Pfeffernusse

I'm kind of out of order in my posting now, and have been trying NOT to post things that will be gifts for Christmas....but....I do have to post something, so, here's a recipe I'm trying out this Christmas.

So I love LOVE Pfeffernusse. I don't know why, it was never something we had when I was a child so there's no "sentimental" attachment to it. I just love it. Deliciously spicy and wrapped in sugar. If you've never had a Pfeffernusse I highly recommend you go try it. It tastes like Christmas....goes well with Hot Toddies. Mmmmmm Christmas in my mouth.... drool.

Ok, so, all the Pfeffernusse love aside, I've never made these before. I dug up a recipe from allrecipes.com and modified it to my liking. I recommend you do that, adjusting the spices up or down depending on your preferences, just don't leave the pepper out! The spiciness and the soft texture is what really distinguishes a Pfeffernusse from a Gingerbread. **See Note At Bottom**

Ingredients

1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
4 cups flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp each of nutmeg, cloves, and ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp allspice
1 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups icing sugar


Despite all my anti-eggness, I DID use real eggs in this recipe so I'm not sure how it would respond to fake eggs, but my research tells me it would be fine.


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325. In a small pan, heat molasses, butter, and honey until smooth. Cool to room temp. Add both eggs.

2. In a large bowl, mix all remaining ingredients.

3. Mix molasses mixture with dry ingredients until combined (will form a crumbly mixture, see pictures)

4. Chill for 1 hour.

5. Press and roll into 1" balls (this is tricky because the dough feels dry, just keep working it with your hands and it will soften into a ball). Space 1" apart on a dry nonstick cookie sheet.

6. Bake 10-15 mins until balls flatten slightly and some crack a little at edges.



7. Remove from pan to dish and dust with icing sugar while still warm! Once cool, place in ziplock bag with remaining icing sugar and re-dust. This should form a good thick coating of sugar.

First Coating:

Second Coating:

8. Make yourself a batch of Hot Toddies to go with them, and go relax by the fire. Merry Christmas.




**DISCLAIMER: As I said, I never had Pfeffernusse as a child, I'm only baking Pfeffernusse according to my own tastes. This is not, BY FAR, a traditional Pfeffernusse recipe as they don't often call for black pepper and instead of starting out hard as rocks and softening with age, my recipe is for a soft cookie.

I'm Somewhere Where I Don't Know Where I Am

Blogging is HARD! I never had any idea! I just thought, ok, I like to write, I'll start a blog and write about the things I like.

It's an incredibly frustrating process. Not for most people I'm sure. I rarely get time to sit down and do something like this. Most of my posts have been done at work during lunch. There are a couple of reasons behind this. One, I have time to do it there at lunch, and Two my work computer uploads pictures faster than the netbook I have at home.

Now today, I'm posting from home. I have a couple of hours of time this morning, and thought I'd post that recipe for Corn Chowder, and was unpleasantly surprised to discover that I'd left my camera memory card at work.

So, that means I don't have any pictures for you today :( It's sad, I know.

This past couple of weeks has been a complete blur. I've been up late, and early getting items ready for my etsy shop. Taking pictures and editing them. Buying Christmas gifts and supplies. My one day off this week will be used to drive out to visit some family.

I really have high hopes for the Etsy shop (www.penguincraft.etsy.com or just click the pictures to the right of the post here. I'm really hoping I can build up a customer base, and some niche items and get myself out of the industry I'm in now. Big dreams.

Anyway, this week has been a flurry of ornament making. They're fairly easy to make en-mass and while I'm working (shhh don't tell the boss). I'm thrilled about the sparkly paper ones. They look stunning hanging on a tree. I posted some new ones yesterday. Some beautiful green ones with a sparkly ribbon, and a nice set of red/gold ones. The first gold ones I've done (I'm partial to silver personally).

I also attempted some "lace paper" ones. They turned out asymmetrical so I'll have to take another stab at that using a different paper.

I have definite plans for a baby mobile using the paper bells in baby colours. I'm also designing a wedding garland. I hope to have those up soon.

I'm also hoping to dive into some more polymer clay stuff. I don't have a very good supply of colours right now though.

Stay tuned to both here, and etsy, for my latest posts!