Christmas Baking

Clockwise from top:  Chocolate Chip (right off the back of the chips), Toffee (my mom's recipe), Butter Spritz Cookies (also Mom), some dipped in chocolate, Chocolate Peppermint Cookies (my wife's recipe), and fudge (from the jar of fluff) in the middle.

Recipes to follow as time permits but first, chocolate.  Learned a little about dipping cookies in chocolate this year.  Don't use chocolate chips.  Don't use the expensive chocolate from the shop downtown.  Just use Baker's chocolate squares.  Simple.

Dipping Chocolate

Ingredients:
4 squares Baker's semi-sweet chocolate
2 squares Baker's unsweetened chocolate
1 Tbsp margarine

Instructions:
Line a cookie sheet (or cutting board, or something else that's flat and can go in the refrigerator) with wax paper.
Melt chocolate and margarine in a double-boiler.
Dip the cookies (or whatever you are dipping) and place on wax paper.
Put the cookie sheet in the refrigerator until chocolate sets, then quickly transfer them to an airtight container until they warm to room temperature.  If they're cold and uncovered, humidity may condense on them.

Notes:
You can tweak the sweetness by using more or less of the unsweetened chocolate.  These cookies are sweet enough that they need some unsweetened.