Holiday Sampler

SWEETEN THE SEASON WITH THESE RICH AND BUTTERY GOODIES.

Simply delicious cranberrypecan crescents and miniature tarts are shaped using easy-to-make dough. Keeping the dough as cold as possible before baking is the secret to the flaky texture of these treats.

After baking, place cooled pastries between layers of wax paper in a ziptop plastic freezer bag; store at room temperature up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month. MARY ALLEN PERRY

Coconut-Pecan Cookie Tarts

MAKES 3 DOZEN

PREP: 45 MIN, CHILL: 1 HR, BAKE: 25 MIN.

These tarts are very similar to pecan tassies but with a thicker, cookie-type crust.

1 cup butter, softened

2 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

2 cups all-purpose flour

Pecan Filling

BEAT butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; stir in coconut. Gradually add flour to butter mixture, beating at low speed after each addition.

SHAPE dough into 36 balls; chill 1 hour. Place dough balls in lightly greased miniature muffin pans, shaping each into a thick shell. Spoon Pecan Filling evenly into tart shells.

BAKE at 350° for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 250°, and bake 10 more minutes or until filling is set. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.

Pecan Fiiling:

MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP

PREP: 5 MIN.

¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar

½ cup chopped pecans, toasted

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon butter, melted

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

WHISK together all ingredients until well blended. RUTH DEVEY

CHURCH HILL, TENNESSEE

Cranberry-Pecan Rugalach

MAKES 64 PASTRIES

PREP: 45 MIN., CHILL: 8 HRS., BAKE: 20 MIN.

1 cup butter, softened

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

2¾ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

Cranberry-Pecan Filling

1 large egg, lightly beaten

½ cup sparkling sugar

BEAT butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add granulated sugar, beating until fluffy. Stir in flour and salt. Divide dough into 8 equal portions; flatten each portion into a disk; wrap each disk separately in plastic wrap. Chill 8 hours.

ROLL 1 portion of dough at a time into an 8-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Spread with 3 tablespoons Cranberry-Pecan Filling, leaving a '/2-inch border around edge. Cut circle into 8 wedges; roll up wedges, starting at wide end, to form a crescent shape. Place, point side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush gently with egg; sprinkle evenly with sparkling sugar. Repeat procedure with remaining dough and filling.

BAKE at 350° on a lightly greased baking sheet for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

NOTE: Sparkling sugar is available at stores that sell cake-decorating supplies.

Cranberry-Pecan Filling:

MAKES ABOUT 1½ CUPS

PREP: 10 MIN.

¾ cup sugar

2/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted

2/3 cup finely chopped sweetened dried cranberries*

½ cup butter, melted

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

¾ teaspoon ground allspice

STIR together all ingredients until blended. ANN NACE

PERKASIE, PENNSYLVANIA

*2/3 cup finely chopped dried cherries or apricots can be substituted.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Dec 2004
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