Festive Holiday Balls You’ll Want to Bring to Every Party

I had a neighbor once who baked the most delicious confections

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She'd arrive at the cookout or neighborhood block party with something extravagantly handcrafted, like a Dobos torte.  Artisan lavender shortbread infused with a sprig of fresh mint for the annual cookie exchange.  Once, she even tackled an oversized creme brulee for a baby shower

We all crowded around her campfire of sugar, cheering as it went up in a single flame

Her collection of serving trays was as impressive as that of her cake stands. All of which she used to display her creations .. immaculately drizzled with hints of chocolate, a sprinkle of sugar, or even accents of flowers and twigs

“Pretty things taste better.” 

She was also known to show up at your messy house on a Monday afternoon carrying pretty colored macaroons stacked on a holiday tray. She'd declare “It's National Cookie Day .. let's eat!” 

( She was obviously a favorite of mine )

All of the neighbors had long adapted to her baking whims, but once, at a picnic, when everyone else brought chips and salsa or boxed wine, she presented over thirty miniature glazed chocolate tarts from a gingham-lined picnic basket. With tiny forks(!)

While the kids ran underfoot and kickballs flew into the air, another friend couldn't help but comment “Jan! You're making us all look bad. Shouldn't you take a nap or something?”

To which she looked puzzled and said, simply “But hun, you have to understand .. baking IS my nap.”

I thought surely; there is no one else like her, that is until ten years later when I met a woman with a heart for the homeless

She'd humble you with the hand-knitted scarves made for the teens at the recovery house, gingerbread houses as decorations for the homeless shelter.  Not to mention, the hundreds of cookies she baked, packaged and gave away at Christmas to anyone lucky enough to be on her list of friends (or organizations near and dear to her heart)

A tradition she started in the mid-1950s

I heard from the director that at seventy-two, she regularly stayed up until 2 am baking, knitting and puttering around.  Her cookie baking tradition included fourteen varieties that had evolved over the years.  All petite and beautifully decorated, they varied from chocolate shortbread, to spritz, to thumbprints with homemade jam, chocolate crinkles, and soft sugary cut-outs decorated with colorful icing

Her kitchen resembled a museum of appliances, beginning with a top of the line dishwasher, the Geroge Forman Grill she used all the time, an original Cuisinart, and a Smeg fridge in pastel blue.  A butcher-block counter where she rolled out the shortbread dough.

(Tip:  She used a Cook's Illustrated two quarter-inch-diameter dowel rods to guide the dough and make sure she rolled it to the perfect thickness)

She never used a timer.  For her, baking was like breathing

The day I finally had the opportunity to meet her, she couldn't understand why I was so curious

Telling me that year she was ahead of schedule. Her husband's department at the university was closing early for the holiday ,and she wanted to make sure all of his colleagues would receive their gifts.  The sugar cut-outs were one of the last things left to make

It all began the year they got married, right after graduating from Berkley

“It was a way to give gifts without spending very much money”

She started with her grandmother's oatmeal raisin, added her mother's chocolate chip, and production quickly ballooned from there

“One year it was a little out of control, and we were still eating them in June” 

Her repertoire of recipes, like most great cooks I know, came from friends, cookbooks, and magazines.  Although she'd changed each one and perfected shapes that would better fit into her boxes

Each recipe was represented on the spreadsheet she'd created, and this made for easy tripling and quadrupling. A separate tab for her shopping list, with crazy amounts of every ingredient needed to pull it all off.  And yes (of course) she was a recipe sharer

Her friends offered to help, but she'd have none of it. Instead, tasking them with collecting empty chocolate boxes throughout the year.  She used them for packing the cookies before wrapping it in Christmas paper

“This is my own madness; I'd hate to drag anyone else into it”

Occasionally her husband would offer to help with the decorating.  That is until she noticed that the sprinkles weren't done just so, and he found himself back in the living room in front of the t.v.

The people lucky enough to be on the receiving end had it good.  Their only mandate?  To eat the cookies right away; letting them sit around would surely make her frown.  As for getting your name off of her holiday cookie list?  Nothing doing, once a friend, you're a friend for life

“You'd pretty much have to die”

While our family doesn't exchange gifts at Christmas time, this week I did follow in the footsteps of these two baking legends and made holiday care packages to give to our neighbors

A reminder that it's not really the gift itself, but rather the act of giving that makes the world a little brighter place

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Balls like this aren't a new thing, but if you're someone that regularly reaches for a snack, and you're not already on board, give these a try as a DIY alternative.  They're a great travel option, and festive enough to bring to your holiday parties

Kids love them.  Adults love them.  The balls are a breeze to make, and the best part is you're in control of the ingredients

They're naturally sweetened and crammed with as much good stuff as they can hold.  Crunchy nuts, luscious fruit, and vibrant flavors, these protein-rich treats have become a favorite energy booster.  In short, all-natural, unprocessed balls of goodness, you can feel great about enjoying every day

A note about the recipes:  Because dates can vary in size, I've found it's best to go by weight when using them in a recipe

Enjoy!

xoxo

~ Adapted from Donna Hay | Fresh and Light, Aug – Oct 2017

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