Christmas cookie bonanza part 4

Yield: 42 servings

Measure Ingredient
1 \N Recipe Basic cookie mix
2 larges Egg yolks
1 tablespoon Water
\N \N Topping
½ cup Packed light-brown sugar
⅓ cup Dark corn syrup
¼ cup Butter
¼ cup Heavy cream
2 cups Unsalted finely chopped dry-roasted peanuts
12 ounces Semisweet chocolate
3 tablespoons Vegetable shortening

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED PEANUT-BRITTLE FINGERS Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 15 1/2x10 1/2x1" jelly-roll pan; line bottom and sides with sheet of aluminum foil. Grease foil.

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg yolks and the water. At low speed, beat just until mixture forms a crumbly dough.

Pat mixture over foil on bottom of prepared pan; bake 20 min or until dough is golden brown. Remove pan from oven.

Make peanut-brittle topping: In heavy med saucepan, combine brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and heavy cream; over med heat, bring to boiling, stirring. Cook, stirring constantly, until butter melts and mixture is smooth. Stir in peanuts.

Spread peanut-brittle topping mixture over cookies in pan; bake 15 min or until topping is brown and bubbly. Remove pan from oven; cool cookies slightly. Using ends of aluminum foil, lift cookies from pan; cut crosswise into thirds. Cut lengthwise into 14 strips; remove cookies from aluminum foil. Cool cookie "fingers" completely on rack.

Line another wire rack with waxed paper. In top of double boiler over hot, not boiling, water, combine chocolate and shortening. Over low heat, cook mixture, stirring, until chocolate and shortening are melted and mixture is smooth. Dip each cookie finger into chocolate mixture to cover halfway; place cookie on prepared rack to dry.

Makes 42 cookies.

LEMON LINZER COOKIES

1 recipe basic cookie mix 1 lg egg 1 tsp grated lemon zest (colored part of peel) 1 tsp fresh lemon juice ½ c seedless raspberry jam Confectioners' sugar for dusting Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease two baking sheets.

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg, lemon zest and lemon juice. At low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough.

Divide dough in half. Working one half at a time, on lightly floured surface, with lightly floured rolling pin, roll out dough ⅛" thick; cut out with 3" round cookie cutter, cut out centers of half of the cookies. If desired, reroll dough centers for additional cookies.

Transfer dough rounds and rings to prepared baking sheets. Bake 8 min or until cookies are golden; transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

With 1 tsp jam each, cover flat sides of rounds. Place a cookie ring, flat side down, on top of each filling-topped round. Dust tops of cookies with confectioners' sugar.

Makes 2 dozen cookies. Posted by Theresa Merkling.

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