By Vesna Vuynovich Kovach
In Brava Magazine, December 2006
Literally translated as “pepper nut,” these walnut-shaped treats are named after the Pfefferlanden – “Pepper Lands” – an old German nickname for the spice-rich Far East. “The dough is very thick and dark, and has a spicy taste of cloves, cinnamon and anise,” says bakery owner Angela Anderson, who generously shares here the bakery’s century-old recipe. “It’s difficult to compare the flavor to any other cookie. We only make these at Christmas time, and include them in our ethnic cookie sampler.”
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon ground anise (or more, depending on your taste)
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup molasses
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon baking soda
6 2/3 cups all purpose flour.
Melted butter and powdered sugar, for rolling
In large mixing bowl, cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs and spices. Combine corn syrup, molasses, water and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture. Using mixer, add 3 cups of the flour. Add the rest of the flour and mix by hand. The dough will be very stiff. Use your hands to shape round balls of dough into balls about the size of small walnuts. Place on greased baking sheet. Bake at 400° F for 6 to 8 minutes, until lightly brown. Dip cookies in melted butter and roll in powdered sugar. Yield: 300 cookies. These freeze well.
I just made a batch of these for the holidays. So far, I've never gotten the promised yield of 300, so I must be making mine too big.
ReplyDeleteThis time, I weighed each (yes) cookie. Each was 14 grams. I got 127 pfeffernusse. If I'd been thinking ahead, I'd have measured the whole lump of dough before I started rolling. Then I could have divided by 300 to figure how much each should weigh. Let this comment be a guide for other pfeffernusse bakers, and for me for next winter, too!
This time, I fiddled with the recipe a little. I added salt, in the amount of 1/4 teaspoon, and freshly ground black pepper, also around 1/4 teaspoon.
ReplyDeleteThe recipe says "these freeze well." It would be more apt to say "these taste better after a few weeks in the freezer." Like stollen, which is described in the Swiss Savings article, the flavors cure and develop over time. I make them weeks ahead of when I'm going to actually put them out or send them to folks.
ReplyDeleteThe recipe proper doesn't mention how much butter and sugar will be needed for the dipping and rolling.
ReplyDeleteThis year I used a half pound (two sticks) of butter. I let about 10-12 cookies soak in butter while rolling the most recently soaked batch of cookies in sugar.
It takes several cups of sugar, but I didn't measure.
I got a tip this year from whatgeekseat.com, specifically the chocolate crinkle cookies at http://www.whatgeekseat.com/wordpress/2008/11/20/equal-pay-for-equal-work-chocolate-crinkle-cookies/
That is, rolling cookies in granulated sugar before rolling them in powdered sugar. It really does make the powdered sugar stick better. The powder makes a much nicer, cleaner white coat.
This recipe took at least two cups of granulated sugar.
Thanks, this is not really what I wanted in the way of an Anise cookie - but it sounds really good for Pfeffrnusse. I think the way to get 300 is to not follow the "small walnut" size instructions, and to shape the way I have seen in other Pfeffrnusse recipes - roll the dough into long worms about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, and then cut the worms into small slices. I would also skip the melted butter step - you can sugar these by shaking in a bag with the sugar. I already have several deeply spicey cookies in the cookie pantheon; maybe I'll try these next year!
ReplyDelete