Friday 30 November 2012

non-christmassy lebkuchen cookies

30th november...neither december nor advent...and i believe my last chance to post some non-christmassy cookies...even though made from a lebkuchen dough...which is more or less a gingerbread dough.














this is what you need


200g      butter
340g      honey
160g      sugar
2tbsp     grounded lebkuchen spices
( cinnamon, gingerpowder, cloves, coriander, pimento, cardamom, nutmeg )
2tbsp     cacao
2         eggs
660g      all purpose flour
2tsp      baking powder



this what you need to do


- mix butter, honey, sugar, lebkuchen spices and cacao in a saucepan and heat and stir until sugar is dissolved completely.

 ( thermomix: 4 minutes / 70 degrees / speed 2 )

- let it cool down and add all other ingredients ( eggs, flour, baking powder ) and blend to a dough.



- depending on your blender, you might have to knead the dough with your hands...pretty much hard work, though

 ( thermomix: 2 1/2 minutes / speed 4 / spatula )







- shape it to a ball and let it rest for an hour in the fridge.






- roll out dough on a floured surface




- cut out cookies and place them on a baking tray covered with baking parchement.







 
- if available use a cookie stamp to make your cookies even more special.











- cookie stamps work the best if the dough isn't too warm and the stamp is dipped in flour.





- preheat oven at 200 degrees and bake the lebkuchen cookies for about 15 minutes.

- enjoy.





...the kids selection..not only for kids...i would say...


















here you can find the original recipe:

http://www.wunderkessel.de/forum/backen-suesse-sachen/567-lebkuchenhaus.html

Thursday 29 November 2012

the santa edition

due to the upcoming holiday season and st.nikolaus being just around the corner...i could not help myself to make a santa edition of the gift wrapping ideas, i published so far.

...of course they can all be stuffed with small gifts for christmas or st.nikolaus day, which we are celebrating on 06th.december here in germany.













Thursday 1 November 2012

cinnamon caramel popcorn with pecans


some popcorn presentation ideas for a sweet buffet on any occasion

 

this is what you need

 

 12   cups popped corn ( 1/2 cup kernels )
  1   cup roughly chopped pecans
  1   cup brown sugar
3/4   tbsp cinnamon
1/4   cup butter
1/4   cup honey
1/2   tsp baking soda
  1   tsp vanilla
              white chocolate



 

this is what you have to do


- preheat oven to 120 degree celcius


- place popcorn and chopped pecans in a really large !!! bowl and set aside

- combine brown sugar and cinnamon, add chopped butter and honey and heat the mixture in a medium pot, using low temperature

- stir thoroughly until it is bubbly

- be careful not to overcook, it could easily turn into hard candy

- remove from the stove and add vanilla and baking soda

- pour the foamy mixture over the popcorn and pecans

- stir right right away and keep stiring until everything is coated

- spread popcorn mixture onto to a lined baking pan

- place in oven and bake for 30 minutes stirring every 10 minutes
 
- after 30 minutes takea piece out and let it cool, if it is not crunchy enough bake for another 5 minutes

- give it a final stir and let it cool for a while

- melt white chocolate and drizzle over the popcorn mixture

-  enjoy

 

here you can find the original recipe

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/09/cinnamon-caramel-corn-with-pecans-white-chocolate-aka-cinnamon-bun-popcorn/