Russian Teacakes Or Mexican Wedding Cakes Recipes

RUSSIAN TEA CAKES I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, cream butter and vanilla until smooth. Combine the 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and flour; stir into the butter mixture until just blended. Mix in the chopped walnuts. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When cool, roll in remaining confectioners' sugar. I also like to roll mine in the sugar a second time.

MEXICAN WEDDING CAKES AKA RUSSIAN TEA CAKES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, with a fork or pastry blender cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add flour and mix well. Stir in pecans. Shape tablespoonfuls into 2 inch balls (or slightly smaller). Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 325 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Roll warm cookies in confectioners' sugar. Cool on wire racks.
• 2. NOTE: If cookies tend to spread in the oven, instead of remaining in ball shape, chill dough thoroughly before baking and check oven temperature.

RUSSIAN TEA CAKES / MEXICAN WEDDING CAKES (COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Toast nuts. Place nuts on a separate baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes (or until lightly brown and fragrant) in a 350 degree F oven. Cool.
• Once the nuts have cooled completely place them, along with 2 tablespoons of the flour for the recipe, into your food processor, fitted with a metal blade, and process until they are finely ground (but not a paste). Or the nuts can be hand chopped until very fine. Set aside.
• In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
• Beat in the vanilla extract.
• Add the remaining flour and salt and beat until combined.
• Stir in the nuts.
• Cover and refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour or until firm.
• Once the dough is firm, form the dough into 1 inch (2.54 cm) balls and place 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake about 12-15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies start to brown.
• Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes.
• Roll the semi-cool cookies in the sifted powdered sugar and return to rack to cool completely.
• Store in airtight container for up to 10 days.

RUSSIAN TEA CAKES

Steps:

• Cream Sugar-Butter Mixture: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat set aside. In a stand mixer (or use a handheld electric mixer), cream the unsalted butter, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla together, until combined.
• Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, add the all-purpose flour and kosher salt, then combine with a whisk.
• Make the Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in the nuts. Form the dough into 1 1/2-inch-sized dough balls and space them evenly out on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies in a 400°F preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. The cookies should bake until set but not be browned. When they are still warm, roll them in the confectioner's sugar. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack and then roll them again. (see notes for storage guidelines).

MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Stir in vanilla and water. Add the flour and almonds, mix until blended. Cover and chill for 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Shape dough into balls or crescents. Place on an unprepared cookie sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from pan to cool on wire racks. When cookies are cool, roll in confectioners' sugar. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

RUSSIAN TEACAKES OR MEXICAN WEDDING CAKES

Steps:

• 1. Heat oven to 400 F In a large mixing bowl, combine softened butter (2 sticks= 1 cup) powdered sugar 1/2 cup vanilla and almond extract 1/2tsp each *I like to cut my butter up even if it is soft, just makes the process easier. Beat with mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy.
• 2. In a bowl to the side ready to go... flour and salt, mix this up a bit with a fork or wisk.
• 3. Combine flour and butter mixture still using the mixer, and add pecans until blended. I have stopped short a few times and I liked it equally as well.
• 4. *Once combined, the mixture should be able to be made into walnut sized balls, any bigger or smaller you should adjust baking time. This is not a perfect science so don't worry over it.
• 5. Place the balls on a ungreased cookie sheet two inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes *Immediately roll cookies in powdered sugar. *Cool completely and REROLL cookies again in powdered sugar before storing.

PECAN PUFFS (AKA MEXICAN WEDDING CAKES OR RUSSIAN TEA CAKES)

Steps:

• Cream butter, add sugar and remaining ingredients.
• Roll into small balls, and place on cookie sheet.
• Bake in 325 F oven for 30 minutes.
• Roll balls into powdered sugar when hot, and again when cool.
• Note: These cookies taste best when thoroughly cooled (ie best served the next day--if you can wait!).