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Icebox: Cranberry Cherry Icebox Ribbons

Source of Recipe

"The All-American Cookie Book"


Recipe Introduction

These convenient icebox cookies, created for a holiday menu, contain cranberries and sour cherry jam or preserves. The recipe involved placing alternating layers of cranberry-cherry filling and vanilla dough in loaf pans and freezing the stack until firm. The frozen loaf is then cut crosswise into 3 long blocks, which can be cut lengthwise into pretty red and white striped ribbons and baked. These cookies have a great chewy texture and an exceptional fruit flavor. They keep very well.

List of Ingredients

Cranberry Cherry Filling
3/4 c. Dried Cranberries, about 3 ounces
1 1/3 c. Cherry Preserves, or sour cherry jam
1 1/2 T. Sugar
1/8 tsp. Almond Extract

Dough
2 c. + 2 T. Flour, All-purpose
1/4 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Salt
3/4 c. Sugar
2/3 c. Unsalted Butter, softened
1 Large Egg
2 1/4 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp. Almond Extract



Recipe

For the Filling: Process cranberries, preserves or jam, and sugar in food processor until coarsely pureed. Transfer mixture to saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until comes to boil; immediately remove from heat. Let stand until cooled slightly. Stir in almond extract. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until well chilled, or freeze for 30 Minutes to speed chilling.

For the dough: Stir together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Beat together sugar and butter until well blended and smooth. Add egg, vanilla and almond extract and beat until well blended. Beat or stir in the flour mixture until incorporated. Let dough stand for 10 minutes.

Line a 4 1/2" x 8 1/2" loaf pan with aluminum foil, letting the foil overhang the long sides by about 3". On top of the foil, line the pan with 2 long sheets of plastic wrap laid crosswise, overlapping in the middle and overhanging the longer sides by about 4".

Divide the dough into 1/4's. Working on waxed paper, roughly pat each portion into shape of loaf pan. Pat one dough portion into bottom of loaf pan, forming a smooth, even layer. Spread 1/3 of filling over dough. Repeat layers, using all dough and all filling. Fold plastic wrap over dough. Freeze until loaf is cold and very firm, at least 1 1/2 hours or longer.

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease several large baking sheets or coat with nonstick cooking spray.

Carefully peel plastic wrap from loaf. Trim off and discard the excess dough so sides of loaf are straight up and down, not flared. Wipe knife between cuts. Carefully cut loaf crosswise into 1/3's, forming 3 - 2 3/5" x 4" blocks. Cut each block into 1/4" thick slices to produce 2 3/4" long ribbons. Carefully transfer cookies to baking sheets, placing about 2" apart.

Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, in upper 1/3 of oven for 9 - 14 minutes, or until just slightly darker at edges. Reverse sheet from front to back halfway through baking to ensure even browning. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely.

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 month.

YIELD: 50 - 60 cookies