OUR CHRISTMAS TRADITIONAL PFEFFERNUSSE

Our Christmas Traditional Pfeffernusse image

Provided by Bonnie Beck

Categories Cookies

Time 55m

Number Of Ingredients 18

4 1/2 c flour sifted before measuring
1/4 tsp baking soda, sifted with flour
1 1/4 tsp each of cloves, nutmeg,
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 tsp freshly ground finely pepper
1 3/4 tsp freshly ground finely anise seed
4 extra large eggs, beaten slightly
2 c firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp cardamom
chopped hazelnuts (optional)
1/2 grated orange or lemon peel
1/2 tsp cinnamon
COATING
powdered sugar
FOR HARD COATING
2 large egg whites
1 Tbsp lyle's golden syrup
2 cup powdered sugar, maybe a little more

Steps:

1. Traditionally these are started the first week of December and stored until Christmas Eve.
2. Add all dry ingredients together, except the brown sugar. Add the orange zest, eggs, chopped nuts and brown sugar to the flour mixture. Mix well with your hands.
3. Roll into a long roll on a lightly flours surface. Set in icebox for a couple of houses.
4. Sit down and have a nice cup of coffee, tea or hot choocolate, you deserve it. Oh, go on have a cookie too, you know you want one.
5. Cut dough..form into balls, with lightly floured hands, to the size of walnuts.
6. Place Pfeffernusse on a lightly greased coated cookie sheet.
7. Cover balls with a flour towel and let stand till room temp.
8. Oh, go on have another cup of coffee, tea, Hot Swiss Miss and a sandwich.
9. Bake at 350* in a preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
10. Place warm cookies in powered sugar to coat.
11. Or let them cool on a rack. And then roll them in the frosting..set them on a rack to drip that has waxpaper underneath.
12. Store in cookie tins, glass jar, or coffee cans between waxpaper. Put a right lid on and store till Christmas Eve.