Baking up some cookies for Hope
THIS WEEK WE ARE excited to be a part of the 17th annual HopeSpring Holiday Tour of Homes this weekend. Volunteers have been working hard to bring much-needed funding to this organization.
HopeSpring Cancer Support Centre offers programs and services to help people dealing with a diagnosis of cancer. This safe place has helped so many people get through to good health and help some whose journey in life was cut short.
The event on November 9 and 10 is a self-guided tour of select homes in Waterloo Region that are professionally decorated for the season by local companies. It’s a great way to get ideas for your entertaining during the holidays.
Our new Christmas cookies will be there to sample. We are donating $5 per package of four-dozen cookies to this wonderful organization. Don’t forget to purchase your tickets – see www.hopespring. ca – and enjoy an afternoon of fun supporting HopeSpring.
When you think of Christmas and cookies, you think of shortbread. Here’s a simple way to make my favourite version.
My favourite shortbread
2 Cups cold butter cut into quarter inch pieces 3/4 Cup sugar 2/3 Cup rice flour 3 Cups all purpose flour 1/2 tsp. of salt
In a bowl sift together the flour, rice flour and salt. Stir in the sugar. Add butter with your fingers and combine until the mixture looks crumbly, similar to fine bread crumbs.
Combine into a ball. Divide the ball into three and shape into a log form on a sheet of parchment or plastic wrap. Smooth the log out and roll into the paper or plastic wrap. Tie the ends off and chill for a few hours.
Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap the cookie dough, slice into 1/4-inch medallions and place on a cookie sheet 1-1/2 inches apart. Try to keep the dough even thickness and smooth on top. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes then place in the preheated oven at 300 F. If your oven is hotter turn it down to 275F. They cookies should not be brown – golden at the most. It will take about 45 minutes to an hour. The cookies will be firm to the touch.
Let cool and store in an airtight container. They are perfect dusted with a bit of icing sugar before serving or go very well with drizzled chocolate.
Happy baking!