Lebkuchen (elisenlebkuchen)

I received this recipe when I lived in Germany.  I fell in love with lebkuchen and although this isn't your traditional baked German treat, it definitely hits the spot baked at home.  Plus, those that have issues with gluten can also indulge in these as there isn't any flour involved.  This recipe also makes a smaller batch than many cookies.  Lebkuchen is traditionally sold during the Christmas season and then those shops which had it are turned into other things (like ice cream shops for the summer season).  There are as many different kinds of lebkuchen as you can possibly think up, so feel free to change things up to satisfy your cravings for other flavors.  If you live close to a German market you can buy oblaten which are little edible discs you can eat and makes the lebkuchen a lot easier to get off the pan.  If you don't have them I would recommend baking on parchment paper or a silicon mat as they can get quite sticky without something under then to release them for eating.



Elisenlebkuchen
3 eggs
1 cup sugar (200g)
1 package vanilla sugar (or 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
1-2 pinches of cloves
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon rum flavoring
2 -5 drops lemon extract
1/3 cup candy glazed citron (you can use lemon or orange if you can't find citron)
2/3 cup ground almonds
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup ground hazelnuts
8-10 oblaten



Preheat the oven to 375F. Beat the eggs and then add sugar and vanilla sugar (if using).  Mix together until it is light and creamy.  Add the cloves, rum flavoring, and lemon extract and mix.  Then add the candy glazed citron, almonds, and backing powder and mix again.  Then add the hazelnuts, mix and then the dough to settle so it is easy to spread.  Check the consistency and add a little more ground hazelnuts if it spreads too easily.  Put the dough on the oblaten discs and back for 10 minutes.  Let cool and then decorate with chocolate and whole almonds if desired.

Finnish Nut Logs (PÄHKINÄLEIVÄ)

Christmas cookie season is upon us!  My family has a lot of traditions as far as the Christmas cookie goes, but this year my focus has been on Scandinavian items.  The raspberry ribbons was the first of them and this Finnish Nut Log is the next in the series of new cookies.  Of course I will probably have to make Lebkuchen (a German cookie) just because it is a favorite of my husband and mine.  So you can look forward to seeing that recipe coming soon!  At any rate, the holiday season is a great time to try new things to add to the tried and true recipes.  Since Thanksgiving is literally tomorrow, this quick recipe can be one made to supplement the plethora of pies that are being made in my home and yours.

This recipe starts from a butter cookie recipe found on the raspberry ribbon page.   After the dough has been refrigerated for at least 30 minutes, then you can continue with the outside piece of this cookie.

Finnish Nut Logs (PÄHKINÄLEIVÄ)
Butter Cookie Dough
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup finely chopped and toasted almonds
2 tablespoons vanilla sugar

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Place parchment paper on a baking sheet.  Divide the cookie dough into four pieces.  Roll each between your hands to form a rope.  It should be about a half inch across.  Cut into 1 1/2 each pieces.  In a small bowl combine the sugar and the almonds.  Roll the cookie logs into the beaten egg yolk, then dip into the sugar and almond mixture.  Place about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.  Bake for about 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.  Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Pistachio Almond Cigars

I was asked to bring a dessert to a dinner party.  I am over dessert.  I used to eat a lot of sweets, but now I really enjoy eating my dinner with multiple dishes or an appetizer with dinner.  I very rarely eat something for dessert and don't bake sweets very often.  Part of that is because my husband doesn't eat much sweets either and therefore there is always too much food.  Of course our co-workers never have a problem with accepting and eating up those sweet leftovers.  At any rate, I needed to find a dessert that would go with shasuska, so I opened up my middle eastern cookbooks...and I found this recipe for Pistachio Almond Cigars.  It satisfied my desire to have something at least based on healthier choices (nuts), but of course it still is not good for you since it is fried.  Sometimes you need to live a little and enjoy it.

This recipe is based off the Sweet filo cigar recipe in Jerusalem by Ottolenghi and Tamimi.  If you have not checked out their Ottolenghi, Plenty or Jerusalem cookbooks, you should.  One day I will eat in their restaurant...but that will have to wait until another trip.

 Pistachio and Almond Cigars
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup pistachios, unsalted
6 tablespoons water
1/2 cup vanilla sugar
1 large organic egg, separated
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (unwaxed)
filo pastry, cut into 6 inch squares or rectangles
safflower oil for frying
1/2 cup honey
extra nuts for garnish (sprinkled on top)

Finely chop the almonds and pistachios....I used a mortar and pestle, but you can use a small electric chopper for a finer (and quicker) crumb.  Pour nuts into a pan with 5 tablespoons water and vanilla sugar.  Cook over low heat until the sugar has dissolved.  Remove from heat.  Once a bit cool (so as not to cook the egg), add the egg yolk and lemon zest.  Stir.

Assemble: Take your filo squares and spread about a tablespoon in a strip closest to you.  Then roll together after folding in the sides.  Seal with a little of the egg white (which you should lightly beat before applying).  Continue this until all of your rolls have been made.  Heat oil in a pan and fry the cigars over medium-heat heat.  Be careful not to have too high heat or you will burn your cigars.  Fry quickly until each side is golden; remove from oil to a plate covered with paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Once cool, place on a platter.  Drizzle with honey and extra nuts.  (They will have better flavor if you lightly toast them before sprinkling on top.  Best eaten the same day.  Makes about 15 cigars depending on how full they are filled.

Pistachio Cardamom Cake

I have been reading David Lebovitz blog for several years now.  I don't always keep up, but he is a charismatic writer and captures the essence of places and food well.  I finally broke down and bought his book, Ready for Dessert.  The recipe is adapted from his book.  More recently, I have become intrigued by cardamom.  In a way this is somewhat unfortunately as my husband doesn't care for it much, but even he was impressed by this cake.  It was also surprising due to the fact that neither of us really care much for cake.  This little cake left many people with a wonderful impression not only of cardamom, but of all the flavors and crunch.

Pistachio Cardamom Cake

Almond topping:
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
3/4 sliced almonds

Cake:
3/4 cup shelled pistachios
1 cup flour, plus 1-2 tablespoons
2 teaspoons cardamom seeds, crushed in a mortar and pestle
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs (large)
1 teaspoon baking powder
salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Melt butter,then add to.  I used a spring form to be able to release it easier later.  (Be careful that the butter doesn't escape in your edges of the spring form pan (you may want to bake with a pan below it to catch any liquid which releases).  Stir in vanilla sugar and top evenly with almonds.

Blend together pulverized pistachios and 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon of the flour.  Add the crushed cardamom.  Set this mixture aside.  In a mixer,  cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time until fully mixed in.  Whisk together the rest of the flour, baking powder and salt.  Add to the creamed butter and sugar mixture.  Stir in the pistachio/cardamom mixture to the flour and creamed butter mixture.  Stir until just combined.  Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.  Smooth the batter evenly across.

Bake for about 40 minutes or until the cake is bake through and does't stick to a toothpick.  Let cool and then invert and place on a serving plate.  Let cool completely.  Serves about 10.

Chocolate Pistachio, Almond, Cherry Bark

Chocolate Pistachio, Almond, Cherry Bark

The past couple of days, I have been craving baked goods.  I wanted to bake bread yesterday, but didn't have all the ingredients.  I wanted to bake cookies, but couldn't decide on which one and my butter was still in the freezer.

This is a simple recipe based on a recipe from Ready for Dessert by David Lebovitz.  You basically can make any type of bark that you desire.  I happen to love sour cherries and chocolate and have posted a granola recipe based on these two ingredients: http://invitedtodinner.blogspot.com/2012/02/homemade-granola.html  I also love the combination of apricots and chocolate, so will have to experiment with which nuts go well with those two.  To make it prettier and so people know what they are eating, I sprinkled some pistachios on top along with the sea salt.  The sea salt is not necessary if you are not a fan of chocolate and sea salt, but it brings the top alive and enhances the sweet and salty combination.

Chocolate Pistachio, Almond, Cherry Bark
Semisweet chocolate - about a pound
1/3 cup or more toasted whole almonds
1/4 cup toasted pistachios
1/3 dried sour cherries
Sea salt

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler until just about melted.   Stir in the toasted nuts and cherries until everything is coated.  Pour onto a cookie sheet which has been lined with plastic wrap. Sprinkle sea salt and some of the nuts and cherries on top. Chill in refrigerator until cool.  Break and eat.