Make these candies with your favorite colors and flavors, then personalize them with your own notes. Look for food-decorating pens at craft stores or order them online.
MAKES ABOUT 60 CANDIES
ACTIVE: 1 hr
TOTAL: 1 hr (plus 24-hr drying)
1 ¼-ounce packet unflavored gelatin powder
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 1-pound boxes confectioners’ sugar (about 8 cups), plus more for kneading
Assorted food colorings, for tinting
Assorted extracts (such as strawberry or almond), for flavoring (optional)
Cooking spray
Food-decorating pens
1 Whisk the gelatin, corn syrup, vanilla, salt and ½ cup boiling water in the bowl of a stand mixer until the gelatin dissolves. Using the paddle attachment, beat in the confectioners’ sugar on medium-low speed, 1 cup at a time, to make a stiff, sticky dough.
2 Transfer the dough to a clean surface and knead, adding more confectioners’ sugar as needed (up to 1 cup), until the dough is smooth, pliable and slightly tacky, about 5 minutes.
3 Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Flatten 1 piece into a disk. (Cover the rest with plastic wrap.) Add a few drops each of food coloring and extract to the center of the dough; fold in the sides and pinch closed, then knead until the color is evenly distributed.
4 Lightly coat a large piece of parchment paper with cooking spray. Roll out the colored dough on the parchment until ⅛ to ¼ inch thick. Cut into hearts using a small cookie cutter; transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, using different colors and extracts. Let the hearts sit at room temperature, uncovered, until dry and hard, about 24 hours, flipping them halfway through. Write messages on the hearts using food-decorating pens.
Try this sweet-salty twist on chocolate birds’ nests for Easter: Use canned potato sticks instead of the usual chow mein noodles and fill with marcona almonds instead of jelly beans.
MAKES 6 NESTS
ACTIVE: 20 min
TOTAL: 20 min (plus chilling)
Cooking spray
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups canned potato sticks
Marcona almonds, for filling
1 Coat a 6-cup muffin pan with cooking spray. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Stir until melted and smooth.
2 Remove the bowl from the pan and stir in the potato sticks. Scoop some of the chocolate mixture into the prepared muffin-tin cups; make an indentation in each to form nests. Chill until set, at least 3 hours. Fill with marcona almonds.
Make this Mardi Gras cake authentic by baking a tiny plastic baby or a dried bean inside. According to tradition, whoever finds the baby or bean is named king for a day!
SERVES 10 TO 12
ACTIVE: 45 min
TOTAL: 4 hr 25 min (plus rising)
FOR THE CAKE
⅓ cup milk
1 ¼-ounce packet active dry yeast
2½ cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
2 large egg yolks plus 2 large eggs
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1½ sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for the bowl
FOR THE FILLING AND GLAZE
⅔ cup pecans, toasted
½ cup golden raisins
¼ cup bourbon
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
Purple, green and gold sanding sugar
1 Make the cake: Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat until scalding; transfer to a food processor, add the yeast and pulse to combine. Add ½ cup flour and the egg yolks; process to combine. Pour the remaining 2 cups flour evenly over the yeast mixture; do not process. Put the lid on; set aside for 90 minutes.
2 Add the 2 whole eggs, granulated sugar, lemon zest, salt and nutmeg to the food processor; process to make a slightly textured dough, about 1 minute. With the machine running, slowly add the melted butter to make a smooth, sticky dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly buttered bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place for 3 hours. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead briefly; form into a ball and return to the bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
3 Make the filling: Chop the pecans. Plump the raisins in the bourbon in a small saucepan over medium heat, remove from the heat and add the brown sugar, pecans, vanilla, cinnamon, orange zest and salt. If desired, add a dried bean or plastic baby. Mix until combined.
4 On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 20-by-7-inch rectangle, with a long edge facing you. Spoon the filling in an even layer over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border along the top and bottom. Fold the bottom third and then the top third of the dough over the filling to make a tight roll; pinch to seal. Transfer the roll, seam-side down, to a parchment-lined baking sheet; tuck 1 end into the other to form a ring. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
5 Preheat the oven to 350°. Bake the cake until firm and golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let cool on a rack.
6 Make the glaze: Mix 3 tablespoons water with the confectioners’ sugar; brush 3 tablespoons glaze over the cake. Sprinkle with bands of colored sugar; drizzle with more glaze.
These tartlets are much more fun than the usual flag cake, and you can make them in about 15 minutes. Look for mini tart shells at a gourmet store or just use mini phyllo cups.
SERVES 15 TO 20
ACTIVE: 15 min
TOTAL: 15 min
2 8-ounce containers mascarpone cheese
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
½ cup chilled heavy cream
48 premade miniature tart shells or phyllo cups
Blueberries and sliced strawberry halves, for topping
1 Beat the mascarpone and confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl with a mixer until smooth. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream with a mixer until soft peaks form; fold into the mascarpone mixture.
2 Fill the tart shells with the mascarpone mixture (use a piping bag, if you want), then arrange in an 8-tart-by-6-tart rectangle. Decorate the upper left-hand corner of tarts with blueberries to look like stars, then decorate the rest with strawberries to look like stripes as shown.
If you want to make one large tart instead, just keep the dough in one large rectangle and bake 35 to 40 minutes, removing the stars from the oven after 25 minutes.
MAKES 8 TARTS
ACTIVE: 45 min
TOTAL: 3 hr 15 min
FOR THE CRUSTS
2¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
¾ cup pecans
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 large egg, beaten
FOR THE PASTRY CREAM
1 cup whole milk
⅔ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup plus 3 tablespoons buttermilk
3 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 pint raspberries
1 pint blueberries
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
1 Make the crusts: Pulse the flour, pecans, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor until the nuts are finely ground. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Drizzle in 6 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into a disk; wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
2 Lightly flour a large sheet of parchment paper. Roll out the dough on the parchment into a 9-by-13-inch rectangle. Trim into an 8-by-12-inch rectangle (reserve the scraps). Cut into eight 3-by-4-inch rectangles. Separate the pieces slightly on the parchment, then use your fingers to crimp the edges. Slide the parchment onto a baking sheet. Roll out the scraps until ¼ inch thick. Cut out 8 stars using a small floured star-shaped cookie cutter; arrange on the baking sheet around the crusts. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
3 Preheat the oven to 375°. Poke holes in the crusts with a fork. Brush the stars and the edges of the crusts with the beaten egg. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes; remove to a rack to cool completely.
4 Make the pastry cream: Combine the milk, ⅓ cup granulated sugar and the vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk ½ cup buttermilk, the egg yolks, cornstarch and the remaining ⅓ cup sugar in a bowl. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook, whisking, until thick and bubbling, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons buttermilk. Lay plastic wrap on the surface and refrigerate 45 minutes.
5 Carefully transfer the crusts to a platter. Spread the pastry cream on the crusts, then top with the berries. Top each tart with a star. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.
These edible ghosts are just swirls of meringue. To fill your piping bag without making a mess, place it in a tall glass (tip down) and cuff the edges over the rim before filling.
MAKES 8 TO 10 MERINGUES
ACTIVE: 35 min
TOTAL : 1 hr 35 min (plus cooling)
3 large egg whites
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
¾ cup sugar
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 200°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until frothy. Beat in the sugar; increase the mixer speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form, 5 to 6 minutes.
2 Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe swirls of the meringue on the baking sheet and bake until dry, 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and let cool completely.
3 Put the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave on 50 percent power until melted, about 1 minute, stirring halfway. Transfer the melted chocolate to a resealable plastic bag and snip a corner. Pipe the chocolate on the meringues to look like eyes.
To make the face on this candy bucket look-alike, draw eyes, a nose and a mouth on paper, cut them out and attach them to the fondant with toothpicks, then just cut around the outside.
SERVES ABOUT 20
ACTIVE: 1 hr
TOTAL: 3 hr
Cooking spray
2 16-to-20-ounce boxes spice cake mix
8 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
⅔ cup vegetable oil
2 16-ounce tubs vanilla frosting
Orange gel food coloring
Cornstarch, for dusting
12 ounces orange rolled fondant
½ cup dark chocolate frosting
2 long black licorice strings
Snack-size candy, for topping
1 Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray one 8-inch-round cake pan and two 6-cup Bundt pans with cooking spray. Beat the cake mixes, eggs, buttermilk and oil with a mixer; divide among the pans. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 25 minutes for the round cake and 30 to 35 minutes for the Bundts; let cool.
2 Tint the vanilla frosting with orange food coloring. Trim the flat sides of the Bundt cakes and the top of the round cake to make them level. Turn one Bundt cake upside down; spread with frosting. Top with the round cake, more frosting and the other Bundt cake, then frost the whole cake and refrigerate 30 minutes.
3 Lightly dust a sheet of wax paper with cornstarch. Roll out the fondant on the paper into a 21-by-8-inch rectangle, about ⅛ inch thick. Cut into 12 strips, 8 inches long and 1¾ inches wide; trim the four corners off of each strip so the ends are tapered. Attach the fondant strips to the cake, pressing and smoothing them from the base of the cake upward. Refrigerate the cake 30 minutes.
4 Draw jack-o’-lantern eyes, a nose and a mouth on paper and cut them out; attach to the cake with toothpicks. Score around the cutouts with a paring knife, then remove the toothpicks and paper. Trace the scored lines with the knife, cutting through the fondant and slightly into the cake. Pry out the pieces with the tip of the knife.
5 Using a knife, extend the hole in the top of the cake to 4 inches wide and 1 inch deep. Put the dark chocolate frosting in a resealable plastic bag; snip a corner and pipe the frosting into the cutouts. Twist the 2 strings of licorice together and insert into the top of the cake to make a handle. Fill the top of the cake with snack-size candy.
Try something other than crushed peanuts on your caramel apples: We found some surprisingly great combos.
MAKES 6 APPLES
ACTIVE: 30 min
TOTAL: 30 min
2 cups sugar
¼ cup light corn syrup
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Cooking spray
6 apples
Assorted toppings (optional)
1 Mix the sugar, corn syrup and ½ cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Cook, swirling the pan (do not stir), until the mixture is light amber and a candy thermometer registers 320°, 8 to 10 minutes.
2 Remove from the heat; slowly whisk in the heavy cream, then the butter, vanilla and salt. Return to low heat and whisk until smooth. Let cool until the caramel is thick enough to coat a spoon.
3 Line a baking sheet with parchment; coat with cooking spray. Insert lollipop sticks into the stem ends of the apples. Dip into the caramel, letting the excess drip off. Roll in toppings and let cool on the baking sheet.
Roll in crushed cheese crackers.
Roll in diced crystallized ginger and sesame seeds.
Roll in salted peanuts and caramel popcorn.
Roll in chopped walnuts and dried cranberries.
Roll in toasted shredded coconut and chopped macadamia nuts.
Roll in crushed Oreo cookies and drizzle with melted white chocolate.
To make this Halloween corn-on-the-cob cake look like Indian corn, alternate traditional candy corn with other flavors like chocolate and caramel.
SERVES 10 TO 12
ACTIVE: 1 hr
TOTAL: 1 hr
1 store-bought jelly-roll cake or large pound cake
1 16-ounce tub vanilla frosting
3 9-ounce bags candy corn
4 ounces green rolled fondant
Cornstarch, for dusting
1 Trim the ends of the cake to make a corn-cob shape. Cover with a thin layer of the vanilla frosting, then cover the cake completely with the candy corn, inserting the tips into the cake so that only the yellow ends are visible.
2 Roll out the green fondant on a cornstarch-dusted surface until about ⅛ inch thick. Cut out 2 leaf-shaped pieces and arrange around the cake to look like husks.
This recipe makes 2 disks of dough, enough for 2 crusts. Use the extra dough for decorating or freeze for up to 2 months.
SERVES 8 TO 10
ACTIVE: 45 min
TOTAL: 2 hr 35 min (plus cooling)
FOR THE DOUGH
2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
4 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg, beaten
FOR THE FILLING
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
1¼ cups heavy cream
⅔ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Coarse sugar, for sprinkling
1 Make the dough: Pulse the flour, shortening, sugar, vinegar and salt in a food processor until it looks like fine meal. Add the butter and pulse until it is in pea-size pieces. Sprinkle in ¼ cup ice water and pulse until the dough starts coming together. Pinch the dough with your fingers; if it doesn’t hold together, add up to 4 more tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse again.
2 Divide the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pat each into a disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.
3 Roll out 1 disk of dough into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Ease into a 9-inch pie plate and fold the overhanging dough under itself. Pierce the bottom and sides all over with a fork. Roll out the other disk of dough; cut into small circles with a cookie cutter and place on a parchment-lined plate. Refrigerate the pie crust and the circles at least 1 hour or overnight.
4 Preheat the oven to 350°. Line the crust with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans (keep the small dough circles chilled). Transfer the pie plate to the oven and bake until the edges are golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and continue baking until the crust is golden all over, 10 to 15 more minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.
5 Make the filling: Gently whisk the pumpkin, cream, granulated sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and salt (do not overmix). Pour the filling into the crust. Attach the chilled dough circles to the edge of the crust with the beaten egg. Brush the circles with more egg, sprinkle with coarse sugar and bake until the filling is set around the edges, 50 minutes to 1 hour (the middle will still jiggle slightly). Transfer to a rack; let cool completely.
To make a fun design with sanding sugar like we do here, use a potato masher, slotted spoon or spatula as a stencil.
MAKES 24 TO 36 COOKIES
ACTIVE: 1 hr 10 min
TOTAL: 3 hr 25 min
FOR THE COOKIES
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Cooking spray
Sanding sugar, for decorating (optional)
FOR THE ICING
8 ounces white or semisweet chocolate
1 teaspoon vegetable shortening
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 tablespoons milk
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Food coloring (optional)
Nonpareils, sanding sugar, candies, coconut and/or melted chocolate, for decorating
1 Make the cookies: Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Put the butter, granulated sugar and confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes (or about 6 minutes if using a hand mixer). Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating on medium-high speed after each addition. Add the vanilla and lemon zest and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture in 2 batches and mix until just incorporated. Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
2 Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and coat with cooking spray. Roll out each piece of dough between 2 sheets of parchment until about ⅛ inch thick (return the dough to the refrigerator if it softens too much). Cut into shapes with cookie cutters; arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Reroll the scraps and cut out more cookies. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, if desired. Refrigerate the cutouts 1 hour.
3 Preheat the oven to 350°. Bake the cookies until lightly golden around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool 3 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
4 Meanwhile, make the icing: Finely chop the chocolate and place in a microwave-safe bowl with the shortening, corn syrup, milk, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth. Pour into separate bowls and tint with food coloring, if desired.
5 Ice and decorate the cookies; transfer to a rack and let set.
A croquembouche is a tower of cream puffs. We used icing instead of the usual caramel to hold it together.
SERVES 16
ACTIVE: 2 hr
TOTAL: 3 hr
FOR THE PASTRY PUFFS
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
FOR THE FILLING
10 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
⅔ cup heavy cream
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
1 16-ounce container mascarpone cheese
FOR ASSEMBLY
2½ cups confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting
¼ cup whole milk, plus more if needed
Crushed candy canes, for topping
1 Make the puffs: Preheat the oven to 450° and line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Bring 1 cup water, the butter, granulated sugar and salt to a boil. Remove from the heat and sift the flour directly into the pan; stir with a wooden spoon to form a paste. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste is shiny and pulls away from the pan, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed to cool slightly, about 2 minutes. Beat in 1 egg, then 1 more. Whisk the third egg in a small bowl, then beat into the dough, 1 tablespoon at a time, until just smooth and tight.
2 Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a ¼-inch round tip. Pipe 1¼-inch rounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart; you’ll have about 50. Smooth the dough peaks with a dampened finger, then bake until puffed, 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350° and continue baking until golden, 5 more minutes. Turn off the oven but leave the puffs inside to dry, 5 to 7 more minutes. Remove from the oven and pierce a small hole in each puff with a paring knife to let steam escape; transfer to a rack to cool completely.
3 Make the filling: Put the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a boil, then pour it over the chocolate. Whisk until smooth and cool, about 7 minutes; whisk in the peppermint extract. Stir in the mascarpone. Cover and refrigerate until thick enough to pipe, 30 minutes. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a ¼-inch round tip. Insert the pastry bag tip into the hole in each puff and pipe in the filling. Transfer to a baking sheet; refrigerate 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
4 Assemble the croquembouche: Whisk the confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth. Dip the bottom of a puff into the icing; let the excess drip off. Transfer the puff to a platter, icing-side down. Repeat with more puffs, arranging them in a 7-inch circle. Fill in the circle with more puffs to form the base. Continue building a conical tower, using icing to hold the puffs in place. (If the icing gets thick, whisk in milk 1 teaspoon at a time.) Dust the croquembouche with confectioners’ sugar and sprinkle with crushed candy canes; chill until set, about 15 minutes.
We filled this red-and-white meringue shell with peppermint ice cream: You can flavor vanilla ice cream like we did, or look for limited-edition peppermint ice cream around the holidays.
SERVES 8 TO 10
ACTIVE: 1 hr
TOTAL: 2 hr (plus cooling)
2 pints vanilla ice cream
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
¼ cup crushed candy canes, plus more for topping
4 large egg whites
1¼ cups superfine sugar
Pinch of salt
Red food coloring
1 Prepare the ice cream: Let the ice cream soften slightly at room temperature, 5 minutes. Transfer to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until creamy but not melted, about 1 minute. Add ½ teaspoon peppermint extract and the crushed candy canes and beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a small metal baking dish or loaf pan, cover and freeze until firm, 1 to 2 hours.
2 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a bowl or cake pan as a guide, trace an 8-inch circle onto the parchment with a pencil, then flip the parchment over (the circle should still be visible); set aside.
3 Make the meringue: Fill a medium saucepan with 1 to 2 inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat; remove from the heat. Combine the egg whites, sugar and salt in a large heatproof bowl and set over the hot water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Whisk until the egg whites are foamy and hot, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan and beat with a mixer on medium speed until stiff and shiny, about 10 minutes. Beat in the remaining ½ teaspoon peppermint extract until combined.
4 Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch round tip. Pipe in a tight spiral onto the prepared parchment-lined baking sheet, starting in the middle of the circle and working toward the outer edge. Pipe more meringue around the outer edge of the circle to build up the side about 2 inches high. Dip a small paintbrush or toothpick in the food coloring, then drag it around the meringue spiral to create streaks. Repeat several times.
5 Bake until the meringue is just firm but not brown, about 1 hour. (If it starts browning, reduce the oven temperature to 275°.) Transfer to a rack and let cool completely. (The meringue will continue to harden as it cools.) Carefully invert the meringue onto a platter and gently peel off the parchment. Invert again and set on the platter. Top with scoops of the prepared peppermint ice cream and sprinkle with more crushed candy canes. Freeze until ready to serve, up to 2 days.
Royal icing hardens completely when it dries, so it’s great for cookie decorating. To fill or “flood” the cookies with icing, draw the outlines first, then thin the icing a bit with water and spread it inside the lines with a paintbrush.
MAKES 24 TO 36 COOKIES
ACTIVE: 1 hr
TOTAL: 3 hr 30 min
FOR THE COOKIES
3½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening, melted
⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
¾ cup molasses
1 large egg
FOR THE ROYAL ICING
2 tablespoons meringue powder
1 pound confectioners’ sugar (about 4 cups)
Assorted candies, for decorating (see below)
1 Make the cookies: Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and allspice into a large bowl. In another large bowl, combine the butter, shortening, brown sugar and molasses; add the egg and beat with a mixer until combined. Beat in the flour mixture in 2 additions. Divide the dough in half; wrap each half in plastic and pat into a ½-inch thickness. Refrigerate 2 hours.
2 Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. On a floured surface, roll out each piece of dough until ¼ inch thick, dusting with flour, if needed. Using 3-to-5-inch cookie cutters, cut out gingerbread people and arrange 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Brush off the excess flour and refrigerate 15 minutes.
3 Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool completely.
4 Make the icing: Sift the meringue powder and confectioners’ sugar into a large bowl. Beat in 6 tablespoons water with a mixer until the icing is glossy with soft peaks. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag; snip the tip off a corner. Pipe onto the cookies and decorate with candies.
Snip mini marshmallows in half with scissors; toss in colored sugar (it sticks to the cut sides). Attach with royal icing.
Smash gumdrops together and roll into sheets with a rolling pin, then cut into outfits. Attach with royal icing.
Cut fruit leather into pants and dresses and attach with royal icing. Use thinned icing to make a shirt.
Use royal icing to attach M&M’s to the boy and girl; alternate small and large candies to change the design.
Cut sour belts into strips and squares to make shorts or a layered dress. Attach the pieces with royal icing.
Draw an outline of a suit or dress with royal icing, then thin the icing to fill it in. Attach jelly beans with more icing.
Outline the cookies with royal icing, then attach peppermint candies and M&M’s with icing for buttons.
Attach small and large nonpareils with royal icing; line the dress or shorts with colored mini chocolate chips.
Smash same-color fruit chews together, roll into sheets, cut holes and fill with another color. Cut out the outfits; attach with royal icing.
Cut shapes out of the people before baking. Bake, then fill the holes with crushed hard candies; return to the oven and bake until melted.
Store-bought marshmallow cream makes a great sandwich-cookie filling. It tends to ooze as it sits, though, so don’t spread it all the way to the edges.
MAKES ABOUT 15 COOKIES
ACTIVE: 45 min
TOTAL: 2 hr 45 min
2¼ cups cake flour, plus more for dusting
¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup marshmallow cream
1 Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl.
2 Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture in 2 batches and beat until just incorporated. Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
3 Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, dust the dough generously with flour and roll out between 2 pieces of parchment paper until ⅛ inch thick. Cut out shapes using 2-to-4-inch cookie cutters and transfer to the prepared baking sheets. Gather the scraps and refrigerate until firm; reroll once to cut out more cookies. Refrigerate the cutouts until firm, about 30 minutes.
4 Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°. Bake the cookies, switching the pans halfway through, until slightly puffed and darker around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely. Sandwich the cookies with the marshmallow cream.
We like using Dutch-process cocoa powder for these thumbprints: It gives them a darker color and deeper flavor.
MAKES ABOUT 36 COOKIES
ACTIVE: 30 min
TOTAL: 1 hr 15 min
1½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar, plus ½ cup for rolling
½ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
Sprinkles, mini marshmallows, mini candies or candied cherries, for filling
1 Whisk the flour, ¾ cup granulated sugar, the cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add the melted butter and eggs and stir until combined. Cover and refrigerate the dough until firm, about 30 minutes.
2 Preheat the oven to 325°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Place the confectioners’ sugar and the remaining ½ cup granulated sugar in 2 separate small bowls. Roll scant tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls; roll in the granulated sugar and then in the confectioners’ sugar. Place 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Lightly flatten each ball with your fingers and make a deep ½-inch-wide indentation in the center with your thumb. Place your choice of filling in the indentation.
3 Bake until the cookies are puffed and slightly cracked, about 10 minutes. Let cool 3 minutes on the baking sheets; transfer to racks to cool completely.
When you make a roulade, be sure to roll up the cake while it’s still slightly warm. The cake will be less likely to crack.
SERVES 8 TO 12
ACTIVE: 45 min
TOTAL: 1 hr 15 min
Vegetable oil, for brushing
1¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 cup evaporated milk
2¼ cups granulated sugar
3 large egg yolks plus 3 large eggs, at room temperature
2½ sticks unsalted butter (1 stick cubed, 1½ sticks softened)
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1⅔ cups sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
1 cup chopped pecans
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
⅓ cup hot strong coffee
⅓ cup buttermilk
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
1 Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly brush a 13-by-18-inch jelly-roll pan with vegetable oil; line with parchment paper, letting it come up the short sides by about 2 inches. Brush the paper with oil and lightly dust with flour.
2 For the filling, whisk the evaporated milk, 1 cup granulated sugar, 3 egg yolks and the cubed butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick and creamy, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla, the coconut and pecans. Set aside to cool completely, stirring occasionally.
3 Meanwhile, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the cocoa and chocolate in another bowl. Add the hot coffee to the cocoa mixture, stirring until smooth; stir in the buttermilk and the remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla.
4 Using a mixer, beat the softened butter and the remaining 1¼ cups granulated sugar in a large bowl on high speed until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to low; add the 3 whole eggs, one at a time, incorporating each before adding the next. Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the cocoa mixture in 2 parts, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until just blended; if necessary, fold the batter together with a rubber spatula.
5 Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake until the cake springs back when pressed lightly, about 16 minutes. Let cool slightly in the pan.
6 Run a knife around the edges and slide the cake with its paper onto a work surface. Spread the coconut filling evenly over the cake. Roll the cake from 1 of the short ends, pulling it away from the parchment into a tight cylinder; transfer to a platter. Let cool completely and dust with confectioners’ sugar or cocoa.
1 For a sour-tape tree: Cut the candy into 1-inch pieces. You’ll need 2 pounds of candy for a 12-inch foam cone.
2 Cut about 260 toothpicks in half. Using a wine cork, push the toothpicks through the tops of the sour tape into the foam, working in a circle.
3 Keep adding layers of sour tape, overlapping them so that each new layer covers the toothpicks below. Cover the tip of the tree with 1 piece of sour tape.
1 For a gummy dot tree: Cut about 350 toothpicks in half, and cut the top third off about 150 more. For a spearmint leaf tree: Cut about 220 toothpicks in half.
2 Attach a green gummy dot or spearmint leaf to each toothpick. Starting at the base, push candies into the tree (use shorter toothpicks at the top). You’ll need about 2 pounds of candy for an 8-inch foam cone.
3 Swap some gummy dots for colored ones to make “lights.”
