Please could you let me know if you ship to the UK at all, or have anyone in the UK selling your fantastic cutters. Thanks.
Lucy

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Icebox Cookies

Icebox Cookies: In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated. In a separate bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and then add to the butter and egg mixture. Mix just until a dough forms. Stir in the cherries until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Divide the dough into thirds. Place each third of dough on a large piece of parchment or wax paper. Smooth and shape the dough into an evenly shaped rectangle that is about 7 inches (18 cm) long. Then thoroughly wrap the shaped logs in the parchment or wax paper, twists the ends of the paper to seal the logs, and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least three hours, or up to three days. (The logs can also be frozen for about one month. If freezing, it is best to let the logs stand at room temperature about 15-20 minutes before slicing.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) with the rack in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Using a thin bladed knife, slice the logs into 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick slices. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

Store at room temperature for about five days or baked cookies can be frozen for a couple of weeks.

Makes about six dozen cookies.

Icebox Cookies:
1 cup (2 sticks) (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) white granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 2/3 cups (345 grams) all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (175 ml) candied red cherries, chopped

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hi

Bill and Betsy Cukla of Hammer Song now reside in the Northwoods of Wisconsin after 30 years on the East Coast. We are still the same great company. We do have a catalog which showcases our most popular cookie cutters.

Happy Baking

Our address is:
Bill and Betsy Cukla
7952N Barker Lake Road
Winter, WI 54896

email address: hammersongtin@centurytel.net

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I'm trying to locate and buy the Hammer Song candy cane cookie cutter with bow that was featured in Rose's Christmas cookies. How can I get this beautiful cutter?
Thanks, Ruff

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I am searching desperately for an old recipe printed in Woman's Day magazine in the early 1970s: CATHEDRAL WINDOWS COOKIES. These contained dried candied fruit, used confectionary sugar and egg yolks; dough was placed in juice cans, chilled thoroughly and cut into 1/4 thick slices. When baked, the looked exactly like pieces of stained glass. They were a tradition in my family and the recipe disappeared in a move. HELP, please.
Thank you so much!
Judy Armento

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have lost my copy of your shortbread in the Christmas cookie book-time to make them and I am at a loss- please help! m

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Hi

Hammer Song does do mail order and can be reached by calling 715 266 2193 or through email at hammersongtin@aol.com
Many new cutters have recently been added to their inventory including the popular "Pie Baker" and "Racing to the White House Elephant" and "Good Luck Democrats Donkey". These cutters can be viewed at www.cookiecuttersearch.com

Bill and Betsy Cukla will be at the Waterford Craft Fair in Waterford, VA on October 3,4,5 2008.

Cookie Decorating Classes and Pie Workshops will be offered by Betsy Cukla at La Cuisine in Alexandria, VA this fall.

Thank you for all your support and interest.

Betsy

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Hi

Hammer Song is alive and well! Betsy and Bill Cukla of Hammer Song are now living and working on cookie cutters in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. We are still the same great tinware company specializing in original handcrafted tin backed cookie cutters. They may be reached at hammersongtin@aol.com

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Hi,

Thank you for all your responses. I realize now that the fact that the flour I used was unbleached must have been the problem. I have actually never used it before for baking cookies.
I usually use Red Rose all purpose flour for cookies and their cake flour for some cakes. I have never had a failure using Rose's recipes before. In fact once I adjusted the butter the gingerbread house turned out fine. I made cookies with the rest of the dough and my kids just loved them. I will try the recipe again this weekend using bleached all purpose flour and see how it goes. I still have a few more gingerbread houses to make.
The link to Kate flour was very interesting. It just goes to show you what a difference flour chemistry makes.

Thanks again,
Janina

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Continuing the story of kate flour, you may like to try this for your cookies ...
http://amerrierworld.wordpress.com/2007/11/22/cookies-galore/

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Janina, the PC organic all purpose flour has 3g of protein per 30g of flour (I think), which is the same as the Monarch Cake and Pastry flour. However the PC organic flour is unbleached. Which part of Canada do you live in? If you live in TO the Real Canadian Superstore carries Monarch cake and pastry flour and Bruno's carries Swans Down cake flour. Maybe you can give it a try. Hope this helps.

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Hi,
Re: gingerbread recipe
I live in Canada and use a brand of flour called President's Choice Organic all purpose flour. Is this higher in protein that American flours? Do you suggest I decrease the amount of flour or use cake and pastry flour or a blend? I have also seen flours here labeled by strength for example, 400 or 500 would these be of any use?

Thanks,
Janina

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Hi,

I have enjoyed using your cookie book for many years and in fact have two copies. I make gingerbread houses every year for my nieces and nephew( nine in all )and we have a big party and decorate them. I recently tried your gingerbread recipe in the back of the cookie book and found that it is very dry. I had to up the butter to make it malleable enough to roll. I weigh my ingredients so I wonder if some amendment to the recipe has been made that I am unaware of. The recipe is almost the same as the one for the gingerbread boys except the butter is reduced and it has no egg.

Thanks,
Janina

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Sandra, If you look at the rest of this post(up further) you will see that I have ordered from Hammersong from La Cuisine.
They have a web site and there are lots of different cutters offered. They were wonderful and everything came beautifully packed and on time. Hope you find what you what. I love mine, and have given some away as present...reluctantly.
Address is http://www.lacuisineus.com

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Several years ago, I ordered tin cookie cutters from Hammer Song in Maryland; I would love to order more but can not find them listed in the internet. I suspect that maybe they have retired and do not have the business any longer,does anybody know?

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I tried looking the no knead bread recipe on the web site you had listed in your June magazine. There is no such posting. How do I get it?

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Oh, and I forgot to tell you my favorites from Rose's Christmas Cookies: the peanut butter dough for Peanut Butter and Jelly Jewels, although I sometimes bake it off as plain peanut butter cookies or use other fillings. Another favorite is Melting Moments, although I'm not so great at tempering the chocolate (wish I could do that better)...and I absolutely adore the Swiss Hazelnut Lebkuchen, which is so much like the Elisen Lebkuchen my mother's friend used to make when I was a child. I'm afraid I've missed the window of opportunity on those this year, since they should have at least 2 weeks to ripen, correct?

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Hi Rose -- I've been enjoying your blog for a while without commenting -- and I've long used your wonderful cookbooks, baking tips, and given them to others as well.

I just gave you and your amazing cookie book a "shout-out" on my own blog, which I've been keeping for a couple of years now. I thought you might like to know how much great knowledge you've shared with me and so many others, and which we're joyful to pass along.

May you and yours have wonderfully sweet, crunchy, creamy, crisp, meltingly delicious holidays --

Julie http://fingerineverypie.typepad.com

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Anon, Rose had an entry about this same tart knife under 'Welcome to my Scratch Baking Blog' dated March 11, 2006 and another follow up dated March 18. She lists your product code number, 4821, and also gives a phone number 800- 289 9898 to contact them. Have you tried already?
I just remember reading this a few months ago so thought I would say. Melinda

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Rose I made linzer tarts tonight and a peach tart....I was unable to FIND the tart pie knife anywhere here in Vegas...I called Dean and Deluca IN NEW YORK TO NO AVAIL (*)?(*)..no one has it this year..when we moved from Florida to vegas..boo hoo no more knife and I loved that wusthofs rec knife...do you have any ideas where I should look next....#4821...product code...
HAPPY CHANUKKA...
love ya,
Andi*

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Stephanie, LaCuisine sells the Hammersong cutters and there is a very good website. I just bought a few from them and the mailorder(even though I had to order over the phone,because I was ordering out of USA) service was excellent. The leaf shape cutters are under flora and fauna grouping.
I also have bought some beautiful copper cookie cutters from www.coppergifts.com and they have a huge selection of cutters. The mailorder service was excellent too. I am ordering from England so I didn't expect such fast and helpful service but both were superb. The only trouble is that the sites are loaded with so many nice things I ended up buying more than I originally intended! Sorry to butt in on your question to Rose, so I hope this is OK.
Melinda

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Rose,

I received your Christmas cookie book about 8 years ago and have made cookies out of it every year. I love it!! There are always such good recipes that are a little different from other's Christmas treats. Every year I try new recipes in there in addition to making the Mahogony Toffee which is so easy but yet a requested favorite. I am attemping the Maple Walnut Sable Sandwiches. My question is where can I find the maple leaf cookie cutters? I tried the phone number listed for Hammer Song in the back of the book but got another company. I could not seem to find a web site either. Is there some other place I can locate them or a different contact for Hammer Song? Any help would be greatly appreciated especially since I'm trying to do these for Christmas.

Thank you ever so much:)

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Rose,
Your Christmas cookie book remains one of my favorite gifts! With so much useful information, gorgeous photos, and delightful recipes - it is truly a book for all seasons.
I have a question I hope you can help with. I just made my first gluten-free gingerbread house and recycled some poured sugar to use for windows. I've used silica gel and calcium chloride in the past to keep sugar pieces from becoming sticky. I really like my little house, but my windows are sort of "melting" into the gingerbread and very sticky. Perhaps it was a bit too warm to start the house project. Do you have any advice?

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it is a bit painstaking, but there is a set of 1-inch cutters in the right shapes for the cathedral cutouts (hearts, the "sloping-sided diamond," four-leaf clover, teardrop); not arranged with spaces, but if you follow the photo you can cut large rounds and the spaces. I've done it this way and it works but the big rounds must be frozen a few minutes to cut cleanly.

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I have had the cookie book since it was published (two copies in fact!); the gingerbread cookie recipe is the best I've ever had, and I love to half-dip them in chocolate (talk about gilding the lily!!). I have often wanted to find the press/cutter to make the cathedral shortbread cookies - is there any chance there's a source out there?

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I bought your "Rose's Christmas Cookies" off amazon a couple of weeks ago, because the folks over on Fine Cooking Magazine's message board were raving about it!

http://forums.taunton.com/tp-cookstalk

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I recieved my November issue of Food and Wine and saw your Rose's Heavenly Cakes on page 35. They are perfect to complete a Christmas gift idea I have so I went to Coastal Goods to purchase them and the mixes are nowhere to be found. Please let me know how I can buy the mixes before Christmas arrives.

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My kindergartener came home this week with instructions to make a gingerbread house for a "school" project. I've made nearly every recipe in the cookie book, but that cathedral scares the daylights out of me! I looked there for help and advice, but ended up ordering a kit from King Arthur. It hasn't come yet, but I think I still have to assemble and decorate it, with my son, of course. I can't imagine a kindergarten teacher expected homemade gingerbread houses! She added a note at the bottom to please "not stress" about this assignment. Anna

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Rose,
I think that this cookie book is timeless. My favourite cookie is the Chocolate-dipped Melting Moments. I have made it several years for my friends. They think I am very clever, but I know it is because I have a good recipe. It bakes up well, even here in England.The cookie is as light as an angel kiss and the chocolate is the delightful devils tail!
I plan to do bespoke decorated sugar cookies this year. I found the Hammer Song Cookie cutters from the back of the book, and have ordered some from the delightful ladies at Le Cuisine. Thank you for this reference. The cutters are very special indeed. The decorated examples by Betsy Cukla are gorgeous. I don't think mine will be as artistic and charming as hers.
Has anyone written back to say they have made your Notre Dame Gingerbread Cathedral? That would be quite an adventurous project. Did you get the idea while you were studying at architecture night school? The stained glass windows are magic if not genius. Anyway...it is a classic, classy cookie book. Cheers for now. Melinda

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