Snickerdoodles–not just a Christmas Cookie!

I love snickerdoodles!!! Normally my family only makes them during the Christmas season, but I love to enjoy them all year long! So here is my recipe, the cookies come out chewy and just a light golden brown on the bottom!

Ingredients::

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions::

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.
3. Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
4. Bake 8 or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets onto cooling racks.

Store them in an airtight container and enjoy!!!

Christmas Cake Balls

I’m totally making these for all my friends this season!! If you would like to make them, here is the recipe:

Ingredients (make around 80 rum balls)

1. 3 dark fruit cake from supermarket (1kg each)
2. 1 bottle 250ml Rum (any brand will do)
3. 500g cooking white chocolate chips
4. 1 bag of Jaffas candy
5. 1 bag of Allen’s Snake jelly candy (we need the green snakes ony)
6. silver cachous

Methods

1. Crumble the fruit cake into a large bowl, try to break the big lumps into smaller bits.
2. Pour some rum slowly into the mixture.
3. Use both hands and mix the rum and cake thoroughly.
4. drizzle more rum while keep mixing into the cake and make sure all cake are covered in rum until a nice moist texture, but not too wet.
5. Scoop a spoonful of the mixture into your palm and roll them into the size of a golf ball.

To decorate
6. Cut the green Snakes jelly diagonally to form a leaf shape.
7. Melt white chocolate over simmering hot water. Then let it set aside to cool down a little.
8. When the white chocolate has thicken a little, spoon a dollop on top of the rum balls and let it drip down on the side.
9. Top it with a Jaffas Candy. Then put 2 green leafs on the back of the Jaffas.
10. Decorate with some silver cachous.
11. Once filled up a tray of rum balls, put it in the fridge and let the white chocolate to set.

Tips:

1. Keep the rum balls in an air tight container in the fridge to seal the rum flavour in or else it will be evaporated. It also helps to keep the rum balls moist and won’t dry out.
2. Before taking to party, make sure take it out of the fridge few hours prior and let it set to room temperature. It will help to release the rum flavour and the rum balls will soften up, just nice to eat.
3. Sprinkle some icing sugar on top for that little extra snowy touch.