Friday, December 18, 2009

Susannah & Dollye make Pressed Glass Shortbread cookies for Christmas

pretty little gentlewomen
~ Susannah & Dollye ~
(see news of Susannah & Dollye below)
asked to have their likenesses taken
after they had taken off their aprons and brushed the flour from their noses
Our dear girls both have a new home for Christmas!
Thank you so much,
~~~
Cold and thick fog hangs heavy outside my windows this dark afternoon.
While inside my snug little farmhouse, the air is warm and filled with the scents of fir and cedar,
beeswax candles burning on the mantle and a good apple wood fire crackling
in the big fireplace.
With the last bits of thread and scraps of dolly making swept up
and everything put to rights, Susannah & Dollye have been helping me in the kitchen.
From from the kitchen, the delicious scent of wonderful Christmas cookies baking, comes
wafting through the old house.
We've been baking wonderfulPressed Glass Shortbread cookies
for our neighbors and friends.
~Pressed Glass Shortbread cookies on a lovely old pewter plate ~
aren't they pretty?

~gather your pretties ~ Susannah & Dollye climbed up into the old cupboard and got down some of our old pressed glass drinking glasses to press the designs into the shortbread dough. We used a small tarnished silver salt shaker lid for cutting out tiny cookies just right for dollies and little girls. A butter knife is perfect for lifting the cookies out of the dough after cutting them out. We rolled out the buttery & tender shortbread dough with the rolling pin. Then we lay the pretty pressed glass on it's side and rolled the design into the dough.

The stars and feather'd edge circles make the prettiest cookies. We used an etched glass goblet with a very thin edge to cut out the cookies. We even used an old wooden butter mold with a carved lamb for some very special cookies. We baked them for just a very few minutes on parchment paper'd cookie sheets.

A few of these wrapped in pretty parchment bundles and tied with heavy linen thread or red ribbons with a sprig of fir tucked in makes a wonderful and much appreciated gift.

~~~~ Buttery Shortbread recipe ~ ~~

1 lb. real butter

4 cups flour

1 cup fine sugar

~

Heat oven to 325 degrees

Sift the flour & sugar together. Work the butter into the flour & sugar with fingertips, then knead until blended and smooth. Break into 2 pieces and pat out onto flour'd table. Lightly flour your rolling pin and roll out from center to make a thin sheet of shortbread. Roll your pretty pressed glass over the dough to make swirls and stars, feather'd circles & vines. Cut with thin edged cookie cutters, carefully lift the cookies onto parchment Bake until set, with very pale light brown bottoms. cool on paper

~ share them with your friends, family and neighbors. Enjoy!

~Susannah & Dollye~ both now have Good Homes for Christmas

thank you & a very Blessed & Merrie Christmas to you all.

15 comments:

Heather said...

Oh, what pretty little cookies and what enchanting cooking ladies! What a fabulous idea with the glasses...I need to look for some of those and make cookies! I love the square ones too, what prettiness!~

FrenchGardenHouse said...

So very, very clever! I love these, what a wonderful idea. Wishing all the doll ladies and gentlemen a very Happy Christmas, indeed! xoxo Lidy

Becky said...

What Lovely Ladyes and scrumptious looking Christmas Cookies.
Christine, your dolls are as lovely as ever. And have the same names of two of my sisters, how delightful.

Merry Christmas,
Becky

Gayle said...

Dear Christe'
Your pressed glass cookies and your sweet dollies are a delight.

Reading your online journal gets me in the Christmas spirit in such a lovely way.

Gayle

a little work of grace said...

What a lovely post, Christine. The cookies are beautiful; thankyou for sharing the recipe. Hope there wasn't too much flour flying around the kitchen with the dollies helping. They are too precious.

Thank you for sharing from the heart of your home,

Christmas blessings to you my friend.

Love,
Laura

Dixie Redmond said...

Beautiful, Christe'. I love old EAPG glass...and what a clever use for those beautiful incised patterns. I hope your Christmas is filled with wonders of the best kind!

Dixie

Susan McShannon-Monteith said...

Christmas is a time for family and the celebrations in which we indulge that are rich in tradition...
You and I both know well the miles that can sometimes separate us from those we hold so dear in our hearts.
May your Christmas be filled with joy and love... oh yes and one more plate at the table for that precious grand-baby you have been blessed with new this year.
Sincerely, Susan

Christine Crocker said...

Thank you all, dear ladies.

I'm so glad that you enjoyed seeing the little ladyes and reading about our cookie making afternoon...we had a wonderful time and they were very careful not to "flour" their frocks,
but the kitchen floor took some doing.

Lena said...

What a lovely way of decorating cookies. I would never have thought of doing it this way, and I thank you, most sincerely, for sharing such a clever idea with us. Now, I'm going to be looking at many things with new eyes, with thoughts of decorating my cookies. You have been such a gift to me in that way, and in many others. I treasure your friendship. Thank you.

I wish you and your family much happiness, and peace in the coming new year.

xo
Lena

Sea Angels said...

You are such a beautiful home maker Christine, your posts just shine with love, and care, and now you inspire me once more... .......oooh just popping on my pinny and heading to the kitchen......with visions of shortbread dancing in front of my eyes.......
Have the most wonderful Christmas, full of joy and laughter and your beloved family.
Mince pie Hugs
Lynn xxx

Suzanne said...

Christine thank you for visiting and your cookies look too beautiful to eat:-) How clever using that glass! Have a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones!

jerilanders said...

I so enjoy your lovely posts and marvelous photographs. My "Southern Belles" are quite taken with Mr Jefferson,(after all, he does hail from the "wundaful state of Vurginia"). They do hope you will keep us abreast of his comings AND goings in the months ahead.
Happy may thy Christmas be!

QUAINT AND PLAIN said...

BAKING COOKIES OF BUTTER AND SUGAR TAKE ON A TIMEWORN MEANING,, ONE CAN SEE A KITCHEN WARMED BY APPLE WOOD, BEESWAX CANDLES CASTING LIGHT AS THE DOUGH IS MARKED AND ROLLED.. YOU TAKE COOKIE BAKING INTO A WORLD OF ITS VERY OWN... HOW WONDERFULLY DELIGHTFUL YOUR POSTS ARE.. THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR DAYS...

Heather said...

Christine-
I cant remember if I told you this or not--- but a friend and I made these cookies last week! I even found an old cut glass cup to pattern them with. They are so good! thanks for sharing your recipe :)

Town Common Folk Art Dolls by Penni Sadlon said...

I been following your blog with interest ever since I saw you in EA, my favorite magazine and the stuff of my daydreams. I just loved the idea of the rolled cut glass shortbread...I'm now on the hunt for some cut glass tumblers at my local antique mart. So many wonderful dolls and decor ideas! Thank you!!! Penni