Christmas Traditions - The Christmas Carol Cookie Walk

Every fall, for more than thirty years, our choir has begun learning new music in preparation for our annual Christmas Concert. Then, in early December, we invite the congregation and all our family and friends to attend the evening, called Carols by Candlelight. The choir members supply all manner of Christmas goodies, and after the concert we serve coffee, tea, hot chocolate along with a delicious selection of home baking.

Last year we took part in a truly different kind of Christmas carol service. After a delightful evening listening to a program of sacred Christmas music, we enjoyed mulled cider, hot cranberry punch, Christmas cake, and shortbread. Then, for a small donation to the host church, we were invited to enjoy their Christmas Cookie Walk.

Long tables were set up, groaning under the weight of an amazing variety of Christmas cookies, squares, pastries and dainties. We were invited to choose a cookie tin - each tin held about two dozen sweets - and fill it from the delectable choices before us.

This Christmas, we are hosting our own version of a Christmas Cookie Walk along with our traditional offering of well-known Christmas songs, sacred music and Christmas carol sing-along.

Each of the choir members will bring four dozen cookies, squares, tarts or bars in addition to the goodies for the evening's refreshments. Then, anyone who wishes may take home a grab bag - a paper bag with two dozen assorted goodies.

As most of our congregation are seniors, many who don't bake any more, we know there will be plenty of takers for our grab bags.

I have already started my cookies. I am making Sugarplums and Snowballs, two family favorites. They are supremely easy to make, but require a considerable investment of time and energy.

They are best when they're made well in advance and stored in air-tight bags in the fridge for several weeks before they are eaten. The flavors mellow and the texture "matures" into a semi-solid, truffle-like smoothness.

Snowballs

Ingredients:

• One box vanilla wafers, crushed into fine crumbs
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• One can sweetened condensed milk
• Shredded coconut, medium shred, sweetened

Method:

• Crush vanilla wafers in small batches, a few cookies at a time, into very fine crumbs
• Place in a large bowl and sift in the cocoa powder
• Blend well
• Pour in the sweetened condensed milk and mix thoroughly. Mixture will become very stiff and is easier to mix by hand at this stage.
• Place mixture in fridge to chill for about half an hour

Wash hands thoroughly and keep a bowl of cool water and a cloth nearby to periodicaly clean your hands during the next steps.

• Place about half the bag of coconut in a bowl
• Scoop up about a teaspoon full of the cookie dough and roll it into a small, round ball
• Roll the cookie ball in the shredded coconut, pat some on if necessary, and place on a cookie sheet
• Once the cookie sheet is full, tightly cover the cookies with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to age

These cookies need to sit for at least two weeks tightly covered for the center to set up properly. As they age, the filling takes on a delightfully smooth texture.

Sugarplums

Ingredients:

• One box of vanilla wafers
• One family-sized package strawberry flavored Jello
• One can sweetened condensed milk
• Whole dried cloves
  

Method:

• Using the same method as for making Snowballs, crush vanilla wafers in small batches, a few cookies at a time, into very fine crumbs
• Place crumbs in a large bowl and add the Jello jelly powder, reserving three teaspoons
  
• Blend well
• Pour in the sweetened condensed milk and mix thoroughly. Mixture will become very stiff and is easier to mix by hand at this stage.
• Place mixture in fridge to chill for about half an hour

Wash hands thoroughly and keep a bowl of warm water and a cloth nearby to xclean your hands periodically during the next steps.

• Place the reserved Jello jelly powder in a saucer
  
• Scoop up about a teaspoon full of the cookie dough and roll it into a small, oval, plum-shaped ball
• Insert a whole clove, stem first, into one end of the sugarplum - it will resemble the blossom end of a small plum
  
• Roll the cookie ball in the reserved jelly powder, pat some on if necessary, and place on a cookie sheet
• Once the cookie sheet is full, tightly cover the cookies with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to age

These cookies need to sit for at least two weeks tightly covered for the center to set up properly. As they age, the filling takes on a smooth texture, and the flavor of cloves blends with the strawberry filling to create a spicy-sweet unforgettable treat.