Cathedral Window Cookies

December 29th is the memorial of St. Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury.  He was martyred for the Catholic Faith in his cathedral on December 29, 1170.  You can read more about this holy saint here.

Our family celebrates a name-day in our home on this day, so I usually try and serve a little treat in his honor.  One year we made Sword and Miter Cookies, last year we made a Martyr's Crown Cake, and this year I had planned to make another Cathedral Cake using this pan, until I ran across the following recipe for Cathedral Cookies!

Cathedral Window Cookies

adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3 cups pastel miniature marshmallows 
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional) 
• 1 cup flaked coconut

Directions

In a heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chips and butter over low heat, stirring occasionally. Stir a small amount into the egg, then return all to pan. Cook and stir over low heat for 2 minutes. Pour into a bowl; let cool for 15 minutes. Gently stir in marshmallows and nuts.

Chill for 30 minutes.

On a sheet of waxed paper, shape dough into a 1-1/2" diameter log.
Place coconut on another sheet of waxed paper. Gently roll log over
coconut to coat sides. Wrap up tightly, twisting ends to seal.Freeze for 4 hours or overnight.

Remove waxed paper. Cut into 1/4" slices. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Yield: about 5 dozen. (I cut mine a bit thicker and made about 3 dozen.) 

Note:  I just used what I had on hand and substituted 1 cup of white marshmallows, along with the 2 cups of pastel marshmallows that were in the cupboard.  For those that don't like coconut, you could also roll the log in chopped nuts to coat the sides as well!

Let us all rejoice in the Lord, celebrating a festival-day in honor of the blessed martyr Thomas: at whose martyrdom the angels rejoice, and give praise to the Son of God. 

St. Thomas Becket, Pray for us! 

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The Martyr's Crown :: A Cake for the Feast of St. Thomas Becket

"Remember the sufferings of Christ, the storms that were weathered...the crown that came from those sufferings which gave new radiance to the faith...All saints give testimony to the truth that without real effort, no one ever wins the crown." 

~ St. Thomas Becket

In addition to being an excellent choice for the various feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and many other saints who were kings or queens here on Earth, the crown also symbolizes the martyrs, who have been victorious over sin and death and have been crowned saints in heaven.   

For today's feast of St. Thomas Becket, a (middle) name-day for two of our sons, I decided to bake a cake in a "crown" shape pan to celebrate.  The following recipe for Easy Persimmon Cake is my mom's recipe and has been a favorite of mine since childhood.   Persimmons are rare in our area, and my grandparents, who would always send a big box of persimmons to my mom each year, have both passed away, but I was so excited to find some persimmons at Costco this past week!  I'll be making some persimmon cookies soon...  

A Martyr's Crown Cake for St. Thomas Becket

Easy Persimmon Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg Yellow Cake Mix
• 2 Eggs
• Water
• 3/4 cup Persimmon Pulp
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp Cloves
• 3/4 cup Walnuts, chopped

Directions:

Place cake mix in a large mixing bowl;  add eggs and 1/3 cup LESS water than called for on package of cake mix.   Add spices and persimmon and mix as directed on package.  Stir in nuts.  

Pour into a greased 2 qt ring mold or tube pan. (I used my Fleur de lis Bundt Pan, though I would love to buy this Cathedral Pan for next year... It would be perfect for St. Thomas Becket!) Bake at 350˚F for 45-55 minutes.  Cool.  Dust with powdered sugar.

Note:  You may also use a 9"x13" pan; bake at 350˚F for 35 to 40 min; or two 9" round pans for 25-30 min. 

"Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life."

~  Revelation 2:10

St. Thomas Becket, Pray for us! 

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Sword and Miter Cookies for the Feast of St. Thomas Becket

Today is the feast of St. Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Cantebury, who was martyred for the Catholic Faith in his cathedral on December 29, 1170.   You can read more about this amazing saint here.

According to My Nameday-Come for Dessert, St. Thomas a Becket is symbolized by "a sword through a mitre."  Since I was already baking sugar cookies for my children to decorate this week, I decided to try and make them each a "Sword and Miter Cookie" in honor of today's feast day using the Miter & Cross Cookie Cutter from the St. Nicholas Center.

(If you don't happen to have this wonderful little cookie cutter, they wouldn't be too hard to cut out by hand.)  

St. Thomas Becket

Sword and Miter Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

* I used the cut-out cross from the miter and then added a strip of dough to form a sword, which was then placed underneath the miter. 

Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely and decorate.   (I used Wilton's White Cookie Icing to outline the Miter.)

O God, for the sake of whose Church the glorious Bishop Thomas fell by the sword of ungodly men: grant, we beseech Thee, that all who implore his aid, may obtain the good fruit of his petition. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

St. Thomas Becket, Pray for us! 

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