Anise Cookies

This recipe is from a woman I met this week at work.  It is originally from Germany from Wilhelmina Agnus (Sweeter) Koobs (1860-1936).  It was passed down to her daughter Wilhemina (Koobs) Wolfer, who passed it down to her daughter, Rogene (Wolfer) Calkins.  It is a bit pricey and time consuming, but I hear it is worth it!

1 pound unsalted butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup whole milk
4 teaspoons hartshorn or bakers ammonia
2+ teaspoons anise oil
2 pounds cake flour

Cream butter and sugar then gently add the remaining ingredients.  Handle as little as possible to prevent overworking of gluten.  Let stand overnight in a warm place. Chill dough for about thirty minutes in the refrigerator.  Roll out with powdered sugar on rolling pin.  Cut and place on cookie sheet (recipe doesn't say greased or ungreased) and bake at 350' for 5 - 8 minutes so that cookies are still white on top and bottom.

These cookies are best iced with a buttercream icing, flavored with about four drops of anise oil.

Here are links to two of the harder to find items:
 http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/bakers-ammonia-ammonium-carbonate-27-oz?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Shopping&utm_keyword=King+Arthur+Flour+Baker%27s+Ammonia+%28Ammonium+Carbonate%29+-+2.7+oz.&gclid=CI6vyaapsLsCFW5o7AodpV4Aqg

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/anise-oil-1-oz

Jam Kolaches

1/2 cup, unsalted butter, softened
1 3oz package of cream cheese (not low fat)
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup jam (red is prettiest)
!/4 cup sifted powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375' and grease cookie sheets.

Cream together butter and cream cheese.  Add flour, mixing well.  Roll out to 1/8" thick and cut into 2" rounds.  Spoon 1/4 teaspoon of jam into center of each round.  Fold & overlap, with two sides joining in the middle.  Bake for 15 minutes and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Red Velvet Cookies

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temp.
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 Tablespoon cocoa
1 Tablespoon buttermilk
2 large egg whites
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon red food coloring

Preheat oven to 375' and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

 In a small bowl, whisk together baking soda, salt, flour, baking powder, and cocoa. Set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add beaten egg whites, buttermilk, vanilla, red food coloring and applesauce.  Stir, mixing well.  Add flour mixture and mix well.....Since I've not made this before and not sure what her note means, she says to add the applesauce last.  I'm not sure if she means the last of the liquid or wait until the very end and stir it in.  But since this site is for her benefit...she'll know :)

Bake for 10 minutes

Russian Tea Cakes

1 cup butter, unsalted
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped pecans
more powdered sugar
candied cherries (optional)

Preheat oven to 350'.  Cream butter and sugar.  Stir in remaining, mixing well.  Form into one inch balls. Balls can be formed around candied cherries. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 10 - 11 minutes.  Roll in powdered sugar....let cool for a minute and roll in powdered sugar again.

Swedish Spritz

1 1/2 Cup butter, unsalted
1 Cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons PURE vanilla extract or (1 t. vanilla and 1/2 t. almond extract)
4 Cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 400*

Cream butter and sugar.  Add egg, mixing well.  Mix in remaining.
Force through cookie  press and bake for 7 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet.