---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
 
      Title: Surprise Packages (1994 2nd Place)
 Categories: Cookies, Holiday
      Yield: 36 Cookies
 
      1 c  Unsalted butter; softened
  2 1/4 c  All-purpose flour
    1/3 c  Confectioners'sugar; sifted
      1 ts Pure vanilla extract
      1 ts Water
     36    Thin layered chocolate
           - mint wafers or other
           - flavor miniature
           - chocolates;
           - unwrapped
           Icing:
           Confectioners' sugar
           Milk
           Food color; as desired
           Colored sprinkles;
           - as desired
 
  Preparation time: 2 hours
  Cooking time: 15 to 20 minutes

  For variety, the recipe author uses several kinds of miniature
  candies in her pretty cookies. She suggests filling the cookies
  with chocolate mint wafers, such as Andes, or Hershey's Miniatures.
  We also enjoyed Lindt's orange chocolate thins when we made the
  cookies in the Tribune test kitchen.
  
  Heat oven to 325 F. Have ready ungreased baking sheets.

  Beat butter in large bowl of electric mixer until light and fluffy.
  Beat in half of the flour, the sugar, vanilla, and water until
  thoroughly combined. Beat in the remaining flour.

  Use a scant 1 tb dough and press it flat and thin with your hands.
  Put a chocolate mint wafer in the center and fold the dough over to
  completely cover each chocolate and to form a neat, rectangular
  package. Pinch the edges to seal. Place 1" apart on ungreased
  baking sheets.

  Bake until bottoms are lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool a
  few minutes on the baking sheets and then cool completely on wire
  racks.

  For icing, mix confectioners' sugar and milk to make a thin icing;
  color icing as desired. Use a small spatula to ice cookies.
  Decorate as desired so cookies resemble Christmas packages.
  
  Recipe by Carol Feezell of Skokie, Illinois

  Recipe FROM: Chicago Tribune 7th annual Food Guide Holiday Cookie
  Contest Dec 8, 1994
 
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