longest points in center and forming a 10-inch-diameter dough disk. Press edges of triangles together to seal.
Using a rolling pin, roll out almond paste between 2 sheets of waxed paper into a 9-inch diameter disk. Place almond disc atop dough disk. Spread jam over almond paste . Using remaining 8 dough triangles, arrange second 10-inch diameter dough disk atop jam. Pinch edges of dough disks to seal. Tuck edges under. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.
While ring is baking, make glaze by stirring powdered sugar, water, and almond extract together in a medium bowl until smooth. Drizzle half of glaze over warm crescent. Let glaze set for 10 minutes and then drizzle remaining glaze over. Decorate with sugar-dipped cherries and small pears, if desired.
Chocolate Cheesecake Candy Cane BarsIngredients
Crust:
- 20 chocolate wafer cookies
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coffee beans
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Filling:
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
Glaze:
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon light or dark corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons sour cream, room temperature
- 1/2 cup crushed candy canes (see Cooks Note)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with foil.
For the crust: Process the chocolate wafers in a food processor with the butter, sugar, coffee, and salt until fine. Evenly press the crust into the prepared dish covering the bottom completely. Bake until the crust sets, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling: Put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl; heat at 75 percent power until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir, and continue to microwave until completely melted, up to 2 minutes more. (Alternatively put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth.)
Blend the cream cheese, sugar, and sour cream together in the food processor until smooth. Scrape down the sides, as needed. Add the eggs and pulse until just incorporated. With the food processor running, pour the chocolate into the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.
Pour the filling evenly over the crust. Bake until filling puffs slightly around the edges, but is still a bit wobbly in the center, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack.
For the Glaze: Put the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in microwave safe bowl. Heat glaze in the microwave at 75 percent power until melted, about 2 minutes. Stir the ingredients together until smooth; add the sour cream. Spread glaze evenly over the warm cake and scatter the crushed candy canes over top. Cool completely, then refrigerate overnight.
Cut into small bars or squares. Serve chilled or room temperature.
Store cookies covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Cook's Note: To crush the candy canes, remove wrappers and place in a resealable plastic bag. Use a rolling pin to roll and break the candy up into small pieces, about 1/4 inch or so.
Chocolate Cherry TrifleIngredients
- 2 (approximately 12 ounces each) chocolate pound cakes
- 1/2 cup black cherry jam
- 1/2 cup cherry brandy
- 2 cups drained bottled sour cherries (recommended: Morello)
Custard:
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, minimum 70 percent cocoa solids, chopped
- 1 1/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 1/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 8 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/3 cup cocoa
Topping:
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 1-ounce bittersweet chocolate
- Special Equipment: Large wide trifle bowl
Directions
Slice the chocolate pound cake and make jam sandwiches with the cherry jam, and layer the bottom of a large wide trifle bowl. Pour over the cherry brandy so that the cake soaks it up, and then top with the drained cherries. Cover with cling wrap and leave to macerate while you make the custard.
Melt the chocolate on low to medium heat in the microwave, checking after 2 minutes, though it will probably need 4 minutes. Or you can place it in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Once the chocolate is melted, ser aside while you get on with the custard.
In a saucepan warm the milk and cream. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cocoa in a large bowl. Pour the warm milk and cream into the bowl whisking it into the yolks and sugar mixture. Stir in the melted chocolate, scraping the sides well with a rubber spatula to get all of it in, and pour the custard back into the rinsed saucepan. Cook over a medium heat until the custard thickens, stirring all the time. Make sure it doesn't boil, as it will split and curdle. Keep a sink full of cold water so that if you get scared you can plunge the bottom of the custard pan into the cold water and
whisk like mad, which will avert possible crisis.
The custard will get darker as it cooks and the flecks of chocolate will melt once the custard has thickened. And you do need this thick, so don't panic so much that you stop cooking while it is still runny. Admittedly, it continues to thicken as it cools and also when it's chilling in the refrigerator. Once it is ready, pour into a bowl to cool and cover the top of the custard with cling wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
When the custard is cold, pour and spread it over the chocolate cake layer in the trifle bowl, and leave in the refrigerator to set, covered in cling wrap overnight.
When you are ready to decorate, softly whip the cream for the topping and spread it gently over the layer of custard. Grate the chocolate over the top.
Cocktails with a Twist
Cherry Gin-griaIngredients
- Ice cubes
- 2 ounces cherry syrup (recommended: Giammona)
- 2 ounces gin
- 5 to 6 ounces club soda
- 1 ounce red wine
- Maraschino cherries
- Fresh or frozen raspberries
Directions
Fill a tall glass with ice cubes. Pour in the cherry syrup and the gin; stir to mix together. Lighten the drink with a generous splash of soda. Float a layer of red wine on top by pouring it over the back of a wide, flat spoon. (Don't worry if it doesn't float; it tastes great either way.) Drop a few maraschino cherries and raspberries into the glass. Drink.
Pisco SourIngredients
- 1/2 tablespoon meringue powder
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 ounces pisco
- 1 3/4 teaspoons simple syrup
- Dash bitters
- Very finely grated lime zest or lime wedge, for garnish
Directions
Dissolve meringue powder in lime juice. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add meringue mixture, pisco, simple syrup and bitters. Cover and shake vigorously until frothy, mixed and chilled, about 45 seconds. Strain into a glass and garnish with grated zest or a wedge of lime.
Copyright (c) 2007 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved.
Simple Syrup:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
Put the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. (Alternatively, heat in the microwave.) Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Yield: about 1 1/2 cups
Long Island Green Tea
Ingredients- Ice
- 2 ounces Green Tea Vodka, recipe follows
- 1/2-ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1-ounce orange liqueur (recommended: Cointreau)
- 1/4-ounce golden rum
- 2 to 3 teaspoons Simple Syrup, recipe follows
Directions
Flowery Ice Cubes, for garnish (optional)
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add Green Tea Vodka, lemon juice, orange liqueur, and Simple Syrup. Cover and shake until mixed and chilled, about 30 seconds. (In general, the drink is ready by the time the shaker mists up.) Strain into a tall glass filled with Flowery Ice Cubes, if using.
Copyright (c) 2007 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved.
Green Tea Vodka:
- 1 cup vodka
- 2 gunpowder green tea bags or 2 tablespoons loose gunpowder green tea
Place both tea bags into the vodka. Cover, shake, and let steep for 2 hours. Remove and discard the tea bags.
Simple Syrup:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
Put the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. (Alternatively, heat in the microwave.) Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Yield: about 1 1/2 cups
Flowery Ice Cubes:
Edible flowers
- Water
Drop 1 edible flower into each segment of an ice-cube tray; fill with water and freeze.
Pecan-Caramel Spiders
Cinnamon Buns
Drunken Chicken
Chocolate Mousse
Christmas Lunch
Christmas Ham Ingredients:
Directions
Aromatic Spiced Ham- 1 butt end smoked ham, about 7 pounds
- 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup orange marmalade
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 cans crescent rolls
- Egg wash
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the ham in a roasting pan and lightly score it with a sharp knife all around. Stir the mustard, marmalade and black pepper together in a small mixing bowl with a spoon. Slather the mustard mixture all over the outside of the ham, rubbing it into the scored meat. Bake the ham for 20 minutes then remove it from the oven.
Using 2 cans of crescent rolls, unroll the crescent dough but don't separate them into pieces. Press the perforated pieces together to keep the dough in its rectangular shape. Drape them over the ham pressing the dough edges together to cover the ham completely with the dough. Tuck any loose edges underneath the bottom of the ham in the roasting pan. Brush with egg wash.
Lay the last piece can of dough out on a cutting board and cut our some holiday shapes with cookie cutters. Holly leaves are nice. Arrange the dough leaves in a pretty bunch on the dough draped ham. Brush these shapes with egg wash.
Return the ham to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes until the ham is heated through and the crescent dough is cooked and browned.
Ingredients:
For the ham:- 1 (4-pounds 15-ounce to 6-pounds 1-ounce) boneless mild-cure gammon
- 8 3/4 fluid ounces (250ml) red wine
- 5 pints 5 1/2 fluid ounces (3 liters) water (approximately)
- 1 large onion, halved
- 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 1 head fennel, halved
- 2 star anise
- 1 tablespoon coriander seed
- 1 tablespoon fennel seed
- 1 tablespoon mixed peppercorns
For the glaze:
- Approximately 16 whole cloves
- 4 tablespoons red currant jelly
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Place the gammon in a large saucepan. Add all the ingredients for the ham to the pan, adding more water if the ham isn't covered. Bring to the boil, before reducing the heat to a simmer and partially covering the pan. Cook for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, approximately 1 hour a kilo simmering time, plus an extra 15 minutes.
When you are ready to glaze the ham, preheat oven to 440 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Remove the ham from the liquid and sit the ham on a board. Strip off the rind, and a little of the fat layer if it's very thick, and cut a diamond pattern into the remaining fat with a sharp knife in lines of about 3/4-inch apart. Stud each diamond with a clove. Put the jelly, cinnamon, paprika and red wine vinegar into a saucepan and whisk together over a high heat bringing it to the boil. Let the pan bubble away so that the glaze reduces to a syrup-like consistency.
Place a layer of foil over a roasting tray big enough to hold the ham. Place the ham on top of the foil. Pour the glaze over the clove-studded ham and then transfer it to the oven. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the glazed fat is burnished. Allow the meat to rest in a warm place for at least 15 minutes before carving it.
Christmas Ornaments
Feel like spending your white Christmas on the dark side this year for a change? No problem - there are lots of Darth Vader, and other Star Wars, ornaments out there for you to choose from.
If you don’t feel like spending your white Christmas on the dark side with some Star Wars Christmas Ornaments, you could always try these colorful M&M ones instead.
Their eyes light up and mouths move to the music using the actual licensed M&M voices - the green gal sings “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and the red guy croons “Holly Jolly Christmas.”
The M&M Musical Ornaments measures 4 inches in diameter and requires 3 x AA batteries. You can get from Catalog Favorites for $14.95 a pop, or as a set for $24.95.
(7Gadgets via OhGizmo)Hello Kitty in Swarovski crystals
Gold Bra
False Eyelashes - “How to Apply” Video Lesson from the ProTransformer Dress Turns Into Naked Lady!
False Eyelashes - “How to Apply” Video Lesson from the Pro Adriana Lima - "Spider Man 3" Premiere at Tribeca - 57x HQ
Megan Fox Marck Hom Photoshot
Smoking jacket
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Teddy Bears in Space
It was one small step for bears, but a giant leap for teddy-kind when four teddies were blasted to the edge of space.The furry toys were launched 30,000-metres into the sky as part of a project by the University of Cambridge and a local school.
A helium balloon was used to get the bears up up and away flying to Near Space or the Edge of Space as it is known.
The bears endured temperatures of minus 53 degrees on the three hour flight from Cambridge and all were returned safely to Earth.
University of Cambridge
via
OWC now offers 320GB portable FireWire hard drives
Making That Notebook Into A Desktop
2 Terabyte Big Disk Extreme + from LaCie
X-pointer: Gold Coated Wireless Presenter
University of Cambridge
via
OWC now offers 320GB portable FireWire hard drives
Making That Notebook Into A Desktop
2 Terabyte Big Disk Extreme + from LaCie
X-pointer: Gold Coated Wireless Presenter
World's most expensive Christmas tree on display
What global economic meltdown? A jewellery store display in Osaka laughs at the so-called "world recession" with their 1.6 million dollar 24k gold Christmas tree all blinged out with diamonds and pearls. It's decorated with over 240 priceless gems. The store attendant justifies this extravagance:LinkEconomic sentiment is sluggish. But, at least in this store, we want people to feel a gorgeous atmosphere.
Hello Kitty in Swarovski crystals
Gold Bra
False Eyelashes - “How to Apply” Video Lesson from the ProTransformer Dress Turns Into Naked Lady!
False Eyelashes - “How to Apply” Video Lesson from the Pro Adriana Lima - "Spider Man 3" Premiere at Tribeca - 57x HQ
Megan Fox Marck Hom Photoshot
Smoking jacket
Lego Colonial Space Ship Is Big Enough to Terraform Real Planets
Built by Thomas Grassmann and his son Sebastian, not only this Lego model is one of the biggest and most detailed I've ever seen in my life, but it's well designed and realistic enough to be an actual colonial spaceship. Or at least, to be an actual prop in a sci-fi movie. [Festum via Brothers Brick]A racing simulator with 3 LCDs?
The Oculus Yacht by E. Kevin Schopfer
This superyacht called Oculus, designed by designer E. Kevin Schopfer. Just see from the shape, this boat looks like a whale, with an open-mouth-like backside and an eye socket. It features 250 feet long, 12-foot ceilings and capable of speeds upwards of 25 knots. Now it is just a concept.
Schöpfer Yachts, via The Future is Awesome, via Yanko Design
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