Rosie Continues Her Christmas Baking.

I started out with a Basic Butter Cookie Dough.
I doubled the recipe since Imonna use this for two different confections:
Brownie Squares and Caramel Pecan Cookies.

Here is the Basic Butter Cookie recipe and remember I doubled it:

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large aig
1/2 tsp vanella

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl.

Cream butter and sugar in large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes for standing mixture, 6 for handheld.

Beat in aig and vanella.

Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture until just combined.

Form dough INto a 12-inch log 2 inches in diameter.

You can do this much ahead of time. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate, or continue to make the cookies.




Spoonie said my logs looked like peni.
Spoonie is 12.










I actually made these yesterday, wrapped them up, refrigerated them, then took them out this morning to let come to room temperature before continuing with the Brownies and the Caramel Pecans.


Now ONto the Brownie Squares:

Grease a 13 x 9 inch pan, line with foil, and grease foil.

Press dough evenly ONto bottom of baking pan and chill about 20 minutes.

Remember, I doubled my butter cookie dough.

While crust chills, preheat oven to 375.

Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes and cool for about 20 minutes.

Here are the lovely baked bottoms for what's coming.

Now, ONto the Brownie topping:

1 1/2 sticks butter
10 1/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
3 large aigs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 tsp vanella
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup plus 2 TB unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups toasted, cooled, and coarsely chopped walnuts

Melt butter and chocolate with brown sugar in a 3-qt. saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until smooth.

Remove from heat and stir in aigs and vanella until well-combined.

Whisk in flour, cocoa, and salt.

Add walnuts.

Here's the cookie batter ready to go back
INto the oven.

Bake about 20 minutes.
Cool completely in pan on rack.

Finished product. Need to cut INto 1-inch squares after it cools.

It smells divine.
BROWNIE SQUARES.
I'll cut INto squares tomorrow.

Now, Imonna make Caramel Pecan Cookies using the basic butter cookie cooked dough for the base.
Sorry, didn't mean to yell.

For caramel pecan topping:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup heavy cream
6 TB unsalted butter
1 tsp vanella
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups pecans, toasted, cooled, and coarsely chopped

Cook sugar in 3 quart heavy sauce pan over moderate heat, undisturbed, until sugar beings to melt.

Here, the sugar is just starting to melt.
Start stirring with a fork until sugar is melted to a deep golden caramel.

Keep stirring to get out all the chunkies.














Ahhh..... Purrfection, as Sandy would say.













Now, tilt the pan and carefully pour cream down the side. Caramel will get violent, harden, and steam profusely.









Keep stirring and cooking over moderately low heat, until caramel is dissolved.

When caramel is all dissolved remove from heat and add in butter, vanella, salt and pecans.

Immediately pour ONto cooled butter cookie crust
and spread evenly.

Cook until bubbling, about 20 minutes.

Cool completely on rack.

Then cut INto triangles,
diamonds, or squares.

CARAMEL PECAN THINGIES.

I'll cut them tomorrow.