candy cane twists

I was going through some recipes I had cut out of various magazines over the past few years, and I stumbled across this recipe.  Unfortunately, I never wrote down from which magazine it came, so I don’t know to whom credit should go!  I mentioned it to Nathan, and it became the first thing in my holiday baking bonanza!

Candy Cane Twists

Makes: 32 cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups plus 1 tbs all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg white
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• 4 drops red liquid food coloring
• 3 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten

Directions:

1. In small bowl, whisk 2 cups of the flour, the baking powder, and salt.  In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until smooth.  1 minute.  Beat in egg, egg white, and peppermint.  On low, beat flour mixture.  Remove half of dough to a bowl: stir in remaining tablespoon flour and tint dough pink with red food coloring.  Knead cocoa into second half of dough.  Flatten each pieve into 8-inch disk; wrap each in plastic.  Refrigerate 2 hours.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees.  On floured surface, roll out chocolate dough to a 10×8 inch rectangle.  Cut lengthwise into 16 1/2 inch wide strips.  Cut each strip in half crosswise; you will have 32 strips, each 5 x 1/2 inch.  Roll under hands to make 6 inch ropes.  Repeat with pink dough.
3. Twist together one chocolate rope and one pink rope.  Curl a “hook” in one end of each twist, to form a candy-cane shape.  Transfer to an uncreased baking sheet.  Brush with beaten egg white.
4. Bake cookies at 350 for 8-10 minutes, until firm and golden around edges.  Remove promptly from baking sheet; transfer carefully to cooking racks with large spatula.  Cool completely.

Grade: B

Comments: Nathan really likes them, but I wasn’t sold.  I don’t think it is a bad recipe.  I just think it isn’t my type of cookie.  They would be great for an open house or as gifts!

Tagged as: cookies, dessert, holiday baking, holiday parties, holiday recipes, holidays, recipes, sweet treats