Family traditions: four German Christmas cookies

December is here!
It’s a challenge to adapt to the new speed after months of work and frenzy! However the long desired holidays have arrived and with it a calmer rhythm of our days and a better planning of family time, starting with the preparation of the German cookies, which are a sweet temptation in any German household, proudly displayed in jars and trays during gatherings before the Christmas holidays.

Matthias’ mum, Agathe, is the real master of these treats! She bakes a dozen of different kinds, stores them carefully in organized boxes and prepares amazing presents, packing each variety individually, with a precision that could dwarf the ability of a pastry chef!

Matthias selected four of his favourites for this year’s baking and I have gladly assisted him during the preparation, listening to his childhood memories.
I’m sure you’ll forgive this northern digression of this blog of Tuscan recipes, as I’m very proud to make Matthias’ roots somehow my own.

Timing seems to be perfect, in case you decide to bake these treats to give away in the next few weeks!

Spitzbüble - Oma Ruth's recipe

Ingredients

- 375gr flour (we used “0” flour of Podere Pereto but you could use tipo “1” as well for a more rustic texture)
- 250 gr butter
- 100 gr sugar
- pinch of salt
- few drops of vanilla extract or half a vanilla bean
- redcurrant jelly (but we used quince, as we only had quince)

- extra sugar to sprinkle

In a bowl stir together the dry ingredients. Add the softened butter and mix with your hands, kneading until you have a smooth and compact dough.
Let it rest in the fridge for half an hour.

Roll the dough into a ½ cm thick layer and cut the same number of discs and their topper, a disk of the same size with a hole in the middle. Place the cookies on a tray covered with parchment paper and bake at 180° for 10 min (until they start to color).
Let them cool slightly down (be carefull, they are very fragile when they are hot), then roll each piece in a bowl with sugar, until completely covered. Spread a bit of jelly on each disk and complete with their topper.

Zimtsterne - cinnamon stars

Ingredients:
- 4 albumes (about 140gr)
- 300 gr powdered sugar
- 600 gr almond flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- juice of half a lemon
- 1 pinch of salt

For the icing:
- 1 albume (35gr circa)
- 75 gr icing sugar

Beat the albumes with the sugar and a pinch of salt. Add the almond flour, cinnamon and lemon juice and incorporate with a spatula.

Let it rest in the fridge overnight, in a bowl covered with a lid.

Take out this sticky mixture and place it on a surface sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll it into a ½ cm thick layer and cut the cookies with a star-shaped cutter. I rinsed the cutter each time in cold water, as the mass is very sticky. Place the stars on a tray covered with parchment paper.

Prepare the icing. Beat the eggwhite with a beater until white and fluffy (not too thick as for the meringue, slightly less), add the sugar and with a finger, spread the icing on the surface of the stars.

Bake them in a preheated oven at 150°C for 15 minutes. The inside should not be completely cooked, like that they remain moist and delicious for many weeks.

Butter "S" (we miss the "S" shaped cutter)

Ingredients:
- 375gr flour (we used “0” flour of Podere Pereto but you could use tipo “1” as well for a more rustic texture)
- 250 gr butter
- 100 gr sugar
- 4 eggs
- pinch of salt

In a bowl stir together the dry ingredients. Add softened butter and mix with your hands, kneading until you have a smooth and compact dough.
Let it rest in the fridge for half an hour.

Roll the dough into a 1cm thick layer (yes, it is much thicker than regular cookies) and cut it with an “S” shaped cutter (or if you don’t have it, use any other shape you like, but better if something long and narrow like a falling star…). Place the cookies on a tray covered with parchment paper, brush the surface with slightly beaten albums and sprinkle with sugar, before baking at 150° for 10 -15 min, until they begin to color.

Elisenlebkuchen - my absolute favorite

Ingredients
- 5 medium size eggs
- 500 gr sugar
- 500-600 gr hazelnuts and almond flour (you can also make it yourself, finely mixing the dried fruits with a food processor)
- 200 gr Orange and lemon candied zest
- zest of 2 organic lemons
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- a pinch of ground cloves

For the icing
- 100 gr powdered sugar
- lemon juice

Beat the eggs with the sugar, until it melts. Add the almond and hazelnut flour, the zests, finely chopped with a mixer, and the spices. If the mixture results very moist add some more almond or hazelnut flour.
Let it rest overnight in the fridge, in a bowl covered with a lid.
The day after you should end up with a compact and malleable mass.
With wet fingers (to prevent stinking) make nut-shaped balls and place them on a tray covered with parchment paper.

Bake them in a 150° preheated oven, for 20 - 25 minutes. The inside should not be completely cooked, like that they remain moist and delicious for many weeks.

Once they cooled down, spread the surface of the balls with an icing made with a few drops of lemon juice and a cup of powdered sugar.