Snow Ball Cookies (a.k.a. Mexican Wedding Cookies)

I call these Snow Ball Cookies because that’s what my little boy likes to call them.  When I was taking pictures for this post, he happily exclaimed, “Wow, snow balls!”  After he tasted one, he kept asking for more snow balls.  Of course, my Baby Girl got her fair shares as well.



By now, you probably have heard the other dozen names that these cookies also referred to. Such as Mexican Wedding Cookies, Italian Wedding cookies, Italian Tea Cakes, Russian Tea Cakes, so on and so forth.  I thought I had many nick names when I was young. I can’t believe my record got beat by some cookies! LOL…Mind you, these are not just any cookies. These are some buttery, melt in my mouth, and highly addictive cookies.  I love the crunch and nutty flavor from the chopped pecans in them.  Another big plus of these cookies? They are super simple to prepare and your kids would probably want to help out in rolling the dough.  And it’s okay to let them taste the dough, it’s eggless.    



I've packaged these Snow Ball Cookies during the holiday to share with my friends and family as they are very popular during the holiday season.  But I’ve already made more batches afterwards because they are simply amazing.  After you've tried them, you would want to make them all year round too, and not just during the Holidays.







Snow Ball Cookies: (Printable Recipe)
Makes about 48 Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped

In the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or with a hand held mixer), beat butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and beat until well incorporated. Turn mixer to low, beat in flour and pecans, mix until just combined. Divide dough in half, form each into a flat disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill the dough in refrigerator until cold, about 30 minutes to an hour.

Preheat oven to 325°F. With a small/mini ice cream scoop, scoop dough by one tablespoonful and roll in between palms into balls. Arrange dough balls on baking sheet lined with silpat or parchment paper spacing 1/2 inch apart. Bake until golden brown on bottom and pale golden on top, about 15 to 18 minutes.

Cool cookies on baking sheet for a few minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Place remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a shallow dish; gently roll completely cooled cookies in powdered sugar to coat.





This recipe is shared with:

Sweet Tooth Friday
Friday Favorite
Friday Food
Foodie Friday
Sweets For Saturday
Pink Saturday
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Mingle Monday

Mendiant with Fleur de Sel

A mendiant is a traditional French confection composed of a chocolate disk studded with nuts and dried fruits representing the four mendicant or monastic orders of the Dominicans, Augustinians, Franciscans and Carmelites.  Well, or it simply means indulgence to me! 



If you need a simple last minute dessert to complete your Holiday Meal with a sweet ending, this is it! This is a quick and easy treat to make and unbelievably decadent.  I used roasted pistachios, dried cranberries, roasted almond, and candied orange peels as toppings.  You can simply use any dried fruit and nuts you prefer.  I love these toppings because they add so much vibrant Holiday colors to the mendiants.  The different textures and flavor just complement each other really well. 



This time, I used some Scharffen Berger 70% Cocoa bittersweet chocolate as the base.  If this is not pure indulgence, I don’t know what is.  Use a sharp serrated knife for chopping to make your life much easier in the process.  I chopped about one pound of chocolate (minus whatever amount that mysteriously disappeared) and started the tempering process.    



If you want to learn how to temper chocolate, check out Anita’s site Dessert First for the detail instructions. My mendiants came out nice and shiny, thanks to Anita’s informative post.  I’ll do a summery in my recipe below.



Beside the dried fruit and nuts, I also sprinkled some Fleur de Sel on top to finish these mendiants off.  The saltiness really compliments the dark chocolate nicely and rounds out the flavor.  The Fleur de Sel also adds a subtle crunch while the smooth and silky chocolate melts in my mouth.  hm….



Fleur de Sel ("Flower of salt" in French) is a hand-harvested sea salt collected by workers who scrape only the top layer of salt before it sinks to the bottom of large salt pans.  They are a little pricey compared to your daily kosher salt or table salt, but it worth every penny.  Besides, you’re going to need just a small amount in a batch of mediants. 



If you haven’t decided on your Holiday desserts, or want to add a quick and easy treat to your menu, give this simple recipe a try.  These mendiants will make a lovely addition to your packaged home made gifts as well.  I think Santa will prefer these over the chocolate chip cookies too! 






Mendiant with Fleur de Sel  (Printable Recipe)
1 pound bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 cup dried fruits and nuts (I used dried cranberries, candied orange peels, roasted pistachios and roasted silver almonds)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Fleur de Sel

Melt 3/4 of the chocolate and espresso powder in a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of 1-inch simmering water.  Please make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.  Stir with a rubber spatula until chocolate is melted.  Do not let chocolate exceed 120 degree F.

Removed bowl from heat and stir in the remaining of the chocolate to cool down and thickened.  When the temperature of the chocolate drops to 82 degree F, place the bowl over the pot of simmering water again until it reaches 88 degree F.  At this point, do not let the temperature of the chocolate gets over 91 degree F.  Otherwise, will need to start the tempering process over.

Drop a small spoonful of melted chocolate onto silpat or parchment lined baking sheet.  Gently top melted chocolate rounds with dried fruit and nuts.  When the chocolate started to cool down a bit, sprinkle Fleur de Sel on top.

Place baking sheet in refrigerator until mendiants are set, about 15 to 20 minutes.  Store in airtight container.



This recipe is shared with:


Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Sweets for Saturday
Friday Food
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Tuesday Talent Show
Success U

Vanilla Meringue Mushrooms

These Vanilla Meringue Mushrooms are super adorable and look just like the real thing.  They are crunchy and sweet, the total opposite of the real mushrooms.  The only thing they have in common are their appearance and weight.  These Meringue Mushrooms are light and airy.  They are really easy to make and only needs a few ingredients.  Let’s take a look at how to make them, shall we?

After beating the meringue, use a 1/2-inch plain round tip to pipe the “stems” first.  Have the tip around half an inch above the baking sheet and lift the piping bag upward while gently adding pressure on the pastry bag to release the meringue.  When it reach the height you desired, stop the pressure and continue lifting the pastry bag.  If some of them tilted to the side, don’t worry, that will make them look more natural.  



Then, pipe the mushroom “caps”.  Have the piping tip around 1/4-inch above the baking sheet and gently add pressure on the pastry bag to release meringue until it’s the size/diameter you want.  I pipe my caps at around 1 to 1 1/2-inch in diameter.  When it reached the size you want, stop the pressure and turn the pastry tip around the piped cap.  If the meringue leaves a pointy tip, gently pad on the tip with a damp finger to achieve a smooth surface.



Bake at 200 degree F for 2 hours and they’re done.  After they are cooled, cut the tips off the stems so you get a flat surface. 



Melt the chocolate chips and spread a thin layer on the flat side of the cap.



Place the cut side of the step onto the melted chocolate and let the chocolate set.



You can leave them as is for white button mushrooms.



Or, dust them with cocoa powder and brush the excess off with a pastry brush for a more rustic and natural look.



When I was taking picture of these meringue mushrooms, my Baby Girl heard the click click click sounds from the camera and she knows Mommy is taking pictures of some yummy treats.    She just reach over the bowl, grabbed a mushroom, gave me the sweetest smile and started munching.  She finished it in no time and had another. 



Now, you have these cute little Meringue mushrooms to munch on or save a few for decorations. I will show you what I did with them on my next post. So, stay tuned.







Vanilla Meringue Mushrooms (Printable Recipe)



2 large egg whites, at room temperature
a pinch of kosher salt
1/2 cup caster (superfine baker's) sugar
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (act as “glue” for the stems)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder (for dusting)

Preheat the oven 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, cream of tarar, and salt until frothy, about 2 minute. With the machine on medium-high speed, gradually add the sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Then, add the vanilla extract.  Increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture is thick, shiny and holds stiff peaks, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Transfer the meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round plain tip. Pipe the “stems” first as the meringue still holds up well.  Have the pastry tip around half an inch above the baking sheet and lift the piping bag upward while gently adding pressure on the pastry bag to release the meringue. When it reach the height you desired, stop the pressure and continue lifting the pastry bag. If some of them tilted to the side, don’t worry, that will make them look more natural.

Then, pipe the mushroom “caps”. Have the piping tip around 1/4-inch above the baking sheet and gently add pressure on the pastry bag to release meringue until it’s the size/diameter you want. I pipe my caps at around 1 to 1 1/2-inch in diameter. When it reached the size you want, stop the pressure and turn the pastry tip around the piped cap. If the meringue leaves a pointy tip, gently pad on the tip with a damp finger to achieve a smooth surface.

Bake for 2 hours and let cool on a wiring rack.  In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chip on high.  Stir every 30 second intervals until melted.  Let melted chocolate cool slightly. 

Cut the tips off the stems so you get a flat surface.  Spread a thin layer of melted chocolate on the flat side of the cap.  Place the cut side of the step onto the melted chocolate and let the chocolate set. Dust them with cocoa powder and brush the excess off with a pastry brush for a more rustic and natural look.

This recipe is Shared with:

Foodie Friday
Sweets For Saturday
Sweet Tooth Friday
Strut Your Stuff Saturday

The Christmas Tree is Finally Up!

Yeah, it finally feels more like Christmas when the tree is up.  I know, I can’t believe Christmas is only around 10 days from today.  I’m so glad we have the tree up over the weekend. 

It’s Baby Girl’s first time decorating/hanging ornaments on the tree.   Daddy was showing her how it’s done. 



Then, she did some on her own…with her favorite Hello Kitty ornaments that she got from Target.  ^^



Then, Little Gentleman’s turn.



Here are some close up's of the ornaments.



Hello Kitty…



More Hello Kitty…



Hello Kitty again?  Oh well, but this one is pretty adorable.



Up next, Little Gentleman’s favorite, Mickey Mouse.



Another Baby Girl’s favorite, Minnie Mouse.



Mickey’s presents.



More Mickey Mouse…



Up next are the elegant collection with crystals.  I love these bells.



The presents are cute too.



Oh no, the reindeer is eating my tree!  Who forgot to feed him? 



I love this church as well.



Last but not least, a shot with all the lights out except for the tree’s own light.  It’s peaceful and beautiful.  I really love this shot.  Is the tree set up in your house yet?  If not, what are you waiting for?  It’s better that you get it done sooner so you can enjoy it longer.  You’ll have to put it away again before you know it!