Southern Lady Christmas Baking 2017

For so many of us, favorite holiday memories take root in the kitchen, and that certainly holds true for me. My mom has been a devoted Christmas cookie baker as long as I can remember, and from the time I could stand on a stool to reach the countertop, I loved spending December afternoons elbow-deep in butter and flour as we mixed and measured side by side. Her annual repertoire included almond shortbread dipped in colorful sugar, crisp meringues encasing chocolate kisses, and apple-studded oatmeal drop cookies—in fact, the treats on page 54 are a riff on her recipe for the latter. But I had eyes mainly for the sugar cookies, cut into fanciful silhouettes and spread on a baking sheet for me to top with sprinkles and candies. Always…

SWEET POTATO CHEESECAKE WITH MERINGUE TOPPING MAKES 1 (10-INCH) CAKE 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs 1 cup chopped pecans ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar 6 tablespoons butter, melted 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1½ cups granulated sugar 5 large eggs 2 (15-ounce) cans pure sweet potato purée 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon ground allspice ¼ teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg Meringue Topping (recipe follows) 1. Preheat oven to 300°. Spray a 10-inch springform pan with baking spray with flour. Line pan with parchment paper. 2. In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, pecans, brown sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Wrap pan in heavy-duty foil, sealing tightly. 3. In a large bowl, beat…

CHEWY GINGERBREAD COOKIES WITH ORANGE GLAZE MAKES 12 ½ cup unsalted butter, softened ½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar 1 tablespoon orange zest 1 teaspoon orange extract 1 large egg ¼ cup blackstrap molasses ¼ cup honey 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1½ teaspoons ground ginger ½ teaspoon ground allspice ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon ground cloves ¼ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom ⅛ teaspoon ground red pepper Orange Glaze (recipe follows) Garnish: cinnamon sugar 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. In a large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, orange zest, and orange extract with a mixer at medium speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add egg, beating well. Beat in molasses and honey. 3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, baking soda, salt, cloves,…

CHOCOLATE BOURBON-CARAMEL NUT TART MAKES 10 SERVINGS 1 (14.1-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts Bourbon-Salted Caramel Sauce (recipe follows) 4 (4-ounce) bars milk chocolate, chopped ⅔ cup heavy whipping cream ¼ cup butter, softened 1 (18-ounce) package mixed nuts ½ teaspoon sea salt 1. Preheat oven to 350°. 2. On a lightly floured surface, unroll 1 piecrust. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush with water. Place remaining crust on top, pressing to seal layers. Roll into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to an 11-inch removable-bottom tart pan, pressing into bottom and up sides. Prick bottom of dough with a fork a few times. Top with a piece of parchment paper, letting ends extend over edges of pan. Add pie weights. 3. Bake until lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Carefully remove paper and weights. Bake until bottom of crust is light golden brown, about 5…

ORANGE ROSEMARY WREATH MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided 2 tablespoons orange zest, divided 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary ⅔ cup warm milk (105° to 110°) 1 (0.25-ounce) package active dry yeast 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and divided 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon salt Garnish: fresh rosemary sprigs, orange wedges 1. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon zest, and rosemary. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. 2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine warm milk, yeast, and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Let stand until mixture is foamy, about 10 minutes. Add 1 cup flour; beat at low speed until combined. Add ¼ cup melted butter, beating to combine. Add ½ cup flour; beat until combined. Add eggs, beating…

MAKES ABOUT 18 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt ¼ cup hot water 1 tablespoon espresso powder 1 (11.5-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chunks 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. 3. In a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until combined. 4. In a small measuring cup, stir together ¼…