Mexican wedding cookies?!
Answers: what is the history of these cookies?? and also if you found it from a website can you tell me which one? Thank u!
Mexican wedding cakes (or cookies):
According to several food history sources and cookbooks, Mexican wedding cakes and (aka Biscochitos/Mexico), Biscochos/Cuba, Kourabi?des/Greece, Polvorones/Italy & Spain, Rohlichky/Ukraine and Sand Tarts, Sandies, Butterballs & Moldy Mice/United States) are a universal holiday cookie-type treat. This means this recipe is not necessarily connected to any one specific country. It is connected with the tradition of saving rich and expensive food (the richest butter, finest sugar, choicest nuts) for special occasions.
Food historians trace the history of these cookies and cakes to Medieval Arab cuisine, which was rich in sugar. Small sugar cakes with nuts (most often almonds) and spices were known to these cooks and quickly adopted by the Europeans. This sweet culinary tradition was imported by the Moors to Spain, diffused and assimilated throughout Europe, then introduced to the New World by 16th century explorers. Sugar cookies, as we know them today, made their appearance in th 17th century. About sugar. Recipes called Mexican wedding cakes descend from this tradition. They first appear in American cookbooks in the 1950s.
The cookie is old, the name is new. Food historians place the first recipes named "Mexican wedding cakes" in the 1950s and 1960s. Why the name? Our books and databases offer no explanations. Perhaps timing is everything? Culinary evidence confirms Mexican wedding cakes are almost identical to Russian Tea Cakes. During the 1950s and 1960s relations between Russia and the United States were strained. It is possible the Cold War provided the impetus for renaming this popular cookie. Coincidentally? This period saw the mainstreaming of TexMex cuisine into American culture.
RECIPE:
http://myweb.cableone.net/howle/page/bis...
Mexican Wedding Cakes (Cookies)
These delicate shortbread-style cookies are made with chopped, roasted pecans, rolled in powdered sugar and are an elegant addition to any fiesta. They are also known as Wedding Cakes, Pecan Balls, Russian Tea Cakes, Snowballs, Pecan Sandies, Swedish Tea Cakes and more.
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pecans, chopped, roasted (see below)
An additional 3/4 cup powdered sugar to roll cookies in
An additional 1/4 teaspoon salt
PREPARATION:
Add butter, powdered sugar and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Mix at medium-high speed until completely mixed. In a seperate bowl, mix flour and salt. Mix the flour into the butter about 1/2 cup at a time until well incorporated.
Carefully fold in the nuts.
Take a small amount of dough and roll it into a one inch ball. Continue and place the balls on a lightly greased cookie sheeet, about 2 inches apart.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Mix additioanl powdered sugar and salt. Roll the warm cookies in powdered sugar.
Here are a few:
BISCOCHOS DE VINO (MEXICAN WEDDING
COOKIES)
1 lb. lard
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon crushed whole cinnamon
1 teaspoon crushed anise seed
2 eggs
6 1/2 cup flour
1 jigger of wine (any kind)
cinnamon-sugar mixture
Preheat oven at 400°F.
Crush whole cinnamon and anise seed. Cream lard and sugar; add cinnamon, anise, eggs, flour, and wine. At this point, mix with your hands. Place on board and roll out 1/2 inch thick. Cut into triangle shapes, hearts, etc.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 400°F for 15 minutes. Bake until set, but not brown. Watch closely so as not to burn.
Remove from cookie sheet and immediately drench in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Let cool and drench again if desired.
CUERNITOS (MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES)
1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 C. butter, softened
2 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 C. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
optional:
1 C. finely chopped or ground almonds or pecans
Preheat oven to 325
In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup powdered sugar, butter, and extracts until light and fluffy. Stir in flour, salt, and almonds or pecans (if desired). Mix until dough forms. Shape into 1 inch balls, or crescents. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes. Watch closely until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet, cool slightly and roll in powdered sugar. Let cool completely and roll again.
MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES
1 c. butter
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. black walnut flavoring
2 c. flour
1 c. chopped nuts
Mix, roll into small balls. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. While still warm, roll in powdered sugar; let cool. Roll again in powdered sugar.
Sorry couldn't find anything about History.
They are full of LARD tasty buttttttttttt.