Pfeffernusse
All the traditional flavours of Christmas time in one little cute ball of a cookie which also has a little heat in there with the pepper. The English translation of pfeffernusse is pepper nuts.
Johann Fleischmann, a confectioner from Offenbach am Main created the recipe in 1753. Goethe the German poet and playwright, praised the cookies. Felix Mendelssohn went to Offenbach am Main especially to buy them as he declared he could no longer conduct properly without some of the treats. They were very expensive when first created due to the exotic spices.
Different parts of Europe now make these with their own additions and always around Christmas time. You may expect to see peppermint added, citrus peel, chopped nuts etc. We added the lemon flavour by adding a glaze and it is delicious, though you could leave that off and just dust in icing sugar. Whichever way you go, we think you will enjoy these pepper nuts...Merry Christmas.
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Need
-
The cookies
- 120 Grams butter cubed BUY
- 120 Grams dark brown sugar
- 80 Grams molasses
- 80 Grams honey
- 2 Teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 Teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 Teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 Teaspoon anise extract
- 1/2 Teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 Teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1/2 Teaspoon fresh nutmeg
- 1 Pinch pink salt flakes BUY
- 1 eggs
- 350 Grams bakers or strong flour
- 1/2 Teaspoon baking soda
-
The Glaze
- 120 Grams Ten Times sugar (icing sugar) sifted Recipe
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon water
-
The Rest
- 1 Cup Ten Times sugar (icing sugar) for dusting Recipe
Do
- 1
Place butter, sugar, molasses and honey into the Thermomix bowl. Melt 5 min/90°C/speed 2.
- 2
Add spices and salt. Cook 8 min/Varoma/speed 2. Cool completely.
- 3
Insert Butterfly and add egg. Whisk 3 min/Butterfly/speed 3. Remove Butterfly.
- 4
Add flour and baking soda and combine 30 sec/Interval.
- 5
Tip dough out onto flour dusted silicone bread mat. Flatten and wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
- 6
Preheat oven to 170°C. Line 2 baking trays with paper.
- 7
Roll cookie dough into small balls (roughly 15 grams) and place on trays. Bake 1 tray at a time for 8-10 minutes. Until they are firm to touch and just starting to crack. Cool.
- 8
To make the glaze, combine ingredients in a small bowl with a whisk.
- 9
Dip each cookie into the glaze and allow to set on a lined tray.
- 10
Once set, roll cookies in the icing sugar and store in separate layers in the freezer until service.
Served with
Bree is a mum who has always loved cooking and baking and became a big Tenina fan when she got her first Thermomix. She was on the very first foodie trip as a customer and hasn't looked back, working for Tenina for over 5 years as a recipe tester and developer, branching out into video master for all of Tenina's lives! She still runs her baking business, creating amazing cakes and macarons for her customer list.
