A Story of Food and Family

                            With a Recipe for Jam Filled Italian Butter Cookies     

We will be a smaller group for Christmas Eve this year, yes, Covid 19 impacting yet another holiday. For my psyche and that of our family joining us, I intend to keep the most precious of our family traditions alive.  Yesterday, while baking my cookie repertoire, I took a whirl down memory lane, careful to "sift out" the low points for another time.

A few years ago, we had a new addition to the family that was born prematurely.  By request, we set up a “Santa-tization” station, comprised of hand sanitizer and a sign stating "please no kissing when handling the baby." I'm implementing the “Santa-tization”station  this year due to Covid, no kissing, period.

My family always tells me not to fuss. The reason they are excited to attend Christmas Eve at my home is that I do fuss. Tonight is no ordinary get together. The evening begins with sparkling glasses filled with Prosecco, garnished with pomegranate arils (seeds). The kitchen island displays an expansive array of antipasto, and holiday music is echoing throughout the house. The fireplace is on, even if it's an unusually warm night. It is well known that we often suffer for beauty. Everyone loosens up; yes, there is still Christmas Day ahead with more to do, but we are present and in the moment. The living room is aglow with white lights and candlelit tables, reminiscent of my dining experiences in the Crystal Room at the pre-renovated Tavern on the Green .The guests are behaving, temporarily. We overload the Christmas tree with presents, joke, and reminisce.

Generally, it isn't until after the antipasto and before the second course that all the amusing events begin. A few Prosecco's in, I begin to observe the room and assess the direction of what I must do next. The young mothers are chatting in a tight group enjoying their wine and night out while the grandmothers chase the children with forkfuls of pasta. The children clamor to open gifts before midnight, and I remind them we must eat our second course first. They seem bewildered. The older kids often suggest a performance; it bides us time. I have to remind myself not to hug and kiss them this year. It will hurt.

There is always someone who, during clean-up, whispers to me that I forgot to make their favorite ”dish” It doesn't matter that there is enough food to feed a starving nation. Richard, my husband, is surreptitiously using stain remover on the chairs. No one flinches. They know the deal. He Scotchguards the night before.

Coerced by a bit of exhaustion and wine intake,  I see my family as a scene in a Medieval feast. Past episodes have included one of the nephews dipping the remote control to our television in a glass of water. Annually. he would take an ornament off the tree and fling it into the hot oven. I assume he was creating his own traditions. He has since outgrown this mischief. My husband played Santa that year and wanted to pass out the candy canes with a lecture on behavior. I helped dress him in costume and told him to "Stop It!" in my most threatening tone.  Yes, this is the family you lovingly acquired when you married me. We now laugh about the scenario.

Dinner arrives. No one looks very hungry. I have once again stuffed everyone with the first course. All agree, too much food, some trying to hide belching and belly rubbing.  I have done my job; most continue to eat anyway.

To quell the children's squealing, we must open presents so that we can enjoy the home-baked treats afterward on the much anticipated Viennese table. Everyone is happy, except for the dads that have to go home and put together all those toys!

                                   Italian Jam filled Butter Cookies

Note: I double the recipe when making these cookies

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

1 large egg, brought to room temperature

½ cup raspberry jam

5 ounces good-quality semi-sweet chocolate chips (melted)

Multi-colored sprinkles

Directions:

a.       In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and the salt; set aside.

b.       In a large bowl, using a hand or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and almond extract and mix until incorporated.

c.       Slowly add the flour to the mixture and mix until dough forms. Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. If it's easier, you can pipe the dough first and then place the baking sheets into the refrigerator.

d.       Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Fit a pastry bag with a piping tip and fill the bag with dough. Pipe the dough into 2 inch long segments, spacing about 1 inch apart. Try to keep segments as even as possible.

e.       Bake the cookies for 13-14 minutes until they are lightly golden brown on the edges. Cool the cookies on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

f.        Place the chocolate chips in a double boiler to melt over a low flame. While the chocolate is melting, spoon ¼ teaspoon of Jam onto the bottom half of the cookies and then sandwich them.

g.       Dip the sandwiched cookies 1/3 of the way into the melted chocolate, letting the excess chocolate drip off.

h.       If desired, dip the cookies into colored sprinkles, nuts, or coconut. Let the cookies "set" on parchment paper.

Suggestions:

I use a medium-size tip for my pastry bag. You can purchase disposable bags on Amazon or your local craft store. The cookies will spread. That is the reason for chilling the dough. Don't miss this step. It may take a few tries to perfect your piping skills; remember they are "homemade cookies."

I like Guittard chocolate. It is just my preference. Use your imagination for the garnishes.