Christmas Toffee

Christmas Toffee

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Butter Toffee

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

12 oz Semi-sweet Chocolate chips (to melt on top of the toffee)

nuts (optional)

This makes about 2 dozen pieces (depending on how large you break them)

1. Mix sugar, salt, water, and butter in a medium sauce pan. Cook at a medium heat and without stirring until the mixture reaches 285 degrees F. You can measure this with a candy thermometer. It will reach 285 degrees very soon after it starts to turn brown. As soon as it does I turn the heat off, mix it quickly and then...

2. Pour onto a very well greased sheet pan (one with edges). Cool.

3. Once cooled flip over the toffee and melt chocolate chips in a double broiler. Coat with melted chocolate chips. I spread mine over the top with a rubber scraper. Top with desired chopped nuts.

4. Refrigerate.

You have the option of putting a chocolate layer on the other side of the toffee as well. I chose not to for the sake of time.

5. Break and serve.

Apple Crisp

This is the best apple crisp recipe I have ever eaten! My goodness! YUM YUM!  The top is crunchy, the middle soft, and the apples are perfect!  The baking powder makes it rise up perfectly.  Enjoy!

Here is the original recipe.

8 apples

1 cup all-purpose flour  (gf version)

1 cup white sugar - you can split this 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 egg

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon (I would use LESS than this if you are not a huge cinnamon person)

1/4 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1. Mix together flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and egg. The mixture will look like cornmeal.
2. Peel, core, and slice the apples. Mix together with 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon. Place apples in a greased 8 inch square pan. Spread flour mixture over the apples. Mix together 1 tablespoon (OR LESS) cinnamon and 1/4 cup sugar; sprinkle over the top of the crisp. Drizzle with butter or margarine.
3. Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for one hour. Serve warm.

***Notes in the original recipe say that you can substitute 1/4 cup oats (gf)  for a 1/4 cup flour. 

Gingersnaps

These are the best gingersnap cookies ever!  They are actually really soft and came out perfect the first time I made them. 

Gingersnaps

yield:  a lot of cookies. I've never really counted....

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups margarine (softened)

1/2 cup molasses

2 eggs

4 1/2 cups flour (gf version)

3 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cloves

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Mix all ingredients thoroughly (wet ingredients first and then add in dry ingredients).  Refrigerate dough overnight for best results.

To bake:  Take dough out of refrigerator and roll into 1 inch balls.  Roll balls in a plate of sugar.  Place sugar covered spheres on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. 

Rolled in sugar and ready to be baked!

Mini Cheesecakes

Mini Cheesecakes

• Cookies, original recipe calls for vanilla wafers (see the gf cookies I used below)
• 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla (gf)
• Filling/topping (cherries, strawberries, etc.) (gf)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
Place cupcake wrappers inside muffin pan. 
Crush cookies to make a crumbly base. 
Place 1/2 -1 tsp. cookie crumbles in each cupcake wrapper.
Take the room temperature cheese and beat with mixer until smooth.  Mix in sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Fill each cupcake wrapper almost to the top.
Bake 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  (Watch it carefully)
Fill center with desired topping.  Refrigerate to achieve best consistency. 





Crumble Cookie Bottom



These are the cookies I used.