German Christmas Cookies

Pfeffernüsse
(Spicy Nuts)



2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon hot water
1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds)
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour.
1 cup powdered sugar (for rolling cookies in)
Mix the sugar with the well-beaten eggs. Add the soda dissolved in hot water, the nuts and sift in the spices with the flour. Add more flour if needed to make a dough stiff enough to roll. Roll out until the dough is about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into tiny rounds about as large as a quarter of a dollar and bake in oven at 400° F until golden brown. Take out and roll at once in powdered sugar.
 

Vanillekipferl
(Vanilla Crescents)



3-1/2 tablespoons unpeeled almonds
3-1/2 tablespoons hazelnuts
1-1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon sugar
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup, plus 6 tablespoons butter, cold and cut into small pieces
2 egg yolks
5 packets vanilla sugar (available at specialty food stores)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Pour boiling water over the almonds, remove the skins and finely chop. Finely chop the hazelnuts. Sift the flour onto a large wooden board. Make a well in the flour and add the almonds, hazelnuts, sugar, salt, butter and egg yolks. Knead dough until it is smooth and pliable, but do not over knead. Wrap the dough in aluminum foil and let rest for 2 hours in the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Divide the dough and form into several pencil-thick rolls. Cut the rolls into 2 inch lengths and bend into crescent shapes. Place on cookie sheets and bake on middle rack until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Stir the vanilla sugar and powdered sugar together in a shallow bowl. Carefully dip the still warm crescent cookies in the sugar.





Zimtsterne
(Cinnamon Stars)



2-1/4 cups whole almonds (a little over 1 lb.)
5 egg whites
2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon Kirschwasser
star pattern cookie cutter
Scald almonds with boiling water, remove their skins and let cool. Grind finely. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in Confectioner's sugar and set aside 1 cup of the egg and sugar mixture. Fold in ground almonds, cinnamon and the Kirschwasser, then quickly form a dough. Let the dough rest covered for one hour in the refrigerator. Cover a work surface with sugar and roll out the chilled dough to 1 cm thick. Cut out stars. Cover each star evenly with the reserved egg and sugar mixture, place on an ungreased cookie sheet and let the uncooked cookies dry overnight at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 425°F and bake for 5 minutes. Check the cookies often while baking so the top stays white and the insides remain soft.





Nürnberger Lebkuchen
(Nuremberg Ginger Bread)



4 eggs
1-3/4 cups sugar
2 cups unpeeled almonds, coarsely grated
1/3 cup candied orange peel, finely chopped
1 lemon, grated for peel, juice reserved
1/4 whole nutmeg, grated
confectioner's sugar
rose water
baking wafers - 2" in diameter (please see Note)
Beat eggs and sugar until they have the consistency of thick cream. To this gradually add almonds, candied orange peel, lemon peel and nutmeg. Place wafers on baking sheet and spoon dough onto wafers. Dough should be about 1/2" high. Smooth dough with a knife dipped into rose water. Bake in a pre-heated 325-350°F oven for 10-15 minutes or until breadlike. Remove cookies and let cool. Meanwhile, mix confectioner's sugar with lemon juice to form a paste. Frost cookies.
Note: Baking wafers are edible pan liners that prevent cookies from sticking, look somewhat like communion wafers and are available in good German delicatessens.


 

Florentiner



120 ml whipping cream
50 gr butter
125 gr sugar
40 gr candied cherries
100 gr candied orange, finely chopped
100 gr almonds, slivers
100 gr almonds, ground
60 gr flour
Glaze 200 gr semi-sweet chocolate 3 tbs water Preheat oven to 350°F. In saucepan, combine whipping cream, butter and sugar; while constantly stirring, bring to boil. Remove from heat. Add remaining ingredients up to and including flour, one after another to cream, mixing well. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet, leaving several inches space in between. With fork, dipped in water, press dough to approx 5 cm (2 inches diameter) rounds. Bake 5 to 6 minutes. Carefully remove and cool on rack. In the meantime, melt the grated chocolate with water in double boiler or in microwave. After cookies have cooled, brush glaze onto smooth bottom side of cookies. Before glaze hardens, make a pattern by moving a fork across glaze.