Holiday Tips

Tips When Watching Fat Intake
Storage Secrets
Wrapping Up Holiday Cheer
Candy Creation

Tips When Watching Fat Intake During the Holidays

• Use ingredients that are lower in fat:
  1. Oatmeal
  2. Fruit
  3. Fat-free skim milk
  4. Light or no fat sour cream instead of regular sour cream. LAND O'LAKES® Light or Fat Free Sour Cream perform just like regular sour cream in cooking and baking.
• Avoid ingredients that are high in fat, such as chocolate and nuts. If you use nuts, try roasting before adding them to your recipe. Roasting brings out the flavor of nuts, so you may need fewer of them.
• Substitute or add flavorings and/or seasonings to replace the flavor lost from fat. For example, add chocolate and rum flavoring to a chocolate sauce for more intense flavor.
• Add moisture to compensate for reduced fat. Replace some of the fat with an equal amount of applesauce or fruit puree. Some reduced fat recipe results may be more acceptable than others.
• Do not overmix batters and doughs. Fat is a tenderizer and with less fat, a baked product can be tough if overmixed.
• Instead of frosting cookies, sprinkle with decorator sugars before baking.
• Make smaller cookies for portion control.
• Store cookies and treats in the freezer (instead of the cookie jar) where they are not as accessible. Take them out when expecting guests.
• Give homemade cookies away as holiday gifts! Package them in cookie tins or festive canisters, so they are out of sight (and out of mind).
• Remember, it's best to bake with butter to have good flavored, homemade cookies. Eating one or two will satisfy the cookie craving. After all, it's holiday time.

Storage Secrets

COOKIES:

Keeping cookies for short term (one week)

• After baking, let cookies cool completely.
• Do not mix soft and crisp cookies together in the same container. The crisp cookies will absorb moisture from soft cookies and become soft as well.
• Store soft cookies in a container with a tight-fitting lid.
• Store crisp cookies in a container with a loose-fitting lid.
• Store bar cookies in the pan in which they were baked; cover pan tightly with aluminum foil or plastic food wrap.

Keeping cookies for long term (six months):

• Storing in the refrigerator is not recommended.
• Both frosted and unfrosted cookies can be frozen and stored for up to six months.
• Arrange in a container lined with plastic food wrap or aluminum foil; separate with layers of aluminum foil or plastic food wrap.
• Tightly seal container, label with contents and date, then freeze.
• To thaw cookies, remove package from freezer and place in refrigerator or let thaw on counter.

CANDIES:

Keeping candy for short term (two months or less)

• Individually wrap candies in waxed paper or plastic food wrap; most candy will stay fresher longer when wrapped.
• Store individually wrapped candies in boxes, tins or cartons with tight-fitting lids.
• Exception: For small hard candies, sprinkle candy with finely ground sugar (not powdered) and store in jar with tight-fitting lid.
• Do not mix candies that absorb moisture (caramels, mints, hard candies) in the same container as candies that lose moisture (fudge, fondants, meringues). If these types of candies are mixed, the hard candies will become sticky.
• Use waxed paper to individually wrap or separate layers of fudge in storage container.

Keeping candy for long term (up to 12 months):

• Most candies freeze well for longer storage. Wrap tightly in plastic food wrap or aluminum foil. Be sure to label with contents and date. When ready to eat, thaw wrapped candy at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.

Wrapping Up Holiday Cheer

PACKAGING COOKIES AND CANDIES FOR GIFT-GIVING

• Arrange treats on a sturdy holiday plate, and set the plate in the middle of a sheet of clear or colored cellophane (available at most floral shops). Gather up the edges so they meet at the top. Then tie the top with a ribbon.
• Take a candy box and wrap the lid with paper or fabric. Line the lid and bottom of the box with matching or coordinated paper, fabric or tissue. Fill the box with candy liners and place individual candies in each one. Place a bow on top of the box, and it's a gift to go.
• Small holiday decorations such as miniature sleighs and sleds provide a fun way to present gifts of food. Wrap cookies or candy in cellophane or a holiday plastic food bag, then display on the sleigh or sled. This can also make a festive centerpiece.
• Buy a set of holiday mugs and put a small decorated bag of cookies in each one - treats to enjoy with a warm drink.
• For hard candy, wrap each individually and then fill a wooden scoop with the candy. Wrap the scoop in cellophane and tie the edges together around the handle with a ribbon.
• Pack cookies in a holiday basket with recipe cards, holiday mugs, napkins and a selection of flavored coffee and LAND O'LAKES® Cocoa Classics, or other items, for a personalized gift basket.

Candy Creation - As Simple as 1,2,3

• As visions of sugarplums begin to dance in our heads, so do the common fears of holiday candymaking. More than any other holiday treat, candy can cause a commotion in the kitchen. Even well-seasoned cooks have, on occasion, experienced separated toffee or burnt chocolate.
• This holiday, don't throw in your apron. Instead, create sweet successes by following a few simple rules from the Land O'Lakes Test Kitchens. With a little patience, you, too, can create delicious works of art from your very own kitchen.

1. First, use a dependable candy thermometer. Hold it upright in the candy mixture, making sure the bulb is completely covered with liquid though not resting on the bottom of the pan.
   
   If you do not have a candy thermometer, use the cold water test. Drop a small amount of the candy mixture into a cupful of very cold water. Remove candy drop from water and form into a ball with fingers. The firmness of the ball determines the candy temperature and indicates whether the candy is fully cooked.

   Thread:

   223 ° to 234 ° F :  Forms a 2" soft thread.

   Soft ball:

   234 ° to 240 ° F :  Forms a soft ball which flattens when removed from water.

   Firm ball:

   242 ° to 248 ° F :  Forms a firm ball which does not flatten when removed from water.

   Hard ball:

   250 ° to 268 ° F :  Forms a hard, but pliable ball.

   Soft crack:

   270 ° to 290 ° F :  Separates into hard but pliable strands.

   Hard crack:

   300 ° to 310 ° F :  Separates into hard, brittle strands.
   
   
2. The second most important rule is to follow the recipe directions carefully. Often the recipe calls for a heavy cooking pan of a certain size. Be sure to use the one specified. Candy is cooked at very high temperatures, so be sure the pan is large enough to prevent candy from boiling over.
   
   
3. Finally, watch the candy carefully. Candy recipes often instruct the cook to add ingredients at precise temperatures. Many recipes are ruined simply because the ingredients were overcooked, burned or boiled.