Today's Date --  August 30, 2006

The Archives held its first Heritage Tea on August 26 at Shadow Lawn, the home of Sara Long in Liberty.  All agreed that the event was a rousing success. 

Following is the recipe for one of the desserts we served.

RUSSIAN TEA CAKES
Cookies:
1 cup salted butter
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tsps. pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. salt
Topping:
½ cup fruit preserves or
½ cup (2 oz.) chopped walnuts
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 325o F.

In a large bowl cream butter and sugar using an electric mixer. Add vanilla, scraping down bowl as needed. Blend in flour and salt, mixing until thoroughly combined.  Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into small balls about 1 inch in diameter. Place dough balls on lightly greased cookie sheets about 1 inch apart. Press down the center of each ball with a spoon, forming a depression. Fill each with a teaspoonful of preserves or nuts.
Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer cookies immediately to a cool, flat surface. When cookies are completely cool, dust them lightly with confectioners’ sugar.  Yield: 2 dozen

From Mrs. Fields Cookie Book