Hard Sauce

I have such fond childhood memories of my grandmother K-K making hard sauce while my mother worked away at making minced meat pis for Christmas dinner. It was such hard work for a reward I loved to snitch out of the refrigerator before we ate. 

 

Ingredients

 

1 cup sweet butter, softened

1 cup confectioners sugar

1/4 brandy (or rum or sherry but rum is best)

Nutmeg 

 

Process

 

1. Cream the butter and sugar well (this is the hard work when done by hand)

 

2. Add the brandy, a few drops at a time (This is another element of effort because it takes time.) and beat it until fluffy (your arms will hurt)

 

3. Add the nutmeg to taste and chill, (this is the phase where I would sneak tastes)

 

Serve with pie of choice.  

 

 

 

Sugar Cookie Dough

This is my favorite dough for sugar cookies any time of the year. The Pickle and I made Halloween cookies yesterday. It makes at least 4 batches of cookies, so break out your cookie cutters and get baking!

Ingredients
4 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 Tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons salt
5 cups all purpose flour



Process

1. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle blade, combine the sugar and butter on high speed until fluffy.
2. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt and mix on medium until combined.
3. Turn mixer to low, and slowly add flour in batches mixing until combined (it will be a bit stiff).
4. Remove dough from bowl, and divide into four balls.
5. Place each ball on plastic wrap, flatten into discs, completely wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use (at least 30 minutes - but it lasts up to 2 weeks).
6. When ready to use let the dough warm a bit on the counter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
7. On a well floured surface, roll out dough until about 1/8 of an inch thick.
8. Cut out cookies with cutter of choice, place on an un-greased baking sheet, and decorate as desired.
9. Bake until golden brown - about 10 to 15 minutes.

Spiced Maple Apple Butter

Ingredients
16 to 20 apples
2 cups water
3 to 4 cups sugar
1 cup pure maple syrup (or more along the way if you like the taste)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice (or more)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves

Process

1. Core and chop apples (no need to peel).
2. Put in 9 quart pan and bring to a boil.
3. Stir several times and continue until it looks like all apples are mushy.
   
4. Remove from heat.
5. Run through food mill.
   
6. Return to pot and add remaining ingredients.
   
7. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
   
8. Reduce heat to medium or medium low and cook stirring frequently.
   
9. You want the mixture to reduce and congeal reaching a stiff sauce consistency. It will become quite molten so watch out for splattering.
   
10. When finished, ladle hot butter into hot jars and arrange lids.
    
11. Process in a hot water canner by bringing to a boil and keeping at a boil for 10 minutes.
    

Enjoy! The perfect breakfast toast spread this time of year! I love the addition of syrup.