Powdered perfection

Rebecca Lind’s memories of Christmas past are filled with the generous dusting of confectioners’ sugar. As the youngest of five it was Lind’s job to put the powdered sugar on the Russian Tea Cakes and Chocolate Crinkles. These recipes come from the 1961 edition of the Betty Crocker Cooky Book which she inherited from her mother. “I remember sneaking these before breakfast on Christmas,” the North Idaho woman wrote in her letter. “It took awhile for the poached eggs and Finnan Haddie (smoked fish) to be done.”

Russian Teacakes

These familiar cookies are sometimes called Mexican Wedding Cakes. This recipe is from the 1961 Betty Crocker Cooky Book.

1 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4 cups Gold Medal Flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup finely chopped nuts

Mix butter, sugar and vanilla thoroughly. Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting. Stir flour and salt together; blend in. Mix in nuts. Chill dough.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Roll dough in 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet. (Cookies do not spread.) Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until set but not brown. While still warm, roll in confectioners’ sugar. Cool. Roll in sugar again.

Yield: 4 dozen 1-inch cookies

Approximate nutrition per cookie: 72 calories, 5 grams fat (2.5 grams saturated, 61 percent fat calories), 1 gram protein, 6 grams carbohydrate, 10 milligrams cholesterol, less than 1 gram dietary fiber, 12 milligrams sodium.

Chocolate Crinkles

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 squares unsweetened chocolate (4 ounces), melted

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups Gold Medal Flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Mix oil, chocolate and granulated sugar. Blend in one egg at a time until well mixed. Add vanilla. Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting. Stir flour, baking powder and salt into oil mixture. Chill several hours or overnight.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Drop teaspoonfuls of dough into confectioners’ sugar. Roll in sugar; shape into balls. Place about 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake.

Yield: About 6 dozen cookies

Approximate nutrition per cookie: 66 calories, 2.7 grams fat (.7 grams saturated, 35 percent fat calories), less than 1 gram protein, 10 grams carbohydrate, 11.8 milligrams cholesterol, less than 1 gram dietary fiber, 26 milligrams sodium.