How-To: Make a Holiday Cookie Box

Peppermint Marshmallows

• 3 packets (21g) unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup (227g) cool water, divided
• 1 1/2 cups (298g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (312g) light corn syrup
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt
• 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract, optional; for extra-strong peppermint flavor*
• 1/2 cup (78g) crushed peppermint candies or candy canes
• confectioners' sugar, to sprinkle on top

1. Combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup (113g) of the cool water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Set the bowl aside.
2. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and the remaining 1/2 cup (113g) cool water in a small, deep saucepan.
3. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
4. Raise the heat to high and cook, without stirring, until the syrup reaches 238°F to 240°F on a candy or digital thermometer. Remove from the heat.
5. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the softened gelatin. Increase the speed to high, and whip until the mixture is very thick and fluffy, and has cooled to lukewarm, 3 to 10 minutes (depending on the mixer and attachment you use; a stand mixer using the whisk attachment will work more quickly than a hand mixer equipped with beaters). The mixture should be cool enough that you can spread it into the pan without burning your fingers, about 95°F. Don't let the marshmallow get so thick that it forms a stiff ball inside the wire whisk; it shouldn't be as stiff as meringue icing. Add the peppermint oil towards the end of the mixing time.
6. When the marshmallow is fully whipped, add the peppermint crunch and mix until combined.
7. Spread the marshmallow into a greased 9"x13" pan (glass or ceramic is best) with a greased dough scraper. 
8. Use your wet fingers to smooth and flatten the marshmallow into the pan. Sprinkle glazing or confectioners' sugar over the top, and let sit for several hours (or overnight) before cutting.
9. Use a greased knife or cookie cutters to make squares or other shapes. Wrap marshmallows airtight, and store for several days at room temperature.

Spingerle Shortbreads

Adapted from SWEET by Helen Goh + Ottolenghi

Dough:

• 85 g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 90 g dark brown sugar
• 100 g blackstrap molasses
• 1 large egg yolk
• 235 g all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp dutch process cocoa powder
• ½ tsp Baking soda
• 1 tsp Ground ginger
• ½  tsp Ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ¼ tsp Salt
• ¼ tsp Ground black pepper

Glaze:

• 80g Confectioners Sugar
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp dark Rum
• 1 tsp warm water

1. Place the butter, molasses and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat to combine, 1-2 minutes. Add the egg yolk. Scrape
2. Sift together the flour, cocoa, and spices in a separate bowl. Add to the butter mixture all at once. Mix just to combine.
3. Chill the dough for at least one hour, up to 2 days
4. Roll to ¼” thick
5. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets. Working with one disk at a time, flour your work surface and roll the dough 1/4" thick.
6. To shape cookies using a springerle pin: Brush a very light coating of flour onto the dough and your springerle pin. Slowly roll the springerle pin over the dough, pressing down hard enough to leave a good impression. Cut the cookies apart on the lines. To shape cookies using a springerle mold: Brush a very light coating of flour onto the dough and your springerle mold. Press the mold firmly into the dough, then remove and cut around the design with a knife or a fluted pastry wheel.
7. Transfer the cut cookies to the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges. Remove them from the oven.
8. While the cookies bake, sift the confectioners sugar and cinnamon into a small bowl. Add the melted butter, rum and water and mix until smooth. The glaze may thicken slightly as it sits, add more water if needed. Once the cookies are removed from the oven, cool for 5 minutes, then brush lightly with glaze. 
9. Store shortbread, well wrapped, for up to a week; freeze for longer storage. The flavor improves as the shortbread ages.

Raspberry Linzer Cookies

Adapted from the NYT

• 400g all-purpose flour
• 50g hazelnut flour
• 75g almond flour
• ½ tsp Ground nutmeg
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1tsp kosher salt
• 1½ cups (340 g) unsalted butter
• 1-¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (290g) raspberry jam
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

1. Whisk together flours, baking powder, salt and nutmeg in a bowl.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together on medium-high until the mixture is light, fluffy and pale, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract, and beat until everything is well combined, again stopping to scrape down bowl as necessary.
3. Add in dry ingredients all at once and mix on low speed, just until incorporated.
4. Divide dough in 2 equal pieces, and wrap each piece in cling film, patting into a 1-inch-thick disk. Chill at least 2 hours, up to 5 days ahead.
5. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper so it's about ⅛ inch thick. (Because of the almonds, the dough may crack in places while you’re rolling it out. This is O.K., just patch it up with scraps.)
6. Using a round cookie cutter 2½ inches in diameter, or the shape of your choice, cut out as many circles as possible. Take half of these circles and cut out a 1-inch circle from the interior of the larger circles, creating a doughnut shape that will become the top of the cookie. If at any point the dough becomes too soft to cut and cleanly remove from parchment paper, slide it onto a cookie sheet and chill for a few minutes in the freezer or refrigerator. Gather any scraps of dough, combine them and roll them out, chilling as necessary. Transfer dough circles to a parchment-lined baking sheet spaced 1 inch apart and bake until the edges are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
7. To assemble the cookies, spread about a teaspoon of raspberry jam onto the flat sides of the larger circles. Dust the tops of the cutout circles with powdered sugar and place on top of raspberry jam.

Chocolate Hazelnut Sandwiches

For the dough:

• 190g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 130g granulated sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 220g all-purpose flour 
• 75g dutch process cocoa powder
• 1/4t tsp baking Soda

For the filling:

• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 1 cup dark chocolate, chopped
• ⅔ cup chocolate hazelnut spread
• Cocoa powder for dusting
• Festive sprinkles (optional)

1. For the dough, sift together the cocoa and flour in a small bowl
2. In a stand mixer, cream the butter, sugar and salt just until combined, you aren’t trying to add air or make it fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, scraping in between.
3. Add the flour and cocoa all at once, mix until combined. Wrap and chill the dough for at least one hour, up to 2 days. 
4. To bake the cookies, roll them out ⅛ thin and cut into desired shapes (we used squares which avoids dough waste). Chill the cookies once again.
5. Preheat the oven to 350, bake for 5-7 minutes until just set. They should appear dry in the middles but not dark on the edges
6. For the filling: combine the chopped chocolate and the hazelnut spread in a large bowl. Heat the cream, do not boil. Pour the warm cream over the chocolate mixture, let set for a minute or two. Whisk together gently. Cover and cool completely in the fridge.
7. Place the chilled ganache in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk until peaks form
8. Spread evenly on half of the cookies. Dust the other half with cocoa powder. Sandwich and serve!

Apricot Pistachio Rugelach

Adapted from SWEET by Ottolenghi + Helen Goh

For the dough:

• 160g All purpose flour
• ¼ tsp Salt
• ¼ tsp Baking Powder
• Lemon zest
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 125g unsalted butter, cold cut into cubes
• 125g cream cheese, cold

For the filling:

• 40g pistachios
• 100g brown sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 150g apricot jam
• Egg yolk
• Demerara sugar

1. Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder in a large bowl
2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and lemon zest until combined and no butter lumps remain
3. Add the flour mixture and mix to combine. Divide the dough into four discs, refrigerate for at least one hour.
4. To make the filling: spread the pistachios on a baking sheet, toast at 350 for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
5. Finely chop the nuts and mix in a small bowl with the brown sugar
6. In a separate bowl, mix your apricot jam with the lemon juice as needed to thin the jam
7. Remove one dough round from the fridge, roll into a 8” circle about ¼” thick. Spread lightly with ¼ of the jam mixture, sprinkle with ¼ of the nut mixture
8. Cut into triangles and roll each one up. Line up on a parchment lined baking tray. Sprinkle any of the nuts that have fallen out onto the counter on top.
9. Brush each roll with egg wash and sprinkle with demerara sugar
10. Bake at 350 until golden. The jam may run out a bit, that’s okay. 
11. Repeat with the rest of the dough and fillings.

Coconut Caramels

• 85g shredded, unsweetened coconut flakes
• Coconut oil or nonstick cooking spray, for greasing the pan
• 1 13-ounce (390g) can of coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk
• 400g granulated sugar
• 60 mL corn syrup
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the coconut flakes in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast until light golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Brush an 8-inch baking dish generously with coconut oil or coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle about 3 to 4 tablespoons of toasted coconut in an even layer on the bottom of the pan, and set aside.
3. In a medium heavy saucepan, combine the coconut cream, sugar, corn syrup and sea salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil, stirring frequently especially toward the end, until a candy thermometer reaches 250 degrees and caramel is a light golden brown and thickened, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the ginger and cardamom.
4. Pour the caramel into the prepared pan. Once the caramel stops bubbling and the surface forms a thin skin, about 3 minutes, sprinkle another 4 tablespoons toasted coconut across the surface. Allow to cool at room temperature and set completely, about 2 hours.
5. Run a spatula around the sides of the baking dish, loosen and lift the caramel, and move onto a board or clean surface.
6. Slice the caramel into 8 (1-inch-wide) strips, then across into ½-inch pieces, so you have about 72 caramels. Roll the sides of each piece in more toasted coconut. Wrap as individual sweets using 4- to 5-inch squares of parchment, wax paper, or cellophane, or use store-bought candy wrappers, twisting the ends to seal. Store at room temperature in a cool dry place. Caramels will keep stored at room temp for up to 7 days or frozen after wrapping for up to 1 month.