Quite the Pfeffer-nüsse!
from brown to white- much like London streets last night!
I’ve been having a bloody battle with British Cinnamon. To me, it doesn’t taste like cinnamon… it merely taste of a weak “essence of spice.” This has been hugely saddening, as SO MANY of my favorite Christmas cookies (aka ALL OF THEM) have heaps of cinnamon within, and without my favorite spice, the cookies seem flat, and like shadows of their former selves. In this way, please only attempt these spice cookies with the corrects nationality of spices (or don’t blame me for tasteless cookies!). With American Cinnamon, these are glorious spiced treats, just as the Germans makes, with a gentle bite within the soft sugary blanket. They are truly Christmas in your mouth. With British Cinnamon, they are basically molasses/treacle cookies, which are still good (!) but no Pfeffernüsse! Proceed with caution, and an “open-minded” mouth…!
little round balls patiently waiting for their snow...
Pfeffernüsse
(inspired by last weekend in Berlin!)
1 cup +2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground all spice
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp light brown sugar
2 tbsp black treacle/molasses
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup powdered sugar (for topping!)
- Pre-heat oven to 350F
- In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and all the spices, and set it aside.
- In another larger bowl, beat the sugar, butter and treacle together with an electric whisk until smooth.
- Add the eggs, lemon zest and vanilla extract and beat again.
- Fold the flour/spice mixture into the wet mix until completely combined.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment. Form the cookie dough about 2 inches apart in little balls. Bake for about 15-20 minutes.
- Allow cookies to cool, then shake each cookie in a bag of powdered sugar until completely coated. Enjoy these snow-capped treasures!
the xmas cookie spread in all stages of production.. so many more to come!
Tom’s Magical Ginger Cookies
hello there old friends
These cookies are legendary. They have caused riots. They have caused lunacy. But most of all, they have caused extreme delicious satisfaction; so this week (the ultimate week of the year for baking spiced Christmassy creations!) I looked to this much-favored cookie for those sought-after tender mouthfuls of spiced joy everyone craves in the festive season. They really are the epitome of moreishness, and I cannot wait for you to get on this ginger bandwagon.
the sugar makes them sparkle, making them even more magical!
Tom’s Great-Grandmother’s Ginger Cookies
(to Tom!)
- Preheat oven to 375
- In a large bowl (not the one you’ll end up mixing in), add flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger and ground cloves. Set these aside for later.
- In your mixing bowl, mix sugar, canola oil and molasses.
-
Add one egg.
- Fold in the dry ingredients in 3 parts to the wet ingredients and keep mixing.
- Pull off small dough balls and roll in sugar before putting on cookie sheet. Leave a couple inches of room between cookies as they’ll expand a bit
- Bake at 375F for ~7 minutes, or until cracks have formed across the top of the cookies. Be careful with HOT ovens!! These are sensitive cookies!! Let them cool on the cookie sheet, but move them with a spatula a bit so they don’t stick.
- Share! Enjoy! Rejoice!
trays and trays of joy!
Sweet Little things for Sweet Little People
Tasty little treats made by tasty little people?
I was requested to amuse two wonderfully creative ten-year-olds this weekend, and what better way to spend that time than teaching them to bake! Even though they both claimed to have spectacular kitchen skills, but I picked easy sugar cookies, just to be safe… The afternoon was absolutely great- we made literally hundreds of beautiful meticulously decorated marine creatures, with crunchy layers of easy icing and vibrant sprinkles. Such fun!!
Repeat as often as amusement is required, until fingers are sugar coated and sleepy.
Easy-peasy Sugar Cookies for Sweet Children
(Inspired by my Domestic Goddess, Nigella)
175g softened unsalted butter
200g caster sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
400g plain flour, and more for rolling
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
300g icing sugar
a few drops of your favorite food colouring
- Preheat oven to 180C.
- Cream butter and sugar together until pale and almost moussy.
- Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
- In another bowl, ix the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the moist and mix until well blended.
- If the dough is too sticky and warm, place in the fridge for half an hour. In that time, you can prepare your rolling space with flour, and plan all the colourful creations you will soon create…
- On the flat, floured surface, place the ball of dough. Roll out and cut with cookie cutters of any shape!
- Bake for 8-12 mins, until lightly golden.
- Allow to cool, then glaze with a mixture of icing sugar, a few drops of water, and a few drops of food coloring. Sprinkle heavily with sprinkles for a good old crunch. 🙂
The dominant flavor was definitely....sugar...!
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