What we probably don't think about is that sweets similar to cookies have a long, colorful history, going back at least as far as medieval times. Then, the solstice was celebrated with rituals and feasts to mark the change of the seasons.
By the Middle Ages, Christmas was gradually replacing those celebrations through most of Europe, though the feasting continued. Also, different sweets were being developed, with new ingredients like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and black pepper, as well as exotic fruits like citron, apricots and dates. Molasses was popular as a sweetener since sugar was costly.
The earliest examples of cookies similar to what we know came with the Dutch and German immigrants in the early 17th century. Then in the mid-1800s, Germans brought cookie cutters and wooden molds (think German springerle), adding a new dimension to baking. Not only did they bring new shapes, but new recipes, as well, as did those arriving from Scandinavia and Italy.
Today, many of these are part of our Christmas baking — rosettes, spritz, pfeffernusse, pizzelles and more. You likely have some of them in your holiday baking repertoire, handed down through the generations, with a few changes here and there.
Though you are probably already well into your holiday baking, this new batch of submissions are worth a look. You might find a new favorite.
Diana Whitcomb submitted this recipe for what she calls Russian Tea Cakes, also known as Mexican wedding cakes. Whatever you call them, they melt in your mouth. Whitcomb got this recipe came from a co-worker friend 30 years ago, and she has made them every year since. They are tender and delicious. (My advice: Don't wear anything black when you eat these.)
Russian Tea Cakes
Mix together:
1 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla
Sift together and stir into the butter mixture:
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Then mix in:
3/4 cups finely chopped nuts, like pecans
Chill dough for several hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Bottoms will be slightly brown. While still warm, roll in powdered sugar; cool. Roll in powdered sugar again.
You'd be hard-pressed to find a cookie baker who doesn't make sugar cookie cutouts this time of year. They can be cut thick or thin, frosted or unfrosted. Regardless, they're a favorite. This recipe from Cheri Hann, of Rochester, is one she made every Christmas with her grandmother.
Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies
1 cup sugar
3 cups sifted flour
1 cup shortening
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
In a bowl, mix the sugar, flour, salt and shortening like pastry. Add egg, buttermilk, baking soda, salt and vanilla. Roll out on a lightly floured surface, cut into shapes, and bake 12 minutes in a 350-degree oven.
Kari Jadin writes that using brown butter adds a special, distinctive depth of flavor to baking recipes. She created this cookie to feature the flavor of browned butter, along with warm citrus, maple and spice flavors, "often enjoyed in holiday recipes."
Orange-Spiced Brown Butter Cookies
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar, divided
Zest of one orange
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups flour
To prepare brown butter: Place butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until butter has turned dark brown, about 10 minutes. Butter will foam and bubble. Take off heat, cool slightly and transfer to a heat-proof bowl. Scrape and retain any black bits accumulated on bottom of pan. Chill butter until it begins to solidify. It should be soft enough to beat with sugar.
Now put brown butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, 1/2 cup white sugar and orange zest in a large bowl. Cream until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Dough will be crumbly. Turn out onto a piece of parchment paper. Use your hands to form dough into a 2-inch-diameter log. Wrap dough log in parchment paper and chill in refrigerator at least two hours before baking.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment sheets. Slice cookies into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Dip in reserved 1/4 cup sugar and place on prepared baking sheets. Bake one sheet at a time until cookies appear set, about 15 minutes. Cool on sheets set on cooling racks 10 minutes before transferring cookies to racks to cool completely.
Post Bulletin food writer Holly Ebel knows what’s cookin’. Send comments or story tips to life@postbulletin.com.
The Link LonkDecember 14, 2020 at 06:23PM
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Cookie Contest Week 3: Tea cakes, cutouts and brown butter - PostBulletin.com
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