German Christmas Baking
PFEFFERNUESSE
("PEPPER NUTS")
4 c Flour; Unbleached, Unsifted
1 ts Baking Powder
1 ts Cinnamon
1 ts Cloves; Ground
1/2 ts Mace
1 ts Allspice;
Ground
Black Pepper; As Desired
1 1/4 c Honey
2 T Butter; (No Margarine)
2 Eggs; Large
1 c Confectioners' Sugar
1 ts Vanilla
Water
Sift flour, baking powder and spices together. Heat honey and butter until butter
melts. Cool to lukewarm and beat in eggs. Add flour mixture. Chill dough 1/2 hour.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350
degrees F. for 15 minutes. Cool Cookies on wire racks.
Mix confectioners sugar, vanilla, and water to form a thin glaze. Dip cookies in
glaze and place on wire rack to dry. Store cookies in airtight tins.
Makes 4
dozen cookies.
LEBKUCHEN
(German Gingerbread Cookies)
1 ts Cinnamon
1 ts Allspice; ground
1 ts Nutmeg, ground
1 ts Cloves; ground
2 3/4 c Flour
1/2 ts Baking Soda
1 ts Lemon peel, grated
1 T Lemon juice
1 Egg; large
3/4 c Sugar, brown, packed
1/2 c Molasses
1/2 c Honey
1/3 c Nuts, chopped
1/3 c Citron, chopped
GLAZE
1 c Sugar, granulated
1/2 c Water
1/4 c Sugar, powdered
Mix honey and molasses in 3 quart saucepan. Heat to boiling, stirring
occasionally; remove from heat. Cool completely.
Stir in brown sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice and egg. Stir in flour,
allspice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and baking soda. Stir in citron and
nuts. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease cookie sheet. Roll about one-fourth
of the dough at a time 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface.
(Keep remaining dough refrigerated).
Cut dough into retangles, 2 1/2
X 1 1/2 inches. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12
minutes or until no indentation remains when touched lightly.
Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.
Brush cookie
glaze over cookies. Makes about 5 dozen.
COOKIE GLAZE
Mix granulated sugar and water in one quart saucepan.
Cook over medium
heat to 230 degrees on candy thermometer, or just until small amount
of mixture spins a 2 inch thread when dropped from a spoon.
Remove
from heat. Stir in powdered sugar.(If glaze becomes sugary while
brushing cookies, heat slightly, adding a little water, until clear
again.
Note: Store cookies in airtight container.
For softer cookies, store
with an apple or orange slice in airtight container, replacing slice
frequently.
STOLLEN
(German Christmas Bread)
3/4 c raisins
1/3 c chopped citron
1/3 c candied orange peel or
1 cherries
1/4 c rum
1 pk active dry yeast
1/4 c warm water
1 c milk
2/3 c butter
1/2 c sugar
1 ts salt
1 ts grated lemon peel
1/2 ts almond extract
2 eggs
4 c flour (may need 4 1/2)
1/2 c chopped blanched almonds (almond slivers)
1 melted butter
1 granulated and powdered sugar
Place raisins, citron and orange peel in bowl. Add rum and let soak 1 hour. Drain and reserve rum.
Sprinkle yeast into warm water and let stand until dissolved.
Heat milk and butter until butter melts. Pourinto a mixing bowl.
Add sugar, salt, lemon peel, drained rum andalmond extract.
Cool to lukewarm.
Beat in eggs and dissolved yeast.
Gradually add enough flour to make a soft dough.
Dredge fruits in flour. Add with almonds to dough and mix well.
Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and satiny.
Place in a greased bowl and butter top of dough lightly.
Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size,
about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Turn out onto floured board and knead lightly. Divide in half.
Roll each piece into an oval about 3/4 inch thick.
Brush withmelted butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
Fold over lengthwise, not quite in half, so edges are within 1/2 inch of meeting.
Place on greased baking sheets. Brush with melted butter.
Cover with towel and let rise until doubled.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when thumped.
Brush with butter and sprinkle generously with powdered sugar while warm.
Cool completely on rack and wrap well. Stollen will keep for several weeks if stored in a cool place.
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