Recipe + Vintage Holiday : May Day Currant Shortbread

 May Day is by far my favorite holiday. There are so many great traditions, from the May pole to celebrating the colorful blooms and the demise of winter, but my favorite tradition is the May Day basket. I love the idea of giving an anonymous basket of goodies to unsuspecting friends. My first May Day basket was made with my grandma. We picked some spring blooms and made some cookies. I put it on the stoop of my best friend two doors down. This year, the lack of spring blossoms and greenery gave way to a very monochromatic bundle, right down to the tasty treats. This recipe is one I found on 101 cookbooks, my favorite foodie blog. Happy Spring!
- Alea

Ingredients
1 cup  unbleached all-purpose flour
Scant 1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 pound (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
1/2 cup  sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup lightly toasted sliced almonds
1/2 cup currants
Large grain sugar, for sprinkling


Combine the all-purpose and whole wheat flours in a medium bowl and set aside.

Then, beat the softened butter with the sugar and salt. Use and electric mixer or immersion blender. Once it is smooth, stir in the almonds and add the four until just combined. Finally add in the currants. Then, shape it into a round flat patty and cover with plastic. Place in refrigerator overnight or if you have less time, a few hours should do.

Take dough out and let stand for ten minutes. Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Then roll out the dough about 1/4 inch thick and stamp out the shapes. If the dough gets warm, place it back in the refrigerator.  Space the cookies with room and put in the freezer for ten minutes.

 Bake for 13-15 minutes, checking often so they don't burn. You want them to be a golden brown. Then let them cool and enjoy!

Recipe + Vintage Apron: Soft Molasses Men

Right around this time of year before she passed away, my grandma and I had the holiday tradition of making tea rings, sugar, and molasses cookies. This is her gingerbread recipe, it turns out quite cakey and soft and very molassesey. It is perfect with a smudge of vanilla frosting on top. I made them myself this year for the first time and even though they didn't turn out quite as delicious as hers, I was happy to keep the tradition rolling. I am really starting to appreciate old recipes passed along to me, especially when they are written in the loved ones own handwriting. What are your favorite holiday cooking traditions?

-Twill

Soft Molasses Rolled Cookies from the kitchen of Grandma Marlene

Makes 3 dozen cookies

You will need:

1 cup cooking oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup molasses
2 tsp vanilla
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 1/2 tsp ginger
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp soda dissolved in 3/4 cup hot water
6 cups flour

Directions:

Beat ingredients through salt in a large bowl until well blended
Stir water and soda  into molasses mixture
Stir 6 cups sifted flour into mixture in 2 cup portions, blending well
Cover dough with wax paper and chill in refrigerator overnight
Flour flat surface and put about a 2 cup portion in the middle--roll out to 1/4 inch thickness
Dip cookie cutters into flour and cut cookies, placing them on a greased cookie sheet with spatula
Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until cookie rises back when touched lightly.
Frost!

Vintage Holiday Apron from Etsy