Traditional festive cookies

Do you remember the heady scent of cinnamon, ginger and mixed spice when Christmas cookies were baking? Can you still see the kitchen counter with eggs and butter, flour, and little jars of essence? Perhaps you still feel the heat of the kitchen with an oven working overtime preparing for a summer Christmas? The rhythm of trays going in and out of the oven, hovering a while on their way out for the cookies to set and then the careful palate knife action of moving the cookies from tray to cooling rack. Only later comes the creative part – decorating or dusting with icing before neatly and carefully packing sugary stacks ready for holiday enjoyment.

Chef Christiaan shares a few of his favourite, traditional Christmas and holiday bakes. Wrap them in pretty paper or pack them into a jar and add a festive ribbon and holiday wishes. Everyone will appreciate the gesture of such a personal gift.

Double chocolate chip cookies

Ingredients

• 170 g Butter
• 100g Caster sugar
• 200g soft brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 300g Plain flour
• 2.5g Bicarbonate of soda
• 7.5g Sea Salt
• 25g Cocoa Powder
• 5g Vanilla essence
• 300g Chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat oven to 165C
2. Cream the butter and sugars.
3. Add the eggs
4. Then add the dry goods and chocolate chips and mix till a paste forms
5. Roll into balls 40-50g each
6. Allow to set in the fridge for 20mins bake for between 10 and 15 mins. The longer you bake, the more crunchy they will be. The shorter you bake, the more gooey they will be .
7. Add 50g of any chopped nuts if you want to add flavor and textures . Can substitute butter for margarine and any sugar will be fine if you only have one. For plain cookies, remove the cocoa powder and add 20g extra flour.

Chocolate on chocolate is the ultimate treat, but it can get better! Enjoy with a glass of Leopard’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot and you’ll swoon!

Ginger biscuits

This family recipe is foolproof and belongs to the sister of Chef Christiaan’s grandma, Ouma Hettie.

Ingredients 

• 1.5kg Cake flour
• 1kg White sugar
• 500g Butter, cut into small blocks
• 1 Tblsp Bicarbonate of soda
• 500g Golden syrup
• 5 Eggs
• 1 Tblsp Mixed spice, ground
• 5 Tblsp Ginger, ground
• 1 Tblsp Cream of tartar
• 1 tsp Oryx desert salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
3. Add the cubed butter, using your fingertips rub the butter into the dry ingredients.
4. Rub until the butter is completely incorporated into the dry ingredients.
5. Whisk the eggs and golden syrup in a separate mixing bowl.
6. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon until a smooth cookie dough is formed.
7. Wrap with plastic and allow to rest for 30 minutes in the fridge.
8. On a lightly floured working surface roll out the ginger biscuit mixture to 5mm thickness.
9. Cut into desired shapes and place on baking trays lined with baking paper.
10. Leave enough room between the biscuits for them to spread while baking.
11. Place the trays with cookies back in the fridge for 30 minutes.
12. Bake for 8-12 minutes until light brown.
13. Turn out onto wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Ginger works a treat with the Leopard’s Leap Chescato’s off-dry floral notes. Add it to your gift of cookies!

Parmesan shortbread biscuits

Ingredients     

• 300 g Cake flour
• 150 g Parmesan, grated
• 200 g Butter
• 2 Egg yolks
• 1 tsp Flat leaf parsley, freeze dried

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Add all the ingredients to the bowl of an electric mixer.
3. Using the paddle attachment, mix until the dough begins to come together.
4. Turn it out onto a surface and knead for about 1 minute until smooth, divide into two.
5. Form into uniform cylinders about 3cm in diameter.
6. Roll in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 45 minutes to rest.
7. Line baking sheets with baking paper.
8. Remove the dough from the fridge and cut into 1cm thick cookies.
9. Arrange the cookies on the baking sheets.
10. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until they are golden brown.
11. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving.

These savoury and buttery shortbreads are addictive – especially when enjoyed with a glass of Culinaria MCC!

Sugar cookies

Ingredients   

• 200g Butter, soft
• 200g Castor sugar
• 1 Egg, lightly whisked
• 3 Cups Cake flour
• 1 tsp Vanilla essence

Royal icing    

• 2 egg whites
• 350g Icing sugar
• Juice from half a lemon

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C.
2. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
3. Place the soft butter and castor sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer.
4. Using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and castor sugar.
5. Add the egg, cake flour and vanilla essence and mix until a smooth cookie dough forms.
6. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour.
7. On a lightly floured working surface roll out the cookie dough until the desired thickness.
8. Cut into desired shapes and place on baking trays lined with baking paper.
9. Leave enough room between the biscuits for them to spread while baking.
10. Place the trays with cookies back in the fridge for 30 minutes.
11. Bake the cookies for 8 – 10 minutes or until golden brown.
12. Turn out onto wire racks to cool.
13. To make the royal icing place the egg whites, icing sugar and lemon juice in a mixing bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
14. Start mixing at a low speed and slowly increase the speed as the royal icing gets smoother.
15. If the mixture is too dry, add another egg white.
16. Whisk until the mixutre reaches soft peak, transfer to a piping bag.
17. Garnish the sugar cookies as desired.
18. If you want the royal icing to be thinner add 1 tsp of water.
19. Allow the royal icing to dry.
20. Store in an airtight container.

Try these simple star-shaped biscuits with a glass of Leopard’s Leap Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir!