Christmas Cookie Bonanza Part 4

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED PEANUT-BRITTLE FINGERS

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 15 1/2×10 1/2×1″
jelly-roll pan; line bottom and sides with sheet of
aluminum foil. Grease foil.

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix,
egg yolks and the water. At low speed, beat just
until mixture forms a crumbly dough. Pat mixture over
foil on bottom of prepared pan; bake 20 min or until
dough is golden brown. Remove pan from oven.

Make peanut-brittle topping: In heavy med saucepan,
combine brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and heavy
cream; over med heat, bring to boiling, stirring.
Cook, stirring constantly, until butter melts and
mixture is smooth. Stir in peanuts.

Spread peanut-brittle topping mixture over cookies in
pan; bake 15 min or until topping is brown and
bubbly. Remove pan from oven; cool cookies slightly.
Using ends of aluminum foil, lift cookies from pan;
cut crosswise into thirds. Cut lengthwise into 14
strips; remove cookies from aluminum foil. Cool
cookie “fingers” completely on rack.

Line another wire rack with waxed paper. In top of
double boiler over hot, not boiling, water, combine
chocolate and shortening. Over low heat, cook
mixture, stirring, until chocolate and shortening are
melted and mixture is smooth. Dip each cookie finger
into chocolate mixture to cover halfway; place cookie
on prepared rack to dry.

Makes 42 cookies.

LEMON LINZER COOKIES

1 recipe basic cookie mix 1 lg egg 1 tsp grated lemon
zest (colored part of peel) 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 c seedless raspberry jam

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease two baking
sheets.

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix,
egg, lemon zest and lemon juice. At low speed, beat
until mixture forms a dough.

Divide dough in half. Working one half at a time, on
lightly floured surface, with lightly floured rolling
pin, roll out dough 1/8″ thick; cut out with 3″ round
cookie cutter, cut out centers of half of the cookies.
If desired, reroll dough centers for additional
cookies.

Transfer dough rounds and rings to prepared baking
sheets. Bake 8 min or until cookies are golden;
transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

With 1 tsp jam each, cover flat sides of rounds.
Place a cookie ring, flat side down, on top of each
filling-topped round. Dust tops of cookies with
confectioners’ sugar.