About that Pfeffernusse

I mixed up the dough two nights ago and just baked it this morning. Did I mention that I'm not a patient person? Did I mention that the recipe used 7 cups of flour? Did I mention that these cookies, if made correctly are little--just a bit bigger than a peanut? Do you see what's wrong with this picture?

I woke up early 'cause I've got lots to do today? (Then why am I blogging?) I need to finish the Christmas craft, We are going to Les' Grandma's for lunch, We started recovering a footstool yesterday (again, what am I thinking?), I want to be lazy, I must wash iron and starch all the formal linens for Christmas dinner tomorrow. Oh, wait, just kidding on that last one! haha!

Back to pfeffernusse. Really, I just like the word, pfeffernusse, pfeffernusse, pfeffernusse!

The recipe said to roll it out and cut it with a little bottle like a pill bottle. Ummmm. No. Unlike my sister, I do not do rolled out, decorated cookies. I did it once and didn't like it.

Another recipe said to roll it into long ropes the size of a pencil and cut apart. That's more to my liking. Only a pencil seemed so tiny. And the mound of dough so big. So I used a great big primary pencil as my model! Ok, perhaps magic marker size. (so I'm impatient, does that make me a cooking criminal?) This picture shows just one fourth of the dough.

The good thing is that you can put lots and lots of cookies on each cookie sheet! So I crowded them on, cut like mad, used both ovens and was done in a couple of hours. That didn't count that it took me about an hour to mix up the dough to begin with because you have to cook some of it, cool it and mix by hand 7 cups of flour. That was my exercise for the day. Since I don't like it--exercise, that is--it seemed like a good trade-off!

As you can see, my pfeffernusse are not peanut sized. And they are not as hard as some I've had. But they are delicious! And they smell divine. And they are baked!

Pfeffernusse anyone?

From the very famous, but sadly out of print FBC Cook book!

2 c. dark molasses and 1 c. Crisco or butter

Boil together for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.

Add: 1 t. cloves, 3 t. cinnamon, 1 t. ginger, 1 t. pepper, 1 t. salt

Pour into large mixing bowl. Add 1/2 t. soda dissolved in 2 T. water. (this will foam up). Let cool, then add 3 c. sugar and 4 well beaten eggs. Add enough flour to make a stiff dough (7 cups). Add this in three stages, stirring well each time. It will be very stiff. Divide into 4 pieces, roll lightly in flour and refrigerate overnight. The next day, roll and cut, using small pill bottle to make cookies. (or roll into long pencil strips and cut apart) Bake in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes on the bottom shelf of the oven, then 3 minutes on the top shelf.

To learn more about this delicious Christmas cookie, read here. For a much prettier presentation of making them, check this cooking blog.