Merry and Sweet Christmas Wishes from The Kitchen Lioness & Family! Frohes Weihnachtsfest!

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas & Happy and Healthy Holidays!

Ein frohes Weihnachtsfest! Joyeux Noël! Buon Natale! ¡Feliz Navidad!

19. Day of December - Honey-Gingerbread Cutouts – Honig-Lebkuchen-Pferde

Gingerbread cookies or Lebkuchen are traditional German cookies made from honey (or molasses), citrus, spices and flour. Traditionally, all those spices made them expensive and they were considered to be health-giving, so they were sold in pharmacies. Hence the name „Lebkuchen“ which is derived from the German word for life, Leben. Thankfully, spices are now available to all of us, Please note that this lovely Honey-Gingerbread cookie recipe uses honey instead of molasses, lending a wonderful smell and taste to these Christmas cookies that are sure to become one of your favorites. And the addition of Dutch process cocoa powder lends these cutouts a gorgeous, rich hue with just a very delicate hint of chocolate flavor.

The secret in this recipe is the raising agent. You should not be tempted to use baking powder (Backpulver), instead you should go the extra mile and try to track down the thing us Germans traditionally use – Pottasche, or potassium carbonate. This both gives the gingerbread dough a “lift” but also causes it to keep absorbing moisture after baking, so the biscuits will become softer with time.

Honey-Gingerbread Cutouts – Honig-Lebkuchen-Pferde

Ingredients for the Cookie Dough

• 250 grams runny honey (use mild tasting, local honey if at all possible)
• 250 grams light brown Muscovado sugar (or use other fine light brown baking sugar)
• 150 grams unsalted butter
• 625 grams AP (plain) flour
• a good pinch of fine sea salt
• finely grated zest of an organic lemon (or use organic orange zest instead)
• 2 tsps. gingerbread spice mix* (Lebkuchengewürz)
• 25 grams Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1 egg (L), organic or free range
• 1 tsp. potassium carbonate** (Pottasche)
• 2 tbsps dark rum or water

(*) To make your own gingerbread spice mix, consult my recipe here.
(**) To get potassium carbonate outside of Germany, buy it from your favorite German Deli or order it online.

Ingredients for the Icing

• 250 grams confectioners' sugar, sifted, plus more if needed
• 1 egg white (L), organic or free range
• a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preparation of the Cookie Dough

1. To a medium saucepan, add the honey, sugar and butter. Heat gently using medium high heat and stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved completely. Take the saucepan off the heat, transfer the honey mixture to a bowl and cool completely.
2. Transfer the cooled honey mixture to a large mixing bowl, then add the flour, salt, lemon zest, the spice mix, cocoa powder and the egg to the butter mixture.
3. Using the dough hooks of your mixer, mix all the ingredients together well.
4. In a small bowl or cup, stir together the potassium carbonate and the rum (or water) – stir until completely dissolved. Then add to the cookie dough.
5. Using the dough hooks of your mixer again, mix the dough until it is firm and sticky.
6. Cover the mixing bowl with food wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least four hours or better yet, overnight.
7. The next day, line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
8. Pre-heat your oven to 180 ° C (356° F).
9. Take a portion of the dough and place it on your lightly floured work surface.
10. Cut out cookie using your favorite seasonal cookie cutters and place on the baking sheets.
11. Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes or until slightly puffed and until edges turn golden.
12. Let cookies cool completely on baking sheets set on wire racks.

Preparation of the Icing

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and beat with a mixer on low speed until smooth, about 4 minutes. 
2. If icing is too thick, add some more lemon juice, a few drops at a time, until icing has the consistency of glue; if too thin, beat icing 2 to 3 minutes more, or add more sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Icing the Cookies

1. Place icing in a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip. Pipe details on cookies.
2. Let set completely, uncovered, at room temperature, at least one hour or (ideally) overnight.

These Honey-Gingerbread Cutouts puff up a bit and if you can leave them, they do get better with time. So, if you are able, I really recommend waiting a few hours or a day before munching away on them and do try to get your hands on potassium carbonate.

Another quite handy little thing about making these is that they lend themselves to being made when you have some spare time during the busy pre-Christmas season. You can easily make the dough ahead of time, let it sit for up to a few days so that the aroma of the spices can develop, then shape and bake the cookies a few days later.

These Honey-Gingerbread Cutouts really are sensational. If you can get hold of the Pottasche, then add these lovelies with the real taste of Christmas to your „must-bake“ list and let your imagination be your guide when cutting out your favorite shapes.

When I baked these, I used cookie cutters shaped after the famous Swedish Dalecarlian horse, a traditional carved, painted wooden horse statuette originating in Swedish province Dalarna (Dalecarlia). In the old days the Dalecarlian horse was mostly used as a toy for children. Today it has become a symbol of Dalarna, as well as Sweden in general. Several different types of Dalecarlian horses are made, with distinguishing features common to the locality of the place where they are carved and painted. Loved these ever since I was a child and laid my eyes on them!

13. Day of December - Saint Lucia Saffron Buns (Lussekatter)

Lussekatter are typically eaten in Sweden for St. Lucia (the Festival of Light), on 13 December. This is a celebration of light in the middle of winter, with processions and candles. Young girls are dressed in white robes with a red sash, with one girl selected as “Lucia” who wears a crown of lit candles, the others carrying a single candle. At home, the eldest girl dresses up in robe, sash, and candle crown, and delivers coffee and lussekatter, or S shaped saffron buns to her parents for breakfast.

My best friend in primary school was named "Lucia" and she was always chosen to lead a St. Lucia procession on December 13th. Whether you are Swedish or not, you should give these saffron buns a try. Lussekatter look pretty, they have an attractive shape, and an amazing color, like a bright yellow, almost golden brown. And as they bake, the kitchen is filled with the sweet aroma of saffron and yeast. Once they are baked, the buns are light and soft, and they have a lovely rich, buttery flavor highlighting the aroma of saffron. They are definitely best enjoyed while still warm.

St. Lucia Buns - Lussekatter
(yileds about 20 St. Lucia Buns)

Ingredients

• 1 cup melted butter
• 1/2 tsp. saffron threads, finely crumbled (or 1 tsp. powdered saffron)
• 1 cup milk (3.5%)
• 3/4 cup superfine (baking) sugar
• 1 tsp. fine sea salt
• 2 pkg. dry active yeast (4 1/2 tsp) or use fresh yeast
• 6 1/2 cups AP (plain) flour
• 2 eggs, (L), organic or free range, well-beaten, plus one egg white
• a few raisins to decorate

Preparation

1. Crumble saffron threads into melted butter.
2. Let sit about 30 minutes to an hour (this intensifies the saffron flavor).
3. Heat milk to a light boil, turning off heat when it reaches the scalding point (with small bubbles across the top).
4. Stir in melted butter, sugar, and salt.
5. Pour mixture into mixing bowl and allow to cool until “finger-warm” (still quite warm, but just cool enough to touch).
6. Stir in yeast and let sit for 10 minutes.
7. Mix 3 1/2 cups flour into liquid. Stir in two well-beaten eggs. Add enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough.
8. Transfer dough to a large greased bowl and turn to coat all sides. Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
9. Punch down risen dough. Lightly knead two or three times on a floured surface. Pinch off small handfuls of dough (about the size of a racquetball) and roll into "snakes." Shape snakes into "S"-shaped buns. 
10. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
11. Cover with the tea towel again, and allow to rise until doubled (about another hour).
12. When ready to bake your Lussekatter, make sure to pre-heat your oven to 190° C  (375º F).
13. Decorate Lussekatter with raisins, brush with egg white, and bake your preheated oven at 190° C  (375º F) for about 15 minutes, or just until brown.
14. Transfer to a cooling rack and enjoy while still warm (if possible).

While Lussekatter are traditionally eaten on Saint Lucia's Day on December 13th, these buttery saffron buns make fabulous year-round treats, as they are are fantastic if eaten while still warm with a cup of tea, coffee or a glass of mulled wine.

Please make sure to drop by again for my next special surprise in my Virtual Advent Calendar!

11. Day of December - Festive Shortbread (Festliches Shortbread)

Classic shortbread contains just three ingredients, flour, butter and sugar and it all depends on the quality of these three ingredients and careful blending.

Shortbread is a cookie to really sink your teeth into. Crumbly, dense and rich, it's made with a generous amount of butter, which gives it its melt-in-the-mouth texture. Traditionally it is pale golden-brown in color and is baked in a round, flat shape, pricked with a fork and sprinkled with sugar. My Festive Shortbread is gently spiced with Ceylon cinnamon, freshly ground ginger and a bit of ground cloves.

Once baked my version of the classic shortbread will not only smell amazing from all that good butter used but will also have a wonderful warm color from the spices I have added.

Festive Shortbread (Festliches Shortbread)

Ingredients

• 150 grams unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, softened
• 75 grams superfine baking sugar (caster sugar)
• 150 g AP (plain) flour
• 75 g rice flour* NOTE: most recipes call for a mix of plain wheat flour and rice flour or cornflour, for a very soft texture, but you can also use semolina for a slightly crunchier result. 
• ¾ tsp Ceylon cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• a pinch of fine sea salt 
• Demerara sugar, to finish (optional, you can also use superfine sugar here)

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy using a hand-held whisk or wooden spoon.
2. Sift the flour, rice flour and spices into the bowl, add the salt and mix together until well combined. The mixture will look crumbly at this stage.
3. Put the mixture out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead to form a soft dough. It might be difficult at first but keep going and it will come together.
4. Prepare two large pieces of baking parchment. Roll out the dough between the parchment to a thickness of 1cm (½ inch) NOTE: the baking parchment will make it easier to roll. Peel away the top layer of baking parchment and cut the dough into Christmas shapes using cookie cutters. Re-roll any leftover dough to cut out more shapes. NOTE: only do this once to avoid over-working the dough. Alternatively: Line a 22 cm (9 inch) cake or tart pan with baking parchment, and pat, or lightly roll, the dough into a shape slightly smaller than the pan. Prick the surface of the shortbread round with a fork or a wooden skewer. Sprinkle with some Demerara sugar.
5. When you have used all the dough, put the shortbreads onto prepared baking sheets, prick the surface of the cookies with a fork and sprinkle with some Demerara sugar.
6. Bake the shortbread in the oven until very lightly colored - about 20 minutes for cookies, 30–35 minutes for a shortbread round.
7. Leave to cool on the baking sheets or in the baking pan for a few minutes, then lift the shortbreads onto a wire rack.
8. Leave to cool completely.
9. Shortbread will keep for up to 4 weeks in an airtight cookie tin.

Remember that shortbread has so few ingredients that you can't get away with cutting corners. First and foremost the success of this recipe relies on really good-quality unsalted butter for its flavor. Good quality sugar is also essental. Rice flour gives it that special sandy texture that sets it apart from the common cookie, and a pinch of salt helps to balance that rich, delicious sweetness. Then add warm spices for a festive touch. And to gild the lily, sprinkle the shortbread with Demerara sugar - that will lend a wonderful sparkle and crunch.

Treat the dough gently, if you have the time and patience chill it (for about 15 minutes), sprinkle liberally with sugar and cook it gently and serve it with a cup of  my Winter Tea (recipe here). And for that delectable, friable texture, it's also important to keep a light hand. Overworking the mixture will develop the gluten in the flour and make the shortbread tough.

For my German readers: you can find a good-quality rice flour from "Müller´s Mühle" (link here) at most high-end supermarkets or go for organic rice flour at your favorite Natural Health Food Store.

If you are like me and really enjoy a good shortbread, you can take a look at my Vanilla Bean Petticoat Tails Shortbread (recipe here) - or my Lemon-Lavender Shortbread (recipe here) - or the Chestnut and Almond Shortbread (post here) that I baked from a Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall recipe using chestnut flour, wholemeal buckwheat flour, and almond flour.

Please make sure to drop by again the day after tomorrow when we will open our next special surprise in my Virtual Advent Calendar and pay a visit to the lovely country of Sweden for St. Lucia Day on December 13th!

9. & 10. Day of December - Caramelized Almonds with Fleur de Sel & Almond Oil (Karamellisierte Mandeln mit Fleur de Sel & Mandelöl)

So called Caramelized Almonds or Burnt Sugar Almonds („Gebrannte Mandeln“ in German) are most often purchased at Christmas Markets around here. Burnt sugar almonds are caramelized sugar-coated almonds, flavored most often with cinnamon and vanilla. They are usually cooked fresh in copper kettles right in front of you at the market. If you are lucky, you can buy them while they are still warm. They become harder, like brittle, when completely cool but no less delicious and tempting. Served in small vintage style paper cones or sold in seasonal cellophane bags, Caramelized Almonds are a treat you should not pass up if you happen to visit a German Christmas market.

If there is no Christmas market that you can visit to buy these almonds at, you can easily make them at home. Usually, I go for the cinnamon and vanilla variety, this year I prefer a Caramel-Fleur de Sel variety. When I posted the recipe for my Almond Cake with Fleur de Sel back in April of this year (recipe here) - I feel seriously in love with the combination of sweet and salty, especially when paired with almonds!

Caramelized Almonds with Sea Salt

Ingredients for the Almonds

• 100 ml water
• 100 grams sugar
• scraped seeds from one vanilla bean or 2 tsps. pure vanilla sugar
• 400 grams raw, whole almonds
• 1 tbsp almond oil (I use the Almond Oil from my local oil mill (link here) but feel free to use another oil here such as sunflower oil)
• ½ - 1 tsp. Fleur de Sel (I use Fleur de sel de Guérande)

Special Equipment needed

• a heavy pot, preferably cast iron, NOT a non-stick pan
• a wooden spoon
• a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

Preparation of the Caramelized Almonds

1. Scrape the inside of the vanilla bean and add it to the sugar. Mix well. NOTE: You should not discard the vanilla bean, but put the scraped vanilla bean in with your vanilla sugar to boost its aroma. OR: Use 2 tsps. pure vanilla sugar
2. Add the sugar and water to the heavy saucepan and set it over medium heat. Stir to mix, then bring it to a boil before adding the almonds.
3. Add the almonds to the pan. Then stir constantly until the water is boiled away.
4. The sugar will dry out after about 8 to 10  minutes and the almonds will take on a grey-brown tinge. Keep stirring, so that the almonds do not burn on the bottom of the pan.
5. At this stage, the sugar heats up and starts to melt. Just keep stirring, so that the almonds become evenly browned and about half of the sugar is melted and gives the almonds a shiny coat.
6. When they are shiny, but not burnt (this takes careful watching) remove the pan from the heat.
7. While stiring the almonds with a wooden spoon, add the almond oil, then the Fleur de Sel and mix carefully.
8. Place the Caramelized Almonds on your parchment lined baking sheet, separate them if they stick together. Be very careful, however. These are extremely hot, so use two spoons to separate them.
9. Either let them cool completely or serve them while warm.

The Caramelized Almonds with Fleur de Sel will make delicious gifts and while they are at their very best when enjoyed while still warm, they do keep well. If you plan on giving them as gifts, you can fill small cookie tins, Weck jars or small festive cellophane bags tied with pretty little ribbons. Or craft paper cones to package your Caramelized Almonds - you can use some pretty Christmas wrapping paper to make lovely little paper cones. They are also fun to make if you’ve got smaller hands helping you

And if you do not enjoy eating almonds, you can take the less traditional road and make this recipe using nuts of your choice. I usually make a batch with hazelnuts, just make sure you use a hazelnut oil then instead of the almond oil that my recipe calls for. But the recipe also works with cashew nuts, macademia nuts or walnuts.

Trust me that these Caramelized Almonds with Fleur de Sel are the perfect blend of sweet and salty and they will make your house smell amazing – once you have tasted one, you will not be able to stop yourself from munching away on them!

Please make sure to drop by again tomorrow when we will open our eleventh special surprise in my Virtual Advent Calendar!

8. Day of December - Winter Tea Blend - (Winter-Tee Mischung)

Today is December 8th and my Virtual Advent Calendar revoles all around one of my very favorite hot beverages, tea. There are a huge variety of teas, generally classified by the size of the leaves and the way in which they’re treated. The flavor will vary according to the conditions in which the tea is grown, the soil and climate, the way the leaves are harvested and the manner in which they’re processed after picking.

The tea most widely drunk around here is so-called „black tea" (schwarzer Tee). The majority of black tea goes into blends. A few varieties of tea, however, are famous in their own right, such as Assam tea or Darjeeling tea. Flavored teas (aromatisierter Tees), that are green, black or fruit-based teas, are often mixed with ingredients such as jasmine, chrysanthemum, or dried fruit and are also hugely popular.

When buying loose-leaf tea,  make sure it smells fresh and vibrant. Check the packet to see whether you’re buying a blend or single variety. If buying flavored tea, make sure the flavoring is natural. For example, Earl Grey tea should be flavored with bergamot oil rather than with bergamot flavoring.
Black teas are graded by their leaf size, from whole leaf, to „broken“ down to „dust“.  The leaf grade will determine the tea’s brewing time - the smallest leaves are used in teabags because they brew very quickly.

You can also prepare customized, personal teas by mixing together a few of your favorite flavors. It is best to start with a „basis“ for your personal tea mix. Choose black or green tea, or even fruit teas – since I love the combination of black tea with wintry flavors, I usually choose a real-high quality black tea for starters and then add my favorite flavors. I have called my blend „Winter Tea Blend“ but feel free to experiment to your hearts content.

Winter Tea Blend

Ingredients
(for about 125 grams, which will yíeld about 4 liters of tea)

• a few dried apple slices (homemade - peel on is fine OR from your favorite natural food store, spice or tea merchant or online)
• peel from one organic orange (make sure to remove as much of the white pith as possible, otherwise your tea blend might be too bitter)
• a few slices of fresh ginger (optional)
• a few dried organic rosebuds
• 1 Ceylon cinnamon stick
• 100 grams loose leaf black tea (chose your favorite tea here) - again, it's nice to chose an organic black tea here if at possible

Preparation

1. Cut the apple slices into thin strips or break up into coarse pieces.
2. Peel the orange, taking care to remove all the white pith before continung with the recipe. Alternatively, you can use dried orange peel from a natural health store or tea merchant. Cut the orange peel into thin strips as well.
3. Peel the ginger (if using) and also cut into very thin strips.
4. Pre-heat your oven to 100° C (80° C convection) – 212° F ( 176° F for convection ovens).
5. Line one baking sheet with baking parchment and place the apple strips, the orange peel and the ginger on the parchment.
6. Place in the oven and leave to dry there for a good 90 minutes. Then leave to cool.
7. Cut up the cinnamon stick with a sharp kitchen knife (you should end up with fine splinters) and add all the ingredients to your loose tea. Then blend well.
8. Your Winter Tea Blend should be stored in an airtight container or canister in a cool, dark place in order to preserve the original flavor for as long as possible.

Tea blends are particularly enjoyable in winter time but also fabulous for a grey afternoon or any time you feel like sipping a cup of tea with lots of flavor. Homemade tea blends can make wonderful gifts to give to your tea loving friends and family members at holiday time or any time.

Your persomnal tea blend can also be used in cooking to soak dried fruit (for my recipe for a Poffert with with tea-soaked raisins go here), make syrups for poaching fruit or to smoke fish and poultry. And this Winter Tea Blend is far superior to anything store-bought.

Please make sure to drop by again tomorrow when we will open our ninth special surprise in my Virtual Advent Calendar!

7. Day of December - Gingerbread Biscotti & The Nutcracker (Lebkuchen Biscotti & Der Nussknacker)

Today marks the seventh day of December and for today´s Virtual Advent Calendar, I chose a wonderful recipe for Gingerbread Biscotti as well as a bit of a historical background about those lovely Nutcrackers. Although nutcrackers in various shapes and sizes have been around for thousands of years, the nutcracker soldier known the world over – and immortalized by Tchaikovsky – is of German origin, as is the story on which the popular ballet is based.

The traditional toy soldier nutcracker comes from the Ore Mountains (or Erzgebirge in German) in the State of Saxony along the Czech-German border. Villages here developed alongside a booming mining industry after mineral resources were discovered in the mid-12th century. The miners in these villages would carve and whittle in their spare time, making toys and small items which they sold to peddlers. After the mining industry declined in the 17th century, these inventive craftsmen perfected their handicraft in order to earn their livelihoods.

One classic nutcracker is still made today after the 1870s original by Wilhelm Friedrich Füchtner. Known as the “father of the nutcracker,” Füchtner launched the first commercial production of these wooden figures, nevertheless, the creation of one nutcracker requires more than 100 steps, and it is assembled from about 60 individual pieces, before the finishing touches – fur, leather, and cords – are added.

Traditionally forms for the nutcrackers were figures of authority: soldiers, kings, policemen, and foresters. And of course, some nutcrackers also resemble miners, who are depicted with a crossed hammer and chisel on their hats.

Over the years, the nutcracker also took on new forms of identity such as German Chancellors and American Presidents as well as St. Nicholas and a variety of occupations became popular.

The ballet The Nutcracker is based on the story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" (Der Nussknacker und der Mauskönig), which was written by German author Ernst Theodor William Hoffmann (1776-1822) and published in 1816. This dark fairytale follows a young girl’s fantasy in a world of fairies and princes, where toy soldiers battle an army of mice. And in 1891-92, Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky composed the music for the ballet The Nutcracker.

Gingerbread Biscotti - Lebkuchen Biscotti

Ingredients for the Cookies

• 200 grams (7 ounces) whole almonds (feel free to use hazelnuts if you prefer)
• 250 grams ( 8.8 ounces/2 cups) plain/AP flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 200 grams (7 ounces) super fine baking sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp of Gingerbread Spice Mix*
• a pinch of fine sea salt
• 1 vanilla pod, seeds only, you can substiute 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla sugar
• 1 tbsp Amaretto
• 25 grams (0.8 ounce/2 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 eggs (L), free range or organic

Preparation of the Cookies

1. If you prefer to have the skins off the almonds, place the almonds in a pot of boiling water, boil for about one minute, carefully pour them through a sieve, place them on a kitchen towel and squeeze the almonds out of their skins. As a matter of personal preference, I always leave the skins on the almonds when baking Biscottis.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, Gingerbread Spice Mix, salt and vanilla until well combined.
3. Transfer the dry ingredients to the bowl of your mixer and add the Amaretto, butter and eggs then beat the wet ingredients into the flour mixture until the mixture is well combined and comes together as a dough.
4. Add the whole almonds and combine well. Divide the dough into four equal parts.
5. Wrap each dough piece in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for about thirty minutes and up to a day. 
6. Dust your work surface with some flour. Take the first batch of dough out of the refrigerator and using the palms of your hands, roll the Biscotti dough into a cylinder shape on the dusted surface. Flatten the dough a little to form an oval cylinder if you wish. Repeat with the three remaining parts of the dough.
7. Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F).
8. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (or use Silpat baking mats).
9. Transfer two logs of the dough to a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the logs have spread and doubled in size. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool a bit. Repeat with the remaining two logs of dough.
10. When the logs have cooled but are still warm, slice each about 1cm (½ inches) thick, you should cut on the diagonal, using a very sharp knife or a serrated knife.
11. Place each Biscotti slice onto a baking sheet or onto cooling racks that you place onto the baking sheets, thereby allowing for the hot air to circulate around each Biscotti cookie slice.
12. Return the baking sheets to the oven for a further 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp, golden-brown and cooked through.
13. Transfer to cooling racks and cool completely.
14. When the Biscotti have completely cooled, place them in cookie tins with well fitting lids. If you store the cookie tins in a cool and dry place, they will keep well for a few weeks.

* If you cannot find Gingerbread Spice Mix in your store or online, you can prepare it using the following recipe:

Ingredients for the Gingerbread Spice Mix

2 tbsp ground Ceylon cinnamon
2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground anise seed
1/2 tsp ground star anise

Preparation of the Spice Mix

Sift the ground spices through a fine sieve to remove any lumps.
Mix them together thoroughly and place in an airtight container to store.

NOTE: you will end up with about 3 1/3 tbsp Gingerbread Spice Mix, so you can use it also for baking delicious Gingerbread or other recipes that call for Gingerbread spices.


Please make sure to drop by again tomorrow when we will open our eighth special surprise in my Virtual Advent Calendar! Make sure to put the kettle on...

6. Day of December - St. Nicholas´ Day & Bishop´s Bread - Nikolaustag & Bischofsbrot

Today, on December 6th, we celebrate the feast of St. Nicholas (Sankt Nikolaus Tag). This special day always falls on December 6, at the beginning of Advent and it represents a time for celebration especially in Eastern Europe and Germanic countries such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Italy also celebrates this saint's day. St. Nicholas was a Christian bishop who provided for the poor and sick. He was born in Lycia, Asia Minor, in about 270 AD an area that is part of present-day Turkey and died on 6th December 340 AD. He lost both of his parents as a young man and he was brought up in a monastery. He reportedly used his inheritance to help the poor and sick. Nicholas became a priest at the age of 17 and travelled through Palestine and Egypt before returning to Myra where he was made Bishop.

St. Nicholas is referred to by many names throughout Europe such as Sinterklaas in the Netherlands (as we learned in yesterday´s post) or Nikolaus in Germany. On the night of December 5th, children put their shoes or a special St. Nicholas´ boot ("Nikolausstiefel") in front of the fireplace or the front door to find them filled with traditional, seasonal sweet treats, clementines, oranges, apples, nuts and small presents the next morning. on December 6th.

To mark this very special day, I always bake a traditional cake called “Bishop's Bread" –  the name is somewhat of a misnomer as this is a cake rather than a bread, but I like the original name as it also refers to the fact that St. Nicholas was a bishop in his lifetime. There are not many special recipes for St. Nicholas´ Day, many of the special treats that we enjoy on December 6th are rather traditional Christmas cookies. To my delight, a few years back, I came across this traditional recipe when doing my usual food related research. This bread can be described as a breakfast cake, traditionally enjoyed on the morning of St. Nicholas` Day.

Bishop's Bread - Bischofsbrot

Ingredients for the Bishop´s Bread

• 6 eggs (M), separated (organic or free range if possible)
• 120 grams powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 tsps. pure vanilla sugar
• 50 grams raw almonds, chopped coarsely
• 50 grams raisins, tossed in flour and shaken
• 50 grams dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (try to go for 70% cocoa solids)
• grated rind of a lemon (organic, please)
• grated rind of an orange (organic, please)
• 125 grams AP (plain) flour, plus some for flouring the cake pan
• 1 ½ tsps. baking powder
• a pinch of fine sea salt
• 40 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus some for buttering the cake pan
• powdered sugar for decorating (optional)

Preparation of the Bishop´s Bread

1. Lightly butter a loaf pan, sprinkle with flour and shake out  the excess.
2. Separate the eggs and with a mixer cream together the egg yolks and sugar until they turn fluffy and pale yellow.
3. Slowly add the vanilla sugar, the chopped almonds, the raisins, the chopped chocolate, the grated rind of the orange and the lemon. Combine well.
4. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
5. Beat all six egg whites until stiff.
6. Fold the flour mixture into the butter mixture.
7. Fold the egg whites into the batter.
8. Bake at 180 ° C (375 ° F) for about 50 to 60 minutes. NOTE: The cake is done when no imprint is left when finger-tested in the center.
9. Cool the cake on a wire rack and decorate with powdered sugar (optional)

Notes:

• The Bishop´s Bread will keep for up to two days if wrapped well.
• Chopped candied fruit can be added instead of the raisins.
• The cake pan that I used is a so-called "saddle-of-venison cake pan" (Rehrücken in Geman) but you can use a pound cake pan as well - if you would like to order it, you can find it online. 

Like every year, our kids lined up their big winter boots last night and this morning, the boots miraculously were filled with cookies, fruits, nuts and a few small gifts. And, of course, milk chocolate coins - St. Nicholas is famous for his many acts of charity, one of which involved a poor distraught man who had three daughters and who couldn´t provide a proper dowry. As St. Nicholas learned of the plight, he came to their aid by throwing three small sacks of money through their window while they slept. The story sometimes includes the detail that the sacks landed in the womens' shoes... And I baked some traditional Kruidnoten (my recipe can be found here) that "doubled-up" with a lovely of layer of homemade marzipan (my recipe can be found here).

Have a nice St. Nicholas` Day! Euch allen einen schönen Nikolaustag!

5. Day of December - Sinterklass & Speculaas-Apple-Tarte (Spekulatius-Apfel-Tarte)

For most children in The Netherlands, the most important day during December is today, December 5th, when Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas) brings them their presents. St. Nicholas' day is on the 6th December, but in The Netherlands, the major celebrations are held on the 5th of December.

It all starts on the second Saturday of November when Sinterklaas travels to a city or town in The Netherlands. Dutch tradition says that St. Nicholas lives in Madrid, Spain and every year he chooses a different harbour to arrive in Holland, so as many children as possible get a chance to see him. When Sinterklaas comes ashore from the steam boat, all of the local church bells ring in celebration. Sinterklaas, dressed in his red robes, leads a procession through the town, riding a white horse. Every town in The Netherlands has a few Sinterklaas helpers, dressed the same as Sinterklaas who help give the presents out.

The evening of December 5th is called "St. Nicholas’ Eve" or „Sinterklaasavond“. Sinterklaas parties are often held on St. Nicholas' Eve with many special treats and sweets. One type of cookie that is eaten at the parties are Dutch Spice Nuts or „Kruidnoten“ (my recipe can be found here), with lots of warm spices. In order to celebrate Sinterklass in style, I am posting a recipe for a „Speculaas Apple Tart“ today, combining the elements of the famous Dutch Speculaas cookies, the almond paste (amandelspijs) and apples -  enjoy!

Speculaas-Apple-Tart for Sinterklass

Ingredients

• 200 g self-raising flour (if you cannot get self-rising flour, you can mix the flour with 1 ½ tsp baking instead)
• 150 g dark brown sugar (such as the Dutch donkerbruine basterdsuiker or Billington's unrefined dark Muscovado sugar)
• 1 ½ tbsps speculaaskruiden or Speculaas Spice Mix (my recipe can be found here and here)
• a pinch of fine sea salt
• 150 g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 3 medium winter baking apples (preferably a local variety)
• 250 g amandelspijs or Almond Paste (my recipe can be found here)
• 15 g slithered almonds
• 3 tbsps. clear apple jelly (preferably homemade) 

In addition

• a baking pan or tart pan with removable bottom 24 cm (9.5 inches)

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, speculaas spice mix and the salt.
2. Add the butter to the flour mixture – if you think that your dough does not hold together well, you can add one or two tablespoons of cold water.
3. Wrap your dough in food wrap and place in the fridge for a good hour.
4. Prepare your baking pan – butter and flour and shake out the excess flour. If you prefer, you can line the bottom of your baking pan with parchment paper.
5. Take the dough out ot the fridge and roll out on a well-floured work surface.
6. Fit the dough into your prepared baking pan.
7. Pre-heat your oven to 175 °C (345°F).
8. Peel the apples, cut in quarters and core and cut each quarter into thin slices.
9. Line the dough with the amandelspijs (almond paste) and place the apple slices on top.
10. Bake the tart for 40 to 45 minutes.
11. Transfer to a cooling rack and heat the apple jelly. Brush the apple jelly over the tart and top with slithered almonds.
12. Enjoy warm or at room temperature – if wrapped well, tart keeps for a day or two.

Whether you are celebrating Sinterclaas today or not, you should really give this Speculaas-Apple-Tart a try – it is sensational. It combines such wonderful flavors as the Speculaas spices, the almond paste and wonderful winter apples in the most delicious of ways – you could not ask for a better way to celebrate the arrival of St.Nicholas!

Een fijne sinterklaas!

Please make sure to drop by again tomorrow when we will open our sixth special surprise in my virtual Advent Calendar! You will be in for another treat!

4. Day of December - St. Barbara´s Cake (Barbarakuchen)

Today marks the fourth day of December and in parts of France and Germany  St. Barbara's Day, or as we call it, Barbartag, on December 4, is considered to mark the beginning of the Christmas season. According to legend, Barbara, the daughter of a rich pagan, was carefully guarded by her father who kept her locked up in a tower in order to to shield her from outside influences.

German-speaking countries celebrate the tradition of the St. Barbara's branch, or as we call it the Barbarazweig.  The original folklore was that unmarried girls cut twigs from cherry trees and forced them into bloom. There is an old belief that if the twig blossoms on Christmas Eve, the girl will be married the following year. The practice of forcing the blooms on the cherry tree twigs comes from a legend that while St. Barbara was locked in her tower, she felt lonely. She found a dried up cherry tree branch which she watered daily with a few drops from her drinking water and it is said to have flowered on the day of her untimely death.

To this day, this is a nice decoration for your home during the winter season. Branches from other flowering plants or trees may be used, such as apple, forsythia, plum, lilac, or chestnut but cherry is the preferred.

On a day with mild temperatures, pick branches that have swollen buds and cut stems. Crush the ends of the branches, and submerge in a tub of cool, not icy, water for several hours. Place the branches in a large vase of water. For a few days, leave the branches in a cool area. As the buds begin to swell bring the branches into a warm room, but not in direct heat and when the blooms appear, place the branches in a sunny window. Change water every two days. Thin branches force more quickly than thick ones – it will take from one to four weeks for the brach to bloom.

In my pictures I placed the branch from our cherry tree next to a small version of the St.Barbara´s Cake, or Barbarakuchen as we call it in German. This is an old traditional German cake recipe that makes a lovely lemon-flavored cake to go with a cup of coffee or some lovely tea on the feast of St. Barbara.

St. Barbara's Cake - Barbarakuchen

Ingredients for the Cake

• 200 g unsalted butter, room temperature, plus some to flour the baking pan(s)
• 250 g superfine baking sugar
• the grated zest from one organic lemon
• 4 eggs (M), organic or free range
• 125 g AP (plain) flour, plus some to flour the baking pan(s)
• 125 g corn starch
• 2 tsps baking powder
• a pinch of fine sea salt

Ingredients for the Icing

• 150 g powdered sugar
• 2 - 3 tbsps freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 180 ° C (356° F) or 160° C (320° F ) for convection ovens.
2. Butter and flour your loaf pan(s). NOTE: I use one large one (30 x 11 cm or 11 x 4 inches) or five small ones (11 x 7 cm or 4 x 2 inches).
3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, corn starch, baking powder, and salt.
4. In another bowl, using a mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, 8 minutes.
5. Add zest, then eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down bowl as needed.
6. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in two additions, beat until combined.
7. Transfer batter to prepared pan(s) – the pans should be about 2/3 full.
8. Bake until the cakes spring back when lightly touched or a skewer inserted in center comes out clean, depending on the size of your pans, that will take about 40 to 45 minutes for the small and about 55 to 60 minutes for the large.
9. Let cool in pan(s) on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet, for about 30 minutes. NOTE: Setting the racks in a rimmed baking sheet will make sure that any excess glaze will drip onto the baking sheets instead of your counter.
10. Remove loaf or loaves from pan(s) and let cool completely on rack.
11. Whisk powdered sugar and about 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice to make glaze.
12. Drizzle over the loaf cake(s) and let stand until set (that will take about 30 – 60 minutes, depending on how thick your glaze is).

The loaf shape of the finished St. Barbara´s cake is said to be reminiscent of the tower that Barbara was locked in by her father. This cake is traditionally glazed with this thick powdered sugar and lemon juice glaze but I have also seen a version in Bavaria, where the cake was glazed with dark chocolate instead.

Instead of baking the St. Barbara´s Cake in a large loaf pan,  you can use individual small ones like I did (this recipe yields five small loaf cakes OR one large one) – that way you can give a small version of the St. Barbara´s Cake as a gift, maybe along with a small branch from a tree in your garden or from your trusted florist. And really, while this cake is perfect for Decmber 4 and baking in honor of the feast of St. Barbara, it is wonderful any time of the year.

Please make sure to drop by again tomorrow when we will open our fifth special surprise in my virtual Advent Calendar and travel to a different European country!