Butter+sugar=awesome

infinite cookies

It's hard to go wrong with butter and sugar, especially when they're the main ingredients in your cookies. Now, it's true, that's not quite a fair portrayal of Swedish wedding cakes--there is the possibility that they have more flour than sugar, although it is a bit hard to tell (you'll soon understand why).

Swedish wedding cakes have been a traditional christmas favorite in the McGuire family for as along as I can remember--in fact, I'm told my parents have made them every year at Christmas since they were married in 1969. As kids, my brother and I always left a plate of cookies and a cup of glog for Santa on the coffee table by the fire place before going to bed on Christmas eve--and not surprisingly, they were always all gone in the morning (and I don't think the that's because the dogs ate them). Usually it is Mom that makes the cookies, but in recent years they have often become my responsibility when I go home for the holidays. Not always completely successfully I might add. My parent's current oven is notoriously complicated in its design--not only does it take forever and a day to heat up, it is also easy to put on the wrong setting. I believe it was the last time I was in charge of the cookie making at home that I managed to turn the oven on broil (or something) instead of bake and managed to pretty thoroughly burn the top of the Swedish wedding cakes before noticing something wasn't quite right.

The last two years, though, we've been in Italy for Christmas. And seeing as it wouldn't be Christmas without Swedish wedding cakes, I've taken to making them here. In fact, last year I think I made about 4 different batches--some for us, some to bring to a choir pot-luck, some to give to people. But no glog. This year, though, I only made two (just as well, you will probably think when you see how much butter they take). It turns out that finding powdered sugar in large quantities in Italy is a challenge. Unlike in the States, it does not come in boxes here. It comes in small packages with about enough for one dessert recipe, and it is almost always vanilla flavored. Luckily if you go the right grocery store, you can get a package with 200-250 grams. Not quite enough for one round of cookies, but close.

Below you will find the recipe--the gist of which is, get your 250 gram block of butter, toss it in a bowl, cream it with some sugar and flour, bake, then add more sugar. Don't let the absurd amount of butter deter you. These cookies are probably the best cookies ever. Period. I'm sure your doctor will understand your high blood pressure if bring him a few.

Pacman -- what happens when panettones fall

The recipe (directly copied and pasted from a file of McGuire family favorites sent to me by my mother--also includes the famous carrot cake with marsipan bunnies, sure to show up around July for my birthday, and Sherri Hennigan's raw apple cake):

Ingredients:

I cup unsalted butter, softened

½ cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup finely chopped pecans (I used walnuts because pecans don't really exist much if at all in Italy)

2 cups flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Cream butter and sugar

Add vanilla and nuts

Add flour. Mix well, with hands when necessary.

Roll into small balls.

Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees – until slightly brown on the bottom

While still hot, roll in powdered sugar and place on waxed paper to cool.

When cool, roll a second time in powdered sugar. (**Do NOT skimp on the sugar**, they should be well covered both times. Hence--it isn't in the end totally clear if you add more sugar or more flour)