Flour Up To My Pits!

Yep, I'm completely flour-whelmed, but just had to check in and say hi to all my blogging buddies, and tell you what I've been up to.

So far I've made the most creamy, artery-clogging New York cheesecake that I've been making for quite a few years now every Christmas. If I don't make it I'll never hear the end of it from certain people. This year, instead of a fruit topping, I'm going to make fresh whipped cream, and possibly lightly dust it with red and green sugar sprinkles. Before I baked it, I swirled red and green food coloring into the batter, so if all goes well, when I cut into it, it should look really pretty.

I made quite a large pan of fudge, which I thought I'd screwed up, but Mmm... it tastes fantastic. It's not quite as creamy and gooey as I'd like, but I think I may have gone a tad over the soft-ball stage, which would explain it.

I made the layers for my famous Peppermint Fudge triple layer cake, and as happens every year, only half of each layer actually comes out of the pan. Must remember to line the pans with wax paper next year. These deliciously spongy, moist fudgy layers will be topped by fresh whipped cream, flavored with crushed up peppermint candies and white chocolate. The final step is to make a semi-sweet chocolate ganache, and pour over the top. Oh, this cake is sublime. I just wish I could eat it! But once again, if I don't make it, my very life is threatened, this time from Jill.

At this moment, I have my petit fours coated in chocolate and flash-freezing before I cut them into pretty little squares. Its' the most simple, easy recipe, but a bit of a bugger to get all together.

In a few minutes I think I'll start a triple batch of butter nut cookies. Have you ever had these? They're little, very dry, but melt-in-your-mouth balls (heeheehee... I said balls), with chopped hazelnuts, and coated in powdered sugar. Oh my, they are so good!

Still on the list to make: Bridget's German Spritz butter cookies with a peppermint filling. Oh my, they look so good, but I hate making cookies with a press. Talk about a pain in the ass! I'm also going to make cream puffs, and fill them with an eggnog pudding. Sounds yummy, right?

Hopefully between now and Christmas Eve I'll find the time and the inclination to take pictures of all my confections. All I can say is, thank goodness for my big-ass Kitchen Aid mixer, or none of this crap would be getting done. Well, I must leave you now and return to my baking duties. Dust the flour off your hands before you leave, and hey, Shelia! Don't think I didn't see you walk off with a handful of fudge!