Malfitano - Best holiday sweets & treats: good and simple family favorites to bake and share

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Front Cover: Teri Virbickis/shutterstock.com; Marzia Giacobbe/shutterstock.com; ksena2you/shutterstock.com; YingYang/iStockphoto.com; kristenkreations/ iStockphoto.com

Spine: emarto/iStockphoto.com

Back Cover: haveseen/shutterstock.com; kirin_photo/iStockphoto.com

Copyright 2016 by Daniella Malfitano

All rights reserved

For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to Permissions, The Countryman Press, 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110

For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact W. W. Norton Special Sales at specialsales@wwnorton.com or 800-233-4830

The Library of Congress has cataloged the printed edition as follows:

Names: Malfitano, Daniella, author.

Title: Best holiday sweets & treats : good and simple family favorites to bake and share / Daniella Malfitano.

Other titles: Best holiday sweets and treats

Description: New York, NY : The Countryman Press, a division of W. W. Norton & Company, [2016] | Series: Best ever | Includes index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016031784 | ISBN 9781581574555 (pbk.)

Subjects: LCSH: Confectionery. | Cookies. | Holiday cooking. | LCGFT: Cookbooks.

Classification: LCC TX783 .M25 2016 | DDC 641.5/68dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016031784

ISBN 978-1-58157-456-2 (e-book)

The Countryman Press

www.countrymanpress.com

A division of W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.,

500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110

www.wwnorton.com

TO MY LOVING AND INCREDIBLE FAMILY.
YOU ARE EACH UNIQUELY AMAZING
AND I AM SO GRATEFUL
THAT I GET TO CALL YOU MINE.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING ME
WITH EVERY ADVENTURE AND
FOR BELIEVING IN MY DREAMS.
HERES TO MORE CELEBRATING
AND EATING TOGETHER!
I LOVE YOU AND THIS ONES FOR YOU!

BEST HOLIDAY SWEETS & TREATS

The recipes in this book are very special to me because these are the recipes I grew up enjoying every holiday season! Year after year and dessert after dessert, I came to appreciate the joys of holiday tradition and the food that comes along with it. Food is the center of most holidays, especially sweets! To me, these are the recipes that give every festive celebration its charm and are what makes the holidays such a special time of year. Best Holiday Sweets & Treats is a colorful and celebratory edition to the Best Ever Cookbook series. This cookbook has 50 scrumptious recipes in total, ranging from festive cookies to Santas favorite squares and bars, to edible gifts and candies, to the sweet holiday classics! You might see goodies that you grew up with making or eating during the holidays, and others that might be new to you but are begging to be tried. The recipes in this book are simple to make and approachable for all types of cooks and all levels of baking skill, so fear not! Anyone and everyone can make them, and it is my hope that you will! Every sweet and treat in this book is fun to make, delicious to enjoy, and a perfect addition to your holidays. Now, go get your apron on and dive right in!

Enjoy!

With pleasure and an appetite,
Chef Daniella Malfitano

Nothing says Christmas like the delicious scent of gingerbread. Spicy yet sweet, these cookies are a perfect balance of flavor. With dark molasses, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt, theyll keep you coming back for more. Their soft and chewy texture is just right for when you need a gingery burst of flavor and a little Yuletide spirit.

1 cup granulated sugar

cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

cup dark molasses

1 large egg

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

cup coarse raw cane sugar, for rolling cookies

Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large bowl, cream the granulated sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add the molasses and egg and mix well. Add the ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and flour and mix until well combined.

Spoon out the dough into balls and form into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls of dough in the raw cane sugar and then place on an ungreased baking sheet. Give them room; they will spread out while baking.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are slightly puffy.

Christmas is a season not only of rejoicing but of reflection.

Winston Churchill

With a perfect balance of powdered sugar and almond essence, these cookies are crumbly and nutty and give you just what you want when you need a sweet treat with an almond flair. They are easy to make and will become one of your favorite cookies this season. Just be warned, you may end up with powdered sugar on your lips and fingers!

1 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature

cup powdered sugar, plus more for rolling

teaspoon salt

1 cups finely ground almonds

1 teaspoons almond extract

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

Preheat the oven to 325F. In a large bowl, combine the butter, powdered sugar, and salt and mix until well combined. Add the ground almonds and the almond and vanilla extracts and mix. Add the flour gradually and continue to mix until a crumb mixture begins to form.