So we got some hit and some misses. Let’s start with the misses:

1. MISS: Alton Brown’s Chocolate Truffles

People swear by this recipe, and I do have to say, they turn out really yummy truffles. And who doesn’t love Alton Brown and his recipes - practical and precise (unlike Martha Stewart, whose instructions can be frustratingly vague). The only downside of this recipe is that it is so freaking labor intensive. Rolling them up was so tiring (it was messy, gooey, and melted like crazy), and by the time I got to the chocolate coating, I gave up. I think if you’re up for a very labor-intensive recipe, this one’s for you. Me, I’ll just purchase my truffles and leave it to the professionals.

2. HIT: Russian Tea Cakes (from Allrecipes.com)

Whether you call them Mexican wedding cakes or Russian tea cakes, regardless, they are a sweet and and yummy. I don’t crave them like some of my friends do, but I can appreciate them. Especially when they have an extra dousing of powdered sugar (oh yea). This recipe is a keeper. A tad messy with all the sugar, but buttery and nutty. Speaking of which, I know the picture shows that they are a sugary mess, but trust me, they were quite good.

3. HIT: Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies (Martha Stewart)

I’m not a huge fan of ginger, but I can appreciate gingerbread. I love the richness of the molasses and the snap of the spices. And I love my cookies chewy and with a sprinkling of melted chocolate here and there. This cookie recipe absolutely delivers. I do have to say though, I omitted the freshly grated ginger (I added 1/4 tsp. more of ground ginger as a substitute) because I didn’t want a very strong ginger taste. Another change I would make would be to use 1/4 cup of molasses rather than 1/2 cup as indicated in the recipe. LOVE the chewy-ness of it. Can you see the sprinkling of sugar throughout the cookie? Gives it a shimmery affect that my camera can’t exactly pick up, but it’s very pretty.

*I packed a couple of these into little baggies and they were shipped off to various friends in these pretty boxes.

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Have a Merry Christmas, and best wishes for 2008! =)