LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2018

MINI CHRI STMAS CAKE COOKIES Festive cookies that deliver all the classic spices and best-loved glacé fruits that make up most fruitcakes. These cookies, however, take about a half hour to make, versus the days so often needed for a full-size fruitcake. Candied orange peel and toasted walnuts are the standout fla- vour additions in these little gems. Oil ¾ cup (175 mL) all-purpose flour 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon ½ tsp (2 mL) each nutmeg, allspice and salt ¼ tsp (1 mL) each ground ginger and baking soda ⅓ cup (80 mL) butter, at room temperature ½ cup (125 mL) packed brown sugar 1 egg 1½ cups (375 mL) chopped glacé mixed peel 1 cup (250 mL) chopped toasted walnuts ¼ cup (60 mL) chopped candied orange peel Frosty Drizzle, optional, recipe follows 1 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). 2 Lightly oil a baking sheet or line with parch- ment paper. In a medium-size bowl, use a fork to stir flour with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, ginger and baking soda. In another bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter with sugar for about a minute. 3 Beat egg and vanilla into butter mixture, then gradually beat in milk. Don’t worry if it separates. Using a spoon, gradually stir in flour mixture, then glacé mixed peel, nuts and orange peel. 4 Using wet hands, form dough by rounded teaspoonfuls (7 mL) into rounds, each about 1 inch ( 2.5 cm) wide. Place on baking sheet, a generous distance apart. Bake in centre of oven until cookies are golden, 14 to 16 min- utes. Remove from oven and leave on baking sheet for 2 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough. Once cooled, these cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5 days or in a freezer up to a month. Makes 48 cookies FROSTY DRIZZLE For an icing to drizzle over cookies, blend about 4 tsp (20 mL) water into ¾ cup (175 mL) icing sugar. Place cooled cookies on waxed paper and use the tines of a fork to drizzle the icing overtop. 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla ¼ cup (60 mL) milk

CARAMEL RUGELACH These billowy, golden crescent-shaped cookies are incredibly easy to make with our food pro- cessor cream-cheese dough. Make them once and you’ll understand why their popularity has lasted generations. Instead of the usual jam and nut filling, kick it up a notch with a spread of toffee-caramel-tasting dulce de leche, now a staple in most supermarkets. 2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour, plus extra ½ cup (125 mL) icing sugar ½ tsp (2 mL) salt

toothpick. If there is wet batter on the tooth- pick the cookies are not quite done. Remember they continue to cook as they sit on pan after being removed from the oven. Let sit on pan for 5 minutes, then remove to racks to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough and dulce de leche. Store in an airtight container in a cool place up to a week, or freeze up to 2 months. Makes 48 cookies SAVOURY STI LTON TARTS Always looking for easy ways to add Stilton, the king of blues, to your holiday party menus? Well look no further! These easy tarts are sublime, whether baked in our buttery pas- try shells or in store-bought shells if you’re pressed for time. BUTTER PASTRY 1¾ cups (425 mL) cake & pastry flour 1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar ½ tsp (2 mL) salt ½ cup (125 mL) cold unsalted butter 1 egg yolk 1 tsp (5 mL) white vinegar FILLING 4 oz (115 g) Stilton or blue cheese such as Gorgonzola ½ cup (125 mL) whipping cream 2 eggs 3 tbsp (45 mL) fresh thyme leaves 18 walnut halves (optional) Fresh thyme sprigs for garnish (optional) 1 Whirl flour, sugar and salt in a food proces- sor until blended. Cut cold butter into small cubes and scatter over flour mixture. Pulse just until butter is pea-size. In a 1-cup (250 mL) measure, whisk egg yolk and vinegar together. Add enough cold water to bring it up to ⅓ cup (80 mL). Whisk again. With processor running, slowly pour through the feed tube. Whirl just until dough starts to come together. 2 Turn dough onto a lightly floured work sur- face. Form into 2 balls. Pat each into a thick disc and wrap separately in plastic wrap. Refriger- ate at least 30 minutes or up to a week. 3 To bake tarts, preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). 4 Remove dough from refrigerator and leave at room temperature until soft enough to roll out, about 20 minutes. Place 1 piece of dough on a lightly floured work surface. Using a floured

1 cup (250 mL) cold unsalted butter 1 block (250 g) cold cream cheese 6 tbsp (90 mL) dulce de leche, divided 1 egg yolk 1 tbsp (15 mL) water Granulated or sanding sugar (optional)

1 Whirl flour with icing sugar and salt in a food processor until blended. Cut butter and cream cheese into cubes and scatter over flour mixture. Pulse just until dough starts to come together (it may take 40 or more pulses). Remove from processor and form into 3 balls. Flatten each into a disc and wrap separately with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least until firm, about 30 minutes or up to a week. 2 To bake, remove 1 disc of dough from the refrigerator and leave on the counter until soft enough to roll out, about 15 minutes. 3 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). 4 Place the disc on a lightly floured surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll into a 12-inch (30-cm) circle. The edges don’t have to be even. Place 2 tbsp (30 mL) dulce de leche in a small microwaveable dish and warm in the micro- wave for 10 seconds to make it easier to spread. Using a spatula, thinly spread over dough to 1½ inches (4 cm) from the edge. Using a long sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut into 16 wedges. (Cut into quarters first, then cut each quarter into 4 wedges.) 5 Beginning at thewide end, loosely roll 1 wedge towards the point, creating a crescent. Place point-side down on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining wedges, leaving generous spaces between them. Refrig- erate until cold, about 30 minutes. Whisk egg yolk with 1 tbsp (15 mL) water and brush over cookies. Sprinkle with sugar, if desired. 6 Bake in centre of oven until puffed and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Start check- ing after 20 minutes by inserting a wooden toothpick into the thickest part of cookie until it reaches the middle of the cookie. Withdraw

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210  FOOD & DRI NK HOLIDAY 2018