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.