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Christmas cookies | Almond and currant (Corinth raisin) cookies

22 December 2012

Traditionally, my mother and I divided baking duties for Christmas. I baked Stollen, she made everything else. A most delicious fruitcake that soaks in bourbon for weeks, gingerbread with the children, Zimtsterne (cinnamon stars), Haselnuss Leckerli (Swiss hazelnut cookies), and these almond and currant cookies. Recipes from our childhood, which she has baked for decades.

In a newly discovered enthusiasm for baking cookies, in the past couple of years I’ve sought out new recipes, to complement the Christmas spread. Last year I also decided to make these myself, to pick up the tradition, perhaps? They are understated, without the heady Christmas spices. They are my favorite.

The cookies must sit in the refrigerator overnight so plan accordingly, otherwise they are extremely quick and easy to make. They improve with time so, ideally, they should be prepared a few weeks in advance. Oh well.

1 cup (225 g) butter

1/2 cup (115 g) sugar

4 egg yolks

3 1/4 cups (400 g) flour

1 cup (100 g) slivered almonds

3/4 cup (100 g) currants (Corinth raisins)

Let the butter soften at room temperature.

Mix the butter and sugar and light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and flour and mix well until the dough is homogenous and smooth.

Divide the dough into two equal parts. Add the almonds to one half and the currants to the other, kneading well until they are completely integrated.

Roll each half into a long log approximately 2 in (5 cm) in diameter. (Optionally, to make squarish cookies as shown above, flatten the log on four sides.) Wrap each log first in parchment paper then clingfilm, and place in the refrigerator overnight.

When ready to bake the next day, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

With a thin sharp knife, cut the logs into thin cookies 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake 8 to 10 minutes, until they just start to turn golden. (They will feel soft to the touch but will harden as they cool.)

Store in a tin in a cool dry place for up to a few weeks.

Stollen

Tags:baking, Christmas, cookies
Posted in Baking, Christmas, Holidays | 9 Comments »

Candied orange and lemon peel

8 December 2012

For years I’ve wanted to do this. Every time, as I gather all the ingredients to make Stollen in early December, I think I really should make candied citrus peel myself. But caught in the rush I end up scrambling and scouring stores desperately to find an acceptable option — usually just barely.

So I’m quite excited. It’s not as if I’d suddenly been graced with lots more time, rather to the contrary, but I guess that’s how it works.

It does take time — a few hours. Peeling, cutting, staying close to the boil. Repeating. It’s time-consuming. But simple. It’s meditative. And worth it.

Orange peel

I candied the peel to use in Stollen, but there is plenty left over, which can be eaten as is, rolled in sugar, or dipped in dark melted chocolate to make orangettes. Mmmm.

5 oranges

3 cups (600 g) sugar

1 1/2 cups (350 ml) water (more for the first step)

To peel the oranges, trim off a ‘cap’ at either end so the orange sits in a stable position. Cut pieces of peel, equal to approximately a sixth of the fruit, from top to the bottom, including the pith and a bit of fruit. (The flesh can be used elsewhere for example in a fruit salad.) Slice the pieces of peel into strips 1/2 to 1-inch (1 to 2 cm) wide.
Place the peel in a smallish saucepan, cover with water, bring to a simmer and boil for a couple of minutes. Drain, discarding the water. Cover the peel with fresh water and repeat this three times (4 boils altogether).

Rinse the saucepan. Pour the sugar and 1 1/2 cups (350 ml) water, bring to a boil, then add the peel. Simmer, partially covered, for about an hour, removing scum if it occurs, until the peel is soft and translucent on the sides. (The pith should be translucent too.)

Place the pieces of peel on a rack or baking sheet covered with parchment paper and let dry for 24 to 36 hours.

Keep the syrup in the fridge and mix with sparkling water for a refreshing drink, or drizzled over plain yogurt.

Lemon peel
(Same technique but the quantities are halved, and lemon peel can also be dipped in dark chocolate to make ‘lemonettes’!)

5 lemons

1 1/2 cups (300 g) sugar

3/4 cup (200 ml) water (more for the first step)

To peel the lemons, trim off a ‘cap’ at either end so the orange sits in a stable position. Cut pieces of peel, equal to approximately a sixth of the fruit, from top to the bottom, including the pith and a bit of fruit. (The flesh can be used elsewhere for example in a fruit salad.) Slice the pieces of peel into strips 1/2 to 1-inch (1 to 2 cm) wide.

Place the peel in a smallish saucepan, cover with water, bring to a simmer and boil for a couple of minutes. Drain, discarding the water. Cover the peel with fresh water and repeat this three times (4 boils altogether).

Rinse the saucepan. Pour the sugar and 3/4 cup (200 ml) water, bring to a boil, then add the peel. Simmer, partially covered, for about an hour, removing scum if it occurs, until the peel is soft and translucent on the sides. (The pith should not be white anymore, completely translucent.)

Place the peels on a rack or baking sheet covered with parchment paper and let dry for 24 to 36 hours.

Keep the syrup in the fridge and mix with sparkling water for a refreshing drink, or drizzled over plain yogurt.

Stollen

Posted in Baking, Christmas, Holidays, Homemade and preserves | 4 Comments »

Foie gras terrine

28 December 2011

The first memory I have of foie gras is a conversation with my parents. We were in the car. I don’t remember whether I was 8, 10, or 12, but I think we were visiting friends in the Périgord, one of the prime foie-gras producing regions in France.

My parents were explaining foie gras: Duck or geese are force-fed excessively until their livers become abnormally large. These livers are prepared most delicately and the result is terribly delicious, a rare delicacy to be savored with due appreciation for what goes into its making.

I was appalled, and had no idea what the dish actually was. Foie gras, a French regional specialty? I pictured a sort of liver stew, and swore solemnly never to eat it. Quite honestly, forsaking liver stew forever didn’t seem like such a sacrifice. Had I known.

Later, much later, I ate foie gras, of course, and was compelled to admit that my parents were right.

Now I make foie gras terrine once a year, for Christmas eve. Have all my scruples disappeared or have I discovered many shades of grey? Am I willing to forsake anything for pleasure or have I been convinced that producing foie gras is not as barbaric as it sounds?

Just as I don’t eat meat or chicken raised industrially and buy eggs from pastured hens if I can, I always get foie gras from Hudson Valley Foie Gras. I believe they raise happy ducks. I am sure some will disagree.

***

More than usual, the raw product is crucial here. In New York the best source of good foie gras is Hudson Valley Foie Gras.

The tricky part about preparing foie gras is deveining the lobes. I learned it from my mother, who learned it from a friend, but I found this good video online. It’s in French but the images are self-explanatory.

This recipe is very slightly adapted from one by the French chef Michel Guérard. It uses many aromatics but in very small quantities, so the taste of the foie gras is enhanced but not overpowered.

2 raw foie gras livers about 1 1/2 lbs (600 g) each

1 quart (1 liter) whole milk

16 g (2 level Tbsps) finely ground (in a mortar) fleur de sel or unrefined sea salt

3 g (1 1/2 tsps) freshly ground white pepper

1 pinch freshly ground nutmeg

1 pinch freshly ground allspice

1 tsp finely ground sugar

2 cl Madeira

2 cl dry Sherry

2 cl Armagnac

When cold the foie gras is quite hard, so in order to devein it it needs to soften a little. Pour the cold milk and about half as much hot water in a large bowl (the liquid should be warm). Put in the raw foie gras and let it soften for about an hour.

Remove the livers from the milk, place them on a large board, and, working carefully with the blunt side of a sharp knife, remove the veins from the liver. To do this, start at the big knot of veins and carefully follow the veins, removing as much as possible to avoid any blood stains in the liver.

Place the deveined livers in a shallow dish and sprinkle with the spices and alcohol. Let marinate for a few minutes or up to 12 hours in the refrigerator (I have done it both ways and would be hard pressed to say definitively which is better. I’d make it depend on what is more convenient, logistically).

Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C) and place a large shallow pan filled with 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water at 150°F (70°C).

Place the livers in the terrine, and the terrine (without the lid) in the pan of water. Cook for 40 minutes, checking regularly that the water stays at 150°F (70°C) the whole time.

Once cooked, the liquid fat should have risen over the livers and cover them by about 1/2 inch (1 cm).

Close the terrine and let it cool at room temperature for about 2 to 3 hours, then transfer to the refrigerator.

Foie gras must be made at least 24 hours in advance, is best after 3 to 4 days, and will keep for about 8 days.

Chicken liver terrine

Tags:Christmas, foie gras, hudson valley foie gras, new year, terrine
Posted in Christmas, Holidays, Meat / Poultry | 2 Comments »

Christmas cookies | Swiss Aniseed Chräbeli

21 December 2011

While I don’t shy away from de-veining a foie gras or beating the heavy dough of the yearly Stollen for 10 solid minutes, the idea of forming sticky wet dough into dozens of tiny elaborately shaped cookies never particularly appealed to me. I used to find cookies too fiddly.

But time passes, I change, and how else to have lots of homemade cookies at Christmas time? So last year I embraced cookies, and I must admit I’m enjoying making them — a lot.

There is a strong Christmas cookie making tradition in Germany, where my grandmother came from, and Switzerland, where my grandparents lived and where we spent every Christmas until I was 9. So the cookies I crave at Christmas are Lebkuchen and Zimtsterne, Linzer and Chräbeli.

Chräbeli are scented with anis. They have a very specific shape that reminds me of a branch, though the Swiss refer to them as ‘feet.’

***

Makes about 40 cookies. Translated and very slightly adapted from La Mia Cucina, with thanks to Jennifer for pointing me in its direction.

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups (200 g) powdered sugar

2.5 flat Tbsps anis seeds

1 tsp Kirsch

1/4 lemon zest

1 pinch salt

2 cups (250 g) flour

***

With a whisk, beat the eggs and powdered sugar for a good 10 minutes.

Optionally, heat a small pan, remove from heat, and add the anis seeds just to warm them up.

Combine the anis seeds, Kirsch, and lemon zest with the egg/sugar mixture.

Add the flour little by little. Once all the flour has disappeared, cover the bowl and let rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour. **The dough must be sticky but not runny. If it doesn’t hold together in a loosely shaped ball in the bowl, add just enough flour before setting to rest.**

Prepare a cookie sheet with buttered parchment paper.

Divide the still slightly sticky dough into 2 parts, and form into a thick roll; divide each of these into 4 pieces, and roll each piece into an even, long stick about 1/2 inch (1 cm) in diameter. Form each of the four sticks into 4 cookies and place them onto the buttered parchment paper. To form the cookies: cut the stick into 4 pieces 1 3/4 in (4 cm) long, then with a clean, sharp knife, cut 3 angled incisions halfway into the cookie to form the ‘branches’ (or ‘feet’), then bend into a half-moon shape.

Let the cookies rest for 10 hours in a cool place with an even temperature and no draft.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).

Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until the top is slightly hard to the touch, but not yet turning brown. **Do not open the oven for the first 10 minutes.**

Store the cookies in a tin in a cool place for up to a few weeks.

Stollen

Christmas cookies | Almond and currant (Corinth raisin) cookies

Tags:anis, baking, chraebeli, Christmas, cookies
Posted in Christmas, Dessert, Holidays | 5 Comments »

Stollen

9 December 2010

When my grandmother sent me her Stollen recipe twelve years ago she included an old German newspaper clipping titled “On the proper way of handling Stollen.” It prescribed:

◊ According to strict Saxon rule*, Stollen should not be cut open before Christmas eve – 24 December. Modern practice is somewhat lenient, however, and it is now acceptable to start eating Stollen on the first of advent (four Sundays before Christmas).

◊ Stollen should never be eaten with a knife and fork – not even a dessert fork. It should be savored by breaking off little pieces with your fingers.

◊ The best beverage to accompany Stollen is a good cup of coffee, possibly tea, but never wine or champagne, for which Stollen would be too sweet.

◊ Stollen should be cellar-cool when eaten, presented on a simple wooden board, and cut with a sharp, unserrated knife.

Historic documents mention that “Man’s character can be determined by the way he eats Stollen.” …

***

Like many Christmas cakes and cookies, Stollen should be made a few weeks in advance.

8 cups (1 kg) flour

4 oz (100 g) fresh yeast

2 cups and 4 Tbsp (5oo g) butter

1/2 cup and 1 Tbsp (100 g and 1 Tbsp) sugar

1 cup (250 ml) milk

Zest from 1 lemon

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups (125 g) slivered almonds

2 cups (300 g) golden raisins

1 cup (200 g) currants (Black Corinth raisins)

3/4 cup (100 g) candied orange and lemon peel

1 Tbsp rum

1-2 drops bitter almond oil (or 1/2 tsp almond extract)

For the sugar crust:

8 Tbsps butter

Confectioners’ sugar

***

Place a large bowl with the flour in a warm spot until the flour feels warm to the touch.

Crumble the yeast with 1 Tbsp sugar; stir and watch as the mixture becomes liquid.

Melt the butter on a small flame, remove from heat, and add the cold milk.

Shape a well in the flour. Pour the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, lemon zest, salt, and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract into the well, add the milk/butter mixture and the prepared yeast. With a large wooden spoon, mix the wet ingredients into the flour using circular movements. Once the dough starts to detach itself from the sides of the bowl, beat with the wooden spoon for 10 minutes.

Chop the candied citrus peel and sprinkle with the rum and almond extract.

Knead the almonds, raisins, currants, and candied citrus into the dough. Shape into a ball, cover with a slightly damp cloth, find a warm spot in the house and let rise until the dough has approximately doubled in size, 2 to 3 hours depending on room temperature.

Divide the dough in two and roll out each half into an oval approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Fold oval in half lengthwise, place on a buttered parchment paper on a baking sheet and let rise again for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).

Bake the Stollen for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the outside begins to harden but before it starts to brown. Remove from the oven and immediately prepare the sugar crust.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. With a food brush, cover the Stollen with a layer of melted butter. Using a small sieve, sprinkle generously with confectioners’ sugar. Repeat this process 2 or 3 times to form the crust. Wrap immediately.

To store the Stollen, wrap in parchment paper then tightly seal with aluminum foil and keep in a cool dry place. Never wrap Stollen in plastic. A large tin box would be ideal.

*Stollen is originally from Central Germany and famously from Dresden, Saxony

Christmas cookies | Almond and currant (Corinth raisin) cookies

Christmas cookies | Swiss Anisseed Chrabeli

Tags:baking, Christmas, Christstollen, German, Stollen
Posted in Breakfast, Christmas, Holidays, Winter | 3 Comments »

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