Sugar Cookies with Non Royal Icing
These cut-out cookies are a classic, and always part of my holiday cookie baking. I will confess to having an enormous assortment of cookie cutters, so there is almost no end to the shapes I might use. This time of year I am making trees, stars, snowmen and more.
These cookies are crisp and sturdy enough to stand up to frosting, without being too hard. They also hold their shape well when baking.
I normally use royal icing to frost them, and an assortment of sprinkles and other candies. Royal icing is made with egg whites or powdered egg whites. The advantage over a butter cream, is that royal icing hardens, making the cookies easy to pack and stack. You don’t need much- just a thin layer. Tinting the frosting different colors is a big part of the fun. Depending on how much time you have, you can get really creative with decorating.
I tried a different frosting last year. Several friends had said they didn’t have, or couldn’t find, powdered egg whites and wondered if there was an alternative. There is. This one has just a few easy to find ingredients, and hardens up as nicely as royal icing, with a bit of a shine. The recipes for both icings follow the recipe for the cookies.
Sugar Cookies
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
3 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
3 T. milk
Extra sugar for sprinkling, if desired
Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Beat in milk. Heat oven to 375-degrees. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to about 1/3- inch thickness. Cut out with lightly floured cutters and sprinkle with sugar or colored sugar if you like and if you are not going to frost them. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 10-12 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 3 minutes before placing on wire rack to cool completely. Frost when cooled. Makes about 4 dozen.
Decorating your cookies:
You can use a buttercream frosting, if you like, however the topping I prefer is royal icing. Because royal icing contains egg whites it gets hard. Cookies have a smooth appearance and can be stacked. When making royal icing, use pasteurized egg whites or powdered egg whites. Raw egg whites pose a risk of salmonella.
You can also use colored sugar and sprinkles and mini chocolate chips for eyes.
Non-Royal Icing
4 c. powdered sugar 3 T. corn syrup 2 t. vanilla extract 1/3 c. lemon juice- about
Combine the first three ingredients then add the lemon juice, a little at a time until the icing gets to the consistency you want. You might need a little more. Stir until smooth and add food coloring, if you like. Spread or pipe out, allowing to dry before adding new layers of icing.
Traditional Royal Icing
1 lb. powdered sugar
½ t. cream of tartar
5¼ t. egg white powder
6 T. water
½ t. vanilla, optional
Assorted food coloring
In large mixing bowl combine dry ingredients and mix well. Add water and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Divide into small bowls and tint each batch as needed. Keep bowl covered with a damp towel while waiting to use so frosting will not dry out.
Keith’s Molasses Cookies
I really enjoy cookies made with molasses and spices. They have a unique flavor and texture that I like. A friend recently posted pictures of these molasses cookies. I wanted to try them, so I asked him for the recipe. Keith was kind enough to send me the recipe. Thanks Keith!!!
I made a batch yesterday. I can see why Keith says these are a family favorite. They are crispy on the edges, with just a touch of chewiness in the middle. The spices are a perfect balance. They remind me of the gingersnaps I make at the holidays, but with a more tender texture. I LOVE these cookies. I shared them with some friends yesterday and everyone agreed with just how good they are.
I am not sure where the recipe came from originally. Keith said the recipe came from a jar of molasses a long time ago. He has memories of making these with his grandmother.
One difference I found was that I got a lot more cookies from the recipe than I thought I would. The recipe said 5-6 dozen, based on cookies made from 1-inch balls of dough. I suspect Keith’s balls were bigger than mine. I ended up with more like 8 dozen!
With dark cookie dough, people are often worried about how to tell when their cookies are done baking. These are also a soft cookie out of the oven, so you might be worried they aren’t baked long enough. They firm up as they cool. I did 8 minutes on all but one of the batches, and they were perfect. I did a 10 minute batch, just to compare. They were also fine, if a bit darker on the bottom and crisper. If you are concerned, take one cookie off the baking sheet and flip it over. It should be a little darker than the top of the cookie. Don’t worry if they are soft when you try to take them off the baking sheet. They firm up nicely after cooling down. If it is too hard to move them right away, you can leave them on the baking sheet for a minute, before removing them.
So here is the recipe. Enjoy!!
Keith’s Molasses Cookies
1½ c. butter (3 sticks)
2 c. sugar
½ c. dark molasses
2 eggs
4 t. baking soda
4 c. sifted flour
1 t. ground cloves
1 t. powdered ginger – I used fresh grated ginger instead, adding 2 teaspoons to the dough
2 t. cinnamon
2 t. salt
Extra sugar for rolling
Melt butter. Set aside to cool. Beat sugar, eggs and molasses together until well mixed. Add cooled butter. Mix well. Sift dry ingredients together and stir into butter mixture. Dough will be on the soft side. Refrigerate dough for at least a few hours, or overnight. Preheat oven to 375. Grease baking sheets and set aside, or use silicone liners. Roll dough into approximately 1″ balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Re-grease sheets after each use.
Cool on flat surface covered with wax paper. I actually used a cooling rack. Cookies are very soft, but firm up a lot as they cool. Transfer carefully or allow to cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before removing. Makes approximately 5 to 6 dozen cookies.
Note: I got more like 8 or 9 dozen, but I think my balls were smaller.
If you like a softer cookie, remove at the 8 minute mark. 10 minutes will give you a crisper cookie.
Cream Wafers
Cream Wafers are a little more work than most cookies, but they are worth it. They are the most requested cookies of all the ones I make. The secret is the dough, which contains no sugar. It is made from only three ingredients- flour, butter and heavy whipping cream.
When baked, they turn into flaky layers that melt in your mouth. Seriously, if you want to really impress this holiday season, show up at a party with these cookies.
Cream wafers are coated in sugar before baking. You can use tinted sugar, if you like. Once baked and cooled, they are made into little sandwich cookies, using a buttercream frosting. You can also tint the frosting if you like.
Because they puff when baking and become thicker, and you are using two of them to make the sandwich cookie, be sure to roll them out pretty thin.
Here is the recipe. Hope you enjoy!!
Cream Wafers
1 c. butter
1/3 c. heavy whipping cream
2 c. flour
extra fine or granulated sugar
Frosting:
¼ c. butter, softened
¾ c. powdered sugar
1 T. milk
1 t. vanilla
food coloring, if desired
Mix butter, cream and flour well. Wrap and chill at least an hour. Roll chilled dough 1/8 inch thick on lightly floured board. Cut out into 1½ inch rounds or even little hearts or stars. Transfer cookies to a sheet of wax paper heavily coated with extra fine or granulated sugar and coat both sides. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and prick each cookie 4 times with a fork. Bake at 375-degrees 7-9 minutes until lightly browned and puffy. Cool on rack. Mix frosting ingredients. Put 2 cookies together with frosting to make “sandwiches”.
Spritz Cookies
Spritz cookies are so fun to make. Delicate, tender and buttery, they are also so pretty. The dough is squeezed through a cookie press with different discs to produce a wide variety of shapes.
I have been making a lot of different variations of Spritz cookies in the last few days. I’ve also received a few messages from people who have issues with using their cookie presses.
Hope I can answer a few questions and make your Spritz cookies easier to create. The big problem is getting the dough to stick to the cookie sheet. There is a balance you need to get where there is enough friction to get the dough to stick, but not too much, so the cookies will release after baking.
I use silicone liners on my cookie sheets. Parchment paper works well. You can also squeeze the dough onto ungreased baking sheets. Hold the cookie press firmly down on the baking sheet. Click the ratchet once or twice and lift up. The dough, hopefully, will be on the sheet. Sometimes I can click 10 or 15 cookies with no problem, then get one that sticks. Just remove the excess dough from the end of the cookie press and start over. Little gaps or air pockets in the dough can cause that to happen.
The dough has to be soft enough to go through the press. Make the dough with room temperature butter and don’t chill the dough after mixing it. A good spritz dough should be soft, but easy to shape into a roll shape and put in the cookie press. It should not be dry or crumbly.
Within certain parameters, dough for Spritz cookies are all pretty similar. At least in that the texture is all pretty much the same. My classic recipe uses egg yolks. Some of the recipes I tried used whole eggs instead. Both variations produced tender, tasty cookies. Some have a little more or less sugar. Sweetness level is a personal preference.
You can vary them by adding different flavorings or extracts. You can’t add ingredients like nuts or chips because the dough would not go through the press. You can also tint the dough to produce colorful cookies.
So here are some of the Spritz cookies I have been making. Enjoy.
Classic Spritz Cookies
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
3 egg yolks
2 t. vanilla
½ t. salt
2½ c. flour
In mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks. Stir in vanilla and salt. Tint dough, is desired. Add flour and stir until smooth. Using a cookie press with desired shape press cookies on to ungreased baking sheet. Leave about 1-inch between cookies. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for about 8-10 minutes- cookies should be a light golden color around the edges. Cool on a wire rack. Makes about 4-5 dozen.
Vanilla Spritz
1 c. butter, room temp
¾ c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1 t. almond extract
2¼ c. flour
½ t. salt
Mix butter and sugar until well mixed. Beat in egg and extracts. Stir flour and salt together in a medium bowl, then add to butter mixture. Mix well. Don’t chill dough. Place dough in cookie press and press dough onto parchment or silicone lined baking sheets. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Cookies should be lightly toasted on the edges. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. Makes 6-7 dozen tiny cookies.
Chocolate Spritz
Make the Vanilla Spritz or Classic Spritz dough, but add 2 oz. of unsweetened chocolate (baking chocolate) melted, when you combine the butter and sugar.
Viennese Shortbread with Coffee/Cinnamon Filling
1 c. butter
½ c. powdered sugar
½ t. vanilla
2 c. flour
¼ t. baking powder
Heat oven to 375-degrees. Cream together butter, sugar and vanilla. Blend in flour and baking powder. Using flower design of cookie press to make 1- inch cookies on ungreased baking sheet. Bake about 7 minutes, or until very lightly browned. Cool and then put two cookies together with coffee filling.
Note: You can make these cookies in almost any cookie press design that is symmetrical. I have made strips, trees and stars among others. Makes about 2 dozen double cookies.
Coffee/Cinnamon Filling
2/3 c. powdered sugar
2 T. butter, softened
1 t. instant coffee dissolved in 1 t. boiling water
1 t. cinnamon
Beat all ingredients together until smooth. Add a few drops of water if too dry.
Soft Butter Cookies
If you are looking for a truly tender cookie, this may be it. These cookies are so delicate, they just melt in your mouth!!
The secret ingredient might surprise you. It is oil. Yes, I know I said butter cookies – they also contain butter. But the combination of oil and butter makes them soft and delicate, even days after baking.
They also contain both granulated and powdered sugar. Not your typical cookie recipe, for sure. This just may be my “go to” butter cookie recipe from now on.
You don’t have to chill the dough and they roll very easily, without sticking to your fingers. You could chill the dough, but let it warm up a little before rolling. The dough can also be made ahead and frozen- I tested it.
In class last week we pressed the tops in colored sugars, nonpareils or sprinkles before baking. You can also bake them plain, then dip in melted chocolate and sprinkles or nuts after baking,
Soft Butter Cookies
1 c. butter
1 c. oil, I used avocado oil
1 c. sugar
1 c. powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 T. vanilla
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cream of tartar
½ t. salt
4 ½ c. flour id f dough is too soft, you might need to add a little more flour.
In mixing bowl, beat together butter, oil, sugars and vanilla. Once well blended, beat in eggs. Stir in the baking soda, cream of tartar and salt, then add the flour, mixing until well combined. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough into one inch balls and press tops of cookies in sprinkles or colored sugar, if desired. Place one inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 12 minutes, or until light golden on bottom. Leave cookies on baking sheets 3 minutes before placing on cooling rack. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.
Russian Teacakes
This is the first cookie I can remember making with my Mother. She sat me down at the kitchen table with a pile of chilled dough. I think I was 7. She put a piece of wax paper on the table, then rolled out one small ball of dough. She told me to do what she had just done. Roll out the rest of the dough into little balls. I sat there and made one tiny dough ball after another, until I was done. I can’t make these cookies without thinking of her. A special memory, indeed. Wouldn’t seem like Christmas without them.
Russian Teacakes, also known as Mexican Wedding Cakes are a delicate nut-filled shortbread cookie coated in powdered sugar. The magic is created when the cookies, hot from the oven, are rolled in powdered sugar. The powdered sugar clings to the hot cookies and makes a sort of sweet coating. Once cooled, they are dusted with more powdered sugar. Whether you call them Russian Teacakes, Mexican Wedding Cakes, or as another friend always refers to them, butter balls, these cookies are a must for your holiday cookie baking.
Russian Teacakes
1 c. butter
½ c. powdered sugar, plus extra for coating
1 t. vanilla
2 ¼ c. flour
¼ t. salt
¾ c. finely chopped nuts, nearly ground
Mix butter, ½ cup sugar and vanilla well. Stir flour and salt together and then add to butter mixture. Mix well and stir in nuts. Wrap dough and chill. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cookies should be lightly browned on the bottom. While still warm, roll cookies in powdered sugar. Dust again with sugar once cooled. Makes about 4 dozen.
Eva’s Kolachy
Over the years, I have shared many of my family recipes. This is another family recipe- but not my family. Tia Houpt found this recipe when going through her Grandmother’s recipe collection. She was kind enough to share the recipe- and gave me permission to share it with you. Her grandmother was Eva Skero- so I have named the kolachy in Eva’s honor.
There is something special in having old family recipes. We find so many recipes online these days, we sometimes forget there was a time when recipes were handwritten. Often, they were stored in a drawer or in a shoe box. There is usually a mix of handwritten recipes and recipes cut out of newspapers and magazines.
Sometimes you just find a list of ingredients. Measurements aren’t always precise. A handful of this a pinch of that. The phrase “moderately hot oven” doesn’t real help, does it? And what exactly is a number 2 can? Still, there are some real gems in those collections.
This is one of those recipes. A real gem.
I have made kolachy for years and have used the recipe for the crust that my mom used. I love my mom’s recipe. I love this recipe even more.
I was intrigued that the dough contains both baking powder and yeast. I had to make it, just to see what it was like.
The dough is tender and very easy to work with. It doesn’t get chilled. You just make the dough, then roll it out and make the cookies. I did let my butter soften a little before cutting it into the flour. I could see using cold butter instead.
The dough rolled out beautifully and baked up a perfect golden brown. I had to let them cool a bit before I could taste one. I am not kidding- they were heavenly. Tender and so flaky. Tia and I both see this as a very nice tart or pie dough, too.
So here is Eva’s recipe. I hope you will give it a try. Thanks, Tia, for sharing it.
Eva’s Kolachy
Dough:
3 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
½ t. salt
1 c. butter*
3 eggs
2 pkts. Yeast
½ c. warm milk
Filling:
Assorted pie fillings, jams, sweetened cream cheese or ricotta cheese. You will need about three cups of filling.
In mixing bowl, combine flour with baking powder and salt. Cut butter into flour until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Set aside. Place eggs in a small bowl and beat until smooth. In small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add to egg mixture and stir to combine. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir until combined. If mixture is sticky add a small amount of flour. Roll dough out on floured board. Thinner the better, as this dough will puff some when baked. Cut into squares- or whatever shape you like. I did 2-inch squares. Place a spoonful of filling into center of each cookie. Fold up two of the corners and press firmly to seal. Fold over and press seam again. These like to pop open when baking, so the second fold over and pressing helps them to stay closed. Some people like to add a bit of egg wash or milk to the tops to help them seal better. I just squeeze together and fold twice. Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet, about an inch apart. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cook on a rack. Dust cooled cookies with powdered sugar or with a powdered sugar glaze. Makes about 5-6 dozen.
*The original recipe called for shortening. Tia and I both decided butter was better!! That is the only change we made to Eva’s original recipe.
Blueberry Pie Filling
3 1/2 c. blueberries
3/4 c. sugar, or to taste
1/4 c. cornstarch
1 c. water
1 T. lemon juice
In saucepan, bring blueberries and sugar to a boil, stirring often. Combine cornstarch with water and lemon juice and add to the blueberry mixture. Return to the boil and cook until thickened and bubbly. Makes 4 cups. You might not need the whole batch for the cookies.
Cooled and dusted with powdered sugar
This post is dedicated to Eva Skero and all the home cooks out there who lovingly kept their recipes for us to find.
Holiday Baking Tips
Like so many of you, I am gearing up for a lot of baking in the next couple of weeks. Here are some tips to make holiday baking easier.
- Make a list (shopping) and check it twice. Nothing is more frustrating than getting ready to bake and finding that you are missing one ingredient or something is too old to use. Go over your recipes in the kitchen or pantry, so you can check your inventory as you make your list.
- Read through the directions before starting to make sure your ingredients are ready. You may need to let ingredients like butter or eggs come to room temperature, or you might need to toast nuts. Better to get it all ready before you get started, than to find out you aren’t ready.
- Make sure you have enough of the basics. There are about 8 cups of sugar in a four-pound bag and almost 20 cups of flour in a five-pound bag. For powdered sugar- you get about 4 cups in a one-pound bag, a bit more if you sift it. In brown sugar, a one pound bag yields a little over 2 cups, assuming you pack it when measuring.
- Make sure ingredients are fresh. High fat foods like nuts and butter should be kept refrigerated or frozen for best flavor. These foods can become rancid if stored too long at room temperature. I like to buy nuts in season, which is fall and winter and freeze them for all year. The price is usually better and they will keep fine in the freezer.
- Check your powders. Baking powder can lose its fizz if it is too old. To test what you have at home, place a teaspoon of baking powder in a cup and add 2 tablespoons of boiling water. It should bubble up. If nothing happens get a fresh tin. To test baking soda- place a small amount (1/4 teaspoon or so) in a spoon. Add a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar. The soda should bubble up. If it does nothing, time to get a fresh box.
- Make one day and bake another. If you are making cookies try making and chilling the dough all at one time and then just chill or freeze it until you are ready to bake it. Cookie dough can be frozen for up to a couple of months with no problem. This way you can concentrate on just one thing, clean up that mess and the next day just do the baking. Cookie dough will keep in the fridge for a week if it contains no eggs and 4 days if it does. I often decorate the cookies another day if I can, just to keep down the chaos in my too small kitchen.
- Two can be as easy as one. If you are making quick breads for gifts it is usually no problem to double the batch and get that much more baking out of the way. I like to buy pretty foil pans so I can bake and give the bread in the same pan. At paper outlet stores, baking supply stores and cake decorating stores you can find an assortment of containers with lids for even easier packaging.
- Keep it simple. I like to make really fancy desserts, too, but sometimes there just isn’t the time. You can dress up a simple cake with drizzles of melted chocolate, fancy sprinkles, chocolate curls and edible glitter. A fun way to dress up a cake is to place a doily on the top of the cake and then dust the cake with cocoa (for a white frosted cake) or powdered sugar (for a dark frosted cake) or even cinnamon or cinnamon sugar. Gently lift off the doily and you will have a lacy design on your cake. Use window stencils or cookie cutters for other designs. I have a bunch of star-shaped cookie cutters. I place them on the cake, then add powdered sugar inside them. When I remove the cookie cutters, I have little stars on my cake.
- Make a list of what you want to bake, then list them in order of importance. Bake the stuff on the top of your list first. That way, if you can’t get it all done, the stuff you needed the most gets done.
- Please don’t beat yourself up if it doesn’t all get made. You should enjoy the holidays, too.
Candied Orange Peel or Candied Ginger
During the winter months, when citrus is in season, I find myself eating a lot of oranges. I also find myself with a lot of orange peels. I dry some and powder them up for use in baking and cooking. Another fun use for orange peels is to turn them into a candy.
Candied orange peels are pretty easy to make and a nifty way of turning something that might otherwise be discarded into something tasty. You can also candy other citrus peel this way like grapefruit and lemons. The same process can be used to make candied ginger.
Once finished, the candied peels can also be dipped in dark chocolate for a special treat.
They make a nice gift, too.
Candied Orange Peel
2 large oranges ( you can also use 1 grapefruit or 3 lemons)
or 1 lb. of ginger root*
¾ c. water
¾ c. sugar, plus extra for rolling
3 T. light corn syrup, optional
Remove peel from fruit using a sharp knife. Try to get the peel off in 4 pieces. Cut the peel into ¼-inch wide strips. Place peel in a pot with cold water and bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute, drain and rinse under cold water. Repeat process 2 more times. Return to pan with fresh water and boil 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Bring ¾ c. water and ¾ c. sugar to boil in sauce pan with the corn syrup. Boil 2-3 minutes and then add the peel. Simmer, stirring occasionally until all but a spoonful of the syrup is left. This should take about 10 minutes. On a wax-paper lined baking sheet sprinkle 1 cup of sugar and arrange the peels on top of the sugar. Toss the peels around until cooled adding more sugar if needed. Place peels on a drying rack for 24 hours before storing. Once dried you can also dip one end of the peels in dark chocolate. Makes ½ pound.
* If making the candied ginger root, peel and cut into 1/4- inch slices. Then cut the slices into 1/4-inch thick strips
Homemade Mustard
I love making food gifts for the holidays. I often make cookies or other baked goods. But not everyone wants sweets. For those friends and family, I often make them homemade mustard. I have included recipes for 5 of my favorite mustards.
I wasn’t a big fan of mustard, when I was a kid. I am now. I enjoy using all types of mustard in all sorts of dishes, not just on hot dogs.
Mustard is great on sandwiches and sausages. It is a versatile ingredient for salads, salad dressings, marinades and sauces. I lean towards spicy brown mustard myself.
I also enjoy making my own mustard. That way, I can tweak the seasonings.
So here are five of my favorite homemade mustard recipes. If you never made mustard before- you might want to try. It is easy, and fun. Four of them are stored in the fridge- and will keep for months. For gift-giving, look for decorative jars or crocks to put them in. The fifth recipe is canned, so 4 ounce canning jars are required, but it doesn’t have to be stored in the fridge.
Horseradish Mustard
1 c. dry mustard
3/4 c. white wine vinegar
1/3 c. dry white wine or dry sherry
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 T. dried minced onion
2 t. caraway seeds
1 1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. coarse ground mustard
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 T. prepared horseradish
Combine all ingredients, except eggs and horseradish in top of double boiler and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours. Whisk in eggs and cook over simmering water until mixture has thickened and eggs are cooked, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in horseradish. Pour into sterilized jar, cool and cover. Store in fridge for up to 3 months. Makes 2 cups.
Bavarian Mustard
3/4 c. beer
2/3 c. dry mustard
2 T. sugar
2 T. cider vinegar
2 t. salt
1-t. celery seeds
1/2 t. fresh grated ginger or 1/4 t. dry
1 egg, beaten
Combine all but the egg in the top of a double boiler and let stand 2 hours at room temperature. Stir in egg and cook over simmering water. stirring constantly until mixture thickens and egg is cooked, about 10 minutes. Pour into sterilized jars and cool before covering. Store in fridge for up to 2 months. Makes 2 cups.
Spicy Mustard
1 c. dry mustard
2/3 c. dry white wine
1/2 c. vinegar, flavored with herbs or garlic
1/2 c. sugar
2 t. salt
1 t. basil
1 t. chili powder
1 t. dried minced garlic
1 t. oregano
1/2 t. cracked pepper
2 eggs, slightly beaten
Mix all ingredients, except eggs, in top of double boiler and let stand 2 hours at room temperature. Add eggs and cook over simmering water, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and eggs are cooked, about 10 minutes. Pour into sterilized jars and cool down before covering and refrigerating. Keeps in fridge for up to 2-3 months. Makes 2 cups.
French Herb Mustard
1/4 c. dry mustard
1/4 c. white wine vinegar
1/4 c. white wine or dry sherry
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. tarragon
1/4 t. dill seed
1/4 t. celery seed
1/4 t. ground cloves
3 egg yolks or 1 whole egg
Combine all ingredients, except eggs, in top of double boiler and let stand at room temperature 2 hours. Whisk in eggs and cook over simmering water, stirring constantly, until mustard thickens and eggs are cooked, about 5 minutes. Store in crock or jar in fridge for up to 1 month. Makes 1 cup, recipe can be doubled.
This recipe can be canned, so it doesn’t have to be kept in the fridge. A bit of work , but worth the effort. Makes about 6, (4 ounce) jars.
Dijon Mustard
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups Pinot Grigio or other dry white wine
1 cup white wine vinegar (5% acidity)
1 tsp. salt
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
4 black peppercorns
1 rosemary sprig
1 cup yellow mustard seeds
1⁄3 cup dry mustard
2 2⁄3 cups water
Combine first 7 ingredients in a large stainless steel or enameled saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes or until onion is very soft, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat; pour onion mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a glass or stainless steel bowl. Discard solids. Stir mustard seeds and dry mustard into wine mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature at least 24 hours, but no longer than 48 hours. Process mustard mixture in a blender or food processor, adding water until consistency of cooked oatmeal. Transfer mustard to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring often; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered 5 minutes. Ladle hot mustard into a hot jar, leaving 1⁄4-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band and adjust to fingertip-tight. Place jar in boiling- water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled. Process jars 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat; remove lid, and let jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and let cool.
Source Ball Book
