Monday, December 14, 2009

Eat Christmas Cookies 3 - Mexican wedding cakes




Susan of Food Blogga is hosting Eat Christmas Cookies Season 3. It's easy to join in - all you have to do is bake Christmas cookies and follow the directions at the event link above to have your entry posted. You can check out the progressive Christmas cookie roundup here.

I have chosen to make a cookie that I have been curious about for a long time - Mexican wedding cakes, also known as Russian tea cakes. They are a nutty, buttery shortbread biscuit rolled in icing sugar, and look just like a snowy landscape.

I used this recipe found in the Epicure section of The Age.

The recipe is confusing in one respect in that it says to roll out the cookie dough to a 40cm piece. I initially thought this meant to roll it flat with a rolling pin - but it actually means to roll the dough into 40cm logs, like this:




You cut slices off the chilled logs to form the cookies:



which you roll in icing sugar while still warm after baking, then again once they have cooled down. Simple!

Head on over to Susan's site to see all the other great Christmas cookies - and we'd love to see yours too!




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14 comments:

  1. Miss High HeelsDecember 14, 2009 at 10:46 AM

    Fantastic! I've always wanted to make Mexican wedding cookies/Russian tea cakes too. I think you may have inspired me.

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  2. JenniferDecember 14, 2009 at 10:50 AM

    I've had these before and they are absolutely delicious-they melt in your mouth! These look wonderful! What a wonderful way to celebrate the season!

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  3. Susan from Food BloggaDecember 14, 2009 at 11:47 AM

    In my house, we always called them butterballs. My mom made them every year for my oldest brother. I'm so glad you made them this year. I'm sure they'll become a yearly tradition.

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  4. Nutmeg NannyDecember 14, 2009 at 12:33 PM

    I have never made these but have enjoyed them a few times. They look great! Very festive for this lovely holiday season :)

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  5. Lorraine @ Not Quite NigellaDecember 14, 2009 at 12:59 PM

    How gorgeous! Thankyou for the link, I might join in as I just baked some Christmas cookies. It must have been quite cofusing as you don't often come across a log cookie recipe do you! :)

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  6. Gloria BakerDecember 14, 2009 at 1:20 PM

    Cake law this look awesome and delicious!! xx gloria

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  7. AnonymousDecember 14, 2009 at 2:58 PM

    They look great! My grandma used to make Mexican Wedding Cakes and I always loved them!

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  8. BonBon Rose Girls KristinDecember 14, 2009 at 3:15 PM

    Ohhhhhhhh yes. These are a Christmas cookie necessity in our family!

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  9. Julia @MélangerDecember 14, 2009 at 5:03 PM

    These would be delicious for Christmas. I really love the simplicity of chilled cookie dough. So great to have on hand and bake at a moment's notice!

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  10. FinlaDecember 14, 2009 at 7:20 PM

    I love these cookies and these really looks so festive with the powder sugar.

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  11. The Caked CrusaderDecember 14, 2009 at 8:06 PM

    These have been on my "to bake" list for ages - they look great!

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  12. IvyDecember 15, 2009 at 12:03 AM

    These sound delicious and are almost like Greek kourabiedes, which I will post later on.

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  13. Ever After Weddings and Events Gatlinburg Weddings - Gatlinburg Wedding PackagesDecember 15, 2009 at 7:13 AM

    How fabulous! I am going to link to your blog from my wedding planning website (http:www.everafterplanner.com) so that my brides can enjoy your recipe as well.

    Thanks for a great post!

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  14. CakelawDecember 15, 2009 at 8:53 AM

    Hi Miss High Heels, can't wait to see if you make them!

    Thanks Jennifer - I've not made them before, but would again.

    Hi Susan, thanks for hosting the Xmas cookie event again, and it's great to learn new names for the same thing.

    Thanks Brandy - I'd be very happy if someone made them for me!

    Hi Lorraine, no, here we tend to have lots of drops cookies or cutter cookies, but slice off the log cookies is something new to me since I began blogging.

    Thanks Gloria :)

    Thanks Jill - our family doesn't really have any tradition in Xmas cookies, but maybe I can start one!

    Hi Kristin, it's great to have a family cookie tradition - brings back good memories whenever you make them.

    Hi Julia, I agree - I have frozen some of the dough for later.

    Thanks Happy Cook - I agree with the festive look - like fresh snow.

    Hi Crusader, they've been on mine too, and they finally made the cut for my Christmas boxes.

    Hi Ivy, looking forward to it - I love all your Greek specialities!

    Thanks you so much Ever After - hope your brides enjoy the recipe.

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Thanks for dropping by!