Pfeffernusse

Pfeffernusse
Source: Maida Heatter's Brand-New Book of Great Cookies (Random House, 1995 ed.), pg. 179.

I had no idea what these cookies would be like because, as in most of Maida Heatter's books, there are no photos. In her introduction to the recipe, she says that they are traditional German cookies usually made at Christmas. The name means "pepper-nuts". This is how you pronounce it.

I tried one after making them and they reminded me of something. I asked Michael to try one and he immediately said "Oh my God, these are Windmill cookies like my mother loved!" That was it! I had forgotten all about Windmill cookies but remembered them as soon as he said it. These hard, crisp  spicy cookies are flecked with almonds throughout. 

You should know that the dough will have to be refrigerated for at least 3 hours before you roll them out and bake them. You can leave the dough in the refrigerator as long as you want, until you are ready to make them. If you don't want to wait 3 hours, you can freeze for an hour but don't leave them in the freezer longer than that or the dough will crack easily. 

1/2 lb. (1 2/3 cups) blanched (skinned) hazelnuts or almonds
4 cups sifted unbleached flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. finely ground black pepper or white pepper
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. dry powdered mustard
1/4 tsp. ground mace
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
10 oz. (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter (softened)
1 1/4 packed cups light brown sugar
1/4 cup mild honey
1/3 cup warm water
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Toast the nuts in a shallow pan in 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes, until they are lightly toasted. Set aside to cool.

Place the nuts and 1/4 cup of the flour (reserving the remaining 3 3/4 cups) in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse 3 or 4 times until the nuts are medium-fine. Then process for about 5 seconds until the nuts are about the size of uncooked rice grains. Set aside.

Sift together the reserved flour with the salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mustard, mace and cardamom. Set aside.

 
     

Beat the butter until smooth.

Add the sugar, beating until mixed.

Mix in the honey.

Reserve 2 tablespoons of the water and add the rest to the mixing bowl.

Beat well. The mixture will look curdled.

In a small cup, add the baking soda to the 2 tablespoons of water that you reserved earlier. Mix to dissolve.

Add the baking soda and water to the batter.

On low speed, add the sifted dry ingredients.

Beat in the nuts.

Divide the dough into 3 pieces and wrap each one in a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper.

Flatten the dough to about a 1" thickness. Refrigerate at least 3 hours (you can leave in there longer if you want to wait and bake the cookies later). You can also freeze the dough but do not leave it in the freezer longer than 1 hour.

Baking the Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Unwrap a piece of the dough and divide it in half. Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.

Use a large, round cookie-cutter and start cutting the cookies from the outer edges of the rolled-out dough. Place about an inch apart on the lined cookie sheets. You can roll up the remaining pieces of dough to make more cookies.

Bake for about 14-18 minutes, reversing the sheets halfway through baking. Bake until the cookies are golden. Cool briefly on cooling racks until they are firm enough to be moved. The cookies can be stored for weeks in an airtight container.

Texas Fruitcake

Texas Fruitcake
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1999 ed.), pg. 76.

This is the first time I've ever made a fruitcake and I have to admit that I haven't been a fan of fruitcake in the past. Actually, it is not something that I have eaten a lot of and I don't ever recall my mother buying or making it. I was also influenced by the reputation that fruitcake has and we all know that it is widely panned. 

This is quite good and it is a recipe that I would make again. It is loaded with fruits and nuts. This is best served cold. I followed the recipe ingredients exactly except for two things - I used a combination of candied orange and lemon peel instead of just orange and I used some candied cherries since I didn't have enough pineapple. Maida mentions that diced candied ginger is also good. You can vary the fruit and nut ingredients to your liking. Great for the holidays!

It is helpful to have two mixer bowls ready before you start the recipe since you will be mixing the egg white mixture separately. For egg whites, I always chill the bowl and whisk in the freezer.

8 oz. (1 cup) pitted dates, left whole
1 cup cut-up candied orange peel, cut in 1/2 inch pieces, tightly packed
1 cup (4 to 5 slices) candied pineapple, each slide cut into 8 to 10 wedges
1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
8 oz. (2 1/2 cups) mixed walnut and pecan halves, left whole
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 TBS. bourbon        

Adjust oven rack 1/3 from the bottom and preheat to 325 degrees. Butter or spray a 9x5x3 loaf pan.

Line the pan with foil. Cut 2 strips, one for the length of the pan and other for the width.

The second strip will overlap the first. Brush the foil with melted butter or spray. Dust with bread crumbs.

  

The fruit you use can be a variety but the amount should be equal to those shown in the recipe.

Place the fruits in a large bowl and use 2 tablespoons of the flour (reserving the rest) and toss the fruit with your fingers to coat each piece of the fruit.

Add the nuts.

Toss the nuts with the fruit.

Sift the remaining flour with the baking powder and set aside.

Place the egg yolks in a mixer bowl.

Remove and reserve 2 tablespoons of the sugar.

Add the remaining sugar to the egg yolks and beat for about 5 minutes
until the mixture is very light.

Lower the mixer speed and add the vanilla.

Add the bourbon.

Add the sifted dry ingredients, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a
rubber spatula to ensure that it mixes well.

Add the egg whites in a separate mixing bowl. To beat egg whites, I always use the whisk attachment and chill it and the bowl beforehand.

Add the 2 tablespoons of sugar that you reserved earlier.

Beat the egg whites until they hold a shape but are not dry.

Fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Don't overdo and deflate the egg whites.

Pour the batter over the nuts and fruit.

Fold the ingredients together.

Transfer to the loaf pan.

Place a piece of plastic wrap over the pan.

Press it down firmly.

Remove the plastic wrap.

Bake for 75 to 90 minutes. During the last 30 minutes, place a piece of foil over
the top to prevent burning. The cake is done when it is semi-firm to the touch.
Let it cool in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes before removing it.

Invert the cake and carefully remove the foil. Use another rack to invert the cake right side up.

After the cake has cooled completely, wrap it well, and refrigerate for a few hours. You can also freeze it if you wish to serve it at a later date. When you are ready to serve it, turn the cake upside down to slice it and use a very sharp knife. Cut with a sawing motion. This cake is difficult to cut in very thin slices. Serve the cake cold.

Christmas Fruitcake Bars

Christmas Fruitcake Bars
Source: Maida Heatter's Cookies (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1997 ed.), pg. 139 (page 139 of 2011 edition).

These are thin fruitcake bars that can be wrapped individually in cellophane for gift-gifting and they are good for mailing. The bars will be very thin. For the candied fruit, you can use anything you'd like. I used green and red candied cherries and candied pineapple. You could also use the mixed candied fruit. These bars are very pretty and tasty.

6 oz. (1 1/2 cups) walnuts, coarsely chopped
5 oz. (1 cup) raisins
8 oz. (1 cup, packed) pitted dates, cut in large pieces
8 to 10 oz. (generous 1 cup) candied fruit
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Finely grated rind of 1 large, deep-colored orange
Confectioners sugar

Makes 32 bars

Adjust oven rack to center of oven and preheat to 325. Butter or spray a 10 1/2 x 15 1/2 x 1 inch jelly-roll pan. 

Place the walnuts, raisins, dates and candied fruit in a large mixing bowl.

Add 1/4 cup of the flour (reserving the remaining 3/4 cup) and toss the fruit and nuts with your fingers until they are all evenly coated. Set aside.

Beat the eggs just to mix.

Add the salt, sugar and vanilla and mix.

On low speed, add the remaining flour and mix well.

Stir in the orange rind.

Pour the batter over the fruit and nuts.

Mix well.

  

Transfer to  the prepared pan.

Ready for the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden brown.

Cool completely in the pan.

Cut around the edges to loosen the cake from the pan. Use a flat board or cooling rack to invert the pan upside down to remove. Invert again to turn right side up. Place on wax paper or cutting board.

Sprinkle confectioners sugar over the top.

Use a sharp knife to cut the cake into bars.