Showing posts with label Cookie Bitching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cookie Bitching. Show all posts
Sunday, December 04, 2011
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
Cookies Delivered
I was a good boy today, travelled through the heaping snow and brought my mother the Christmas cookies. She was already worried and thought with me having to travel to India this weekend, there will be no time for the cookies. She's relieved now.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Cookie Bitching 2010
Yes Michelle, I'm on it, that is Christmas baking is already done.
There will be a trip to India next week and we will embark to Los Angeles on December 22 to celebrate Christmas and New Year with Toño's relatives. So I was forced to begin early in Advent with the traditional Christmas baking. And yes, I baked exactly the same as last year.
This at the bottom is pear bread and I usually make that in November as soon as the dried figs from İzmir are available. But was a bit late this year so I got a combined baking frenzy.
There will be a trip to India next week and we will embark to Los Angeles on December 22 to celebrate Christmas and New Year with Toño's relatives. So I was forced to begin early in Advent with the traditional Christmas baking. And yes, I baked exactly the same as last year.
This at the bottom is pear bread and I usually make that in November as soon as the dried figs from İzmir are available. But was a bit late this year so I got a combined baking frenzy.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Chräbeli
Chräbeli translate to small scratches (the German speaking part of Switzerland uses the diminutive extensively). Probably the name is derived from the serrated shape of the cookies, which might cause scratches. But who cares, I like them because of their aniseed flavour and they are really easy to make.
Ingredients:
Mix sugar and eggs for about half an hour. Add anise, baking powder and cherry brandy (optional). Sieve flower onto the mixture and mix carefully.
Roll dough to finger-thick rolls. Cut diagonally into 5-7 cm long pieces. On a long-side, make 2-3 diagonal incisions. Bend to a slight horseshoe shape.
Put on a baking tray (with baking paper or greased and flour dusted) and let them rest at a warm place over night.
Bake at low heat (about 120°C/248°F) for 30 minutes. The top has to remain white. On the bottom little "feet" have to grow. If the feet don't appear, they need to rest a bit longer.
Source: Cookbook of the Cooking School Winterthur, published 1949
Ingredients:
- 500g caster sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 tbsp aniseed
- a pinch baking powder
- tbsp cherry brandy (optional)
- 460 - 500 g flour
Mix sugar and eggs for about half an hour. Add anise, baking powder and cherry brandy (optional). Sieve flower onto the mixture and mix carefully.
Roll dough to finger-thick rolls. Cut diagonally into 5-7 cm long pieces. On a long-side, make 2-3 diagonal incisions. Bend to a slight horseshoe shape.
Put on a baking tray (with baking paper or greased and flour dusted) and let them rest at a warm place over night.
Bake at low heat (about 120°C/248°F) for 30 minutes. The top has to remain white. On the bottom little "feet" have to grow. If the feet don't appear, they need to rest a bit longer.
Source: Cookbook of the Cooking School Winterthur, published 1949
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Pimp My Cookie Bitching
When I went to buy the ingredients for the pear bread at Schwarzenbach, I accidentally met Aldo, who secretly showed me his newest acquisition: a professional star cutter.
Well, facing Cookie Bitching 2008, I could not resist the temptation to obtain one of this flabbergasting tools for myself.
Only Toño did not entirely share my exuberance. So far, I heavily relied on his Zen like qualities to cut cinnamon stars with the necessary calmness. It's a sticky and hideous dough. However, with the star cutter even I can deal with it without preceding weeks of meditation.
Well, facing Cookie Bitching 2008, I could not resist the temptation to obtain one of this flabbergasting tools for myself.
Only Toño did not entirely share my exuberance. So far, I heavily relied on his Zen like qualities to cut cinnamon stars with the necessary calmness. It's a sticky and hideous dough. However, with the star cutter even I can deal with it without preceding weeks of meditation.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Frantically Cookie Bitching
I was late, it was intensive, however, Cookie Bitching 2007 is accomplished.
On Friday, I started with the ones for my clan. It took 24 hours to get those done. I was still baking when the guests arrived for Saturday's dinner party*.
Then on Sunday, we had the traditional Swiss Rover Cookie Contest. These were the winner cookies (unfortunately not mine):
We were so knocked out, we had to skip a Christmas party on Sunday night. This is a first.
* Luckily, the guests brought the food - the kitchen was quite a mess.
On Friday, I started with the ones for my clan. It took 24 hours to get those done. I was still baking when the guests arrived for Saturday's dinner party*.
Then on Sunday, we had the traditional Swiss Rover Cookie Contest. These were the winner cookies (unfortunately not mine):
We were so knocked out, we had to skip a Christmas party on Sunday night. This is a first.
* Luckily, the guests brought the food - the kitchen was quite a mess.
Friday, September 21, 2007
15 minutes of fame?
Well I'm the Cookie Bitch of my family but it seems that this starts to pay off or at least that some my cookies get their well deserved 15 minutes of fame.
Vinum, Europe's Wine Magazine, is planing a special on Asti Spumante. This light effervescent wine from Italy's Piedmont region serves well as a dessert wine. Thus Vinum plans to publish recipes of sweets that go well with Asti Spumante.
I've put six of my cookie recipes into the competition for publication, some of which go back to my grand-grandmother.
This week, the specialists went for the tasting for the perfect match. All I know so far is that my angel-like cinnamon stars don't go well with the wine but that others might make it into the magazine. Now I have to wait until November.
Vinum, Europe's Wine Magazine, is planing a special on Asti Spumante. This light effervescent wine from Italy's Piedmont region serves well as a dessert wine. Thus Vinum plans to publish recipes of sweets that go well with Asti Spumante.
I've put six of my cookie recipes into the competition for publication, some of which go back to my grand-grandmother.
This week, the specialists went for the tasting for the perfect match. All I know so far is that my angel-like cinnamon stars don't go well with the wine but that others might make it into the magazine. Now I have to wait until November.
Friday, December 01, 2006
Cookie Bitching 2006
Yes, it's the same procedure as every year. I'm the Christmas cookie bitch of my family and I've fulfilled my duty again (with big support from my deriously beloved Toño). This is me while bitching:
And this is what I was bitching about:
Cinnamon Stars
The most tedious of all. They are sticky. Cutting them out is very close to Zazen. The trick to get them really white, is to use almonds that where peeled before they were grounded.
Chocolate Stars
According to a recipe that was created by my mother.
Nut Heaps
This recipe goes back to my grand-grandmother.
Dead Man's Legs
My godfather's favourites
Chräbeli (Scratches)
Only correct with tiny little "feet".
The season's thing can come now. We're ready. Bring in the big snow.
And this is what I was bitching about:
Cinnamon Stars
The most tedious of all. They are sticky. Cutting them out is very close to Zazen. The trick to get them really white, is to use almonds that where peeled before they were grounded.
Chocolate Stars
According to a recipe that was created by my mother.
Nut Heaps
This recipe goes back to my grand-grandmother.
Dead Man's Legs
My godfather's favourites
Chräbeli (Scratches)
Only correct with tiny little "feet".
The season's thing can come now. We're ready. Bring in the big snow.
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Cookie Bitching
A colleague of mine has once called me the cookie bitch of my family. According to his theory, every family has one. It is the person, which makes the Christmas cookies. Whatever, this weekend it was again time for cookie bitching at Gomad Mansion™. The process is very simple. One takes this:
...and turns it into this:
This year, my bitching could be limited to the absolute minimum, because Gatín took over the cutting of the cinnamon and chocolate stars. He is much more patient than I am when it comes to handling delicate matters.
...and turns it into this:
This year, my bitching could be limited to the absolute minimum, because Gatín took over the cutting of the cinnamon and chocolate stars. He is much more patient than I am when it comes to handling delicate matters.
Thursday, December 09, 2004
Advantageous Nut Piles
I'm the responsible person for the Xmas cookie production in my family (the cookie bitch as ABS calls it). My favourite recipe goes back to my great-grandmothers. It fulfils five important requirements of cookie baking: (1) resourceful, (2) fast, (3) easy, (4) cookies taste good, (5) contains booze. Unfortunately, they don't look very pretty. But who cares, when the recipes has so many advantages. Let's start:
- 500 g of sugar
- 3 eggs
- 250 g of ground walnuts
- 250 g of ground hazelnuts
- Kirsch
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