Busch Gardens Shares Recipes for Festive and Sweet Holiday Treats
Busch Gardens Chef Michael Craig, with a fresh batch of Christmas cookies.
Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients:
- 3 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
Directions:
- Allow butter to sit out for about 30 minutes to slightly soften. This will make it easier to mix the butter with a hand mixer
- Whip the butter on medium speed until the butter is light and fluffy
- Then, while whipping the butter, add the sugar. Once you’ve added the sugar, continue whipping the mixture for 3 – 5 minutes
- Add all the flour to the butter/sugar mixture and mix on the slowest speed just until the ingredients are blended. Over mixing will cause the cookies to shrink when baking and make them tough and less crisp
- Press the cookie dough onto a flat pan or cookie sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Place the cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to cool
- When you make the cookies, use just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the counter and rolling pin. Roll the dough out to the desired thickness. Use a clean, dry brush to dust off any excess flour before cutting the cookies
- Cut the cookies as close together as possible to minimize the amount of scrap dough you have to re-work. Each time the cookie dough is re-worked, the quality of the finished product is reduced
- Place the cookies about one inch apart on a cookie sheet. Before baking, the cookies can be lightly brushed with water and sprinkled with colored sugar
- The cookies can be decorated either before or after baking
- Bake the cookies at 350°F for 12 – 15 minutes or until the cookies start to brown around the edges. The actual baking time will depend on the thickness of the cookies and your oven
- Allow the cookies to cool for about 5 minutes, then loosen them from the tray with a spatula and let them cool until they are at room temperature
- The cookie dough will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator in a sealed container
- Baked cookies should keep a maximum of 2-3 weeks in sealed container.
Butter Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cups all-purpose shortening
- 1 1/2 sticks butter, unsalted
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup and 2 Tbs milk
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
Directions:
- Cream the butter, sugar and shortening with an electric mixer until light and fluff
- In a separate bowl, sift all dry ingredients (except baking soda) together
- Add the vanilla and almond extract to the butter sugar mixture and mix until blended
- Add the eggs to the butter mixture and beat on medium speed until well blended
- Dissolve the baking soda in the milk and add to the mixture. Add to the butter sugar mixture and mix again until well blended
- Last, add the sifted dry ingredients and mix just until blended
- Butter cookie dough can be piped onto cookie sheets using a pastry bag with a star tip or with a cookie gun.
- Bake the cookies at 350ºF for 12 – 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature
- Unbaked cookie dough can be stored in the refrigerator up to one week or in a sealed container in the freezer for three months
Carrot Cake
Ingredients:
- 1 lb and 1 1/2 Tbs granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 5 large eggs
- 3/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1 1/3 tsp baking powder
- 1 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 Tbs cinnamon
- 3/4 cup dates, chopped (raisins can be substituted)
- 2 Tbs raisins
- 1/2 cup carrots, shredded
- 1/2 cup walnuts or pecan pieces
Directions:
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar, oil, vanilla, eggs and crushed pineapple together with an electric mixer on low speed for 3 – 4 minutes
- Sift all the remaining dry ingredients together and add to the sugar/oil mixture. Mix on low speed for 2 – 3 minutes or until the ingredients are well blended. Scrape the bowl several times with a rubber spatula during the mixing process
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix on low speed until the ingredients are well blended
- Divide the mixture equally between two 9 inch cake pans, which have been lined with paper and lightly greased, or use a cooking spray. If paper liners are not available, use cooking spray and dust with flour to prevent sticking
- Bake the cakes at 340°F for 50-60 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
- When the cakes are done, invert the pans on cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature before removing the pans
- The cakes can be eaten plain or frosted with a cream cheese icing
- The batter can be stored frozen in a covered container for several months if not used all at once
- This mix can also be used to make carrot muffins for breakfast or baked in a loaf pan and served as breakfast bread. Carrot bread is excellent toasted and served with plain cream cheese
- To bake in a loaf bread:
- Fill a loaf pan no more than 2/3 full
- Lower the temperature to about 300°F
- Bake for about 90 minutes
