Christmas cookies - Molasses thump prints and Linzer cookies

It has been a while since I have blogged and I am sorry for the long silence, some of you have messaged me. Thank you for the concern and affection. Well, it is kind of a long story, all I can say is it has been a roller coaster of a ride. Sometimes, in life you have the most unexpected things happen and then you just have to deal with it. I have been fortunate to have a few very good friends, my family, specially my sister,  husband and aunt,  who are my backbone. In these few months I have learnt life's finest lessons, learnt what caring and selfless means and the opposite as well. Maybe, one day I will write a long blog post and share, but for now it is some Christmas cookies.

Some friends are beyond friends, I think it is just about being a good human being. I was not planning to post anything for Christmas and what do I see, a friend of mine, with a recipe in hand and all the ingredients in a bag, rings my door bell. And before we knew it, I was in my zone, thoroughly enjoying, with a rolling pin in one hand and a camera in the other.

The next week she was back with a Christmas cake recipe, coming on the blog soon....

So if you guys have to thank anyone it is her, because she is just an amazing human being and I'm fortunate to have her in my life.

Molasses Thumbprint

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine magazine.

Cookies

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. corn starch
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 tsp. baking soda
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla paste
1/2 cup finely chopped candied ginger
1/2 cup turbinado sugar

Chocolate filling 

1/2 bar of fine cooking bitter choclate
2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. red chili powder


For the cookies

• Whisk the flour, corn starch, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves and baking soda. 
• Beat the brown sugar and butter, till light and fluffy.
• Add molasses till fully incorporated. 
• Add egg, and vanilla paste, till the batter is smooth. 
• Combine the dry ingredients, until everything is mixed well. 
• Add candied ginger.
• Refrigerate ( covered) for an hour. 
• Preheat over to 325F 
• Place turbinado sugar in a plate, Roll one tablespoon of dough into small balls and coat with sugar. 
• Freeze for 10 minutes. 
• Bake for 10 minutes, rotate midway to make sure it is evenly done. 
• Remove from oven and from the back of the spoon make indentation in the center of the warm cookie, so you can pour the chocolate in it. 

For chocolate filling

• In a double boiler melt the sugar, add the butter and chill. let it cool, till it's little thicker. Not completely cold. 
• When the cookies have cooled, add 1/2 tsp of the chocolate and refrigerate till chocolate sets - about 30 minutes. 

Linzer Cookies 

Recipe adapted from American heritage cooking.

Lemon curd recipe here. 

2/3 cups almonds
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamom
1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla paste
2 tbsp.  fine powdered sugar for dusting
12 oz lemon curd

• Preheat oven to 350. Lightly toast almonds for 5-6 min (optional) 
• Wisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
• Process cooled almond and brown sugar until finely ground. Do not over grind, else you will have almond butter.
• Beat the butter and remaining sugar, till light and fluffy. 
• Beat in the egg and vanilla, till fully incorporated. 
• Add ground almonds, followed by the flour mix and mix till fully incorporated. 
• Mix the dough and divide it into two balls and put a cling wrap and refrigerate for an hour. 
•  Roll each dough 1/8 inch thick. with a cookie cutter cut the cookies. Make sure you make a small hole with a cutter on the top facing cookie. 
• Bake 8-10 minutes.
• LET IT COOL 
• Add the lemon curd on the base cookie, cover it with cookie with a hole and dust with fine sugar.