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Lebkuchen - Chocolate Spice Cookies

12/19/2018

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I was looking through my Christmas baking folder for some inspiration (which I need desperately these days) and came upon a recipe from a 2002 Gourmet magazine issue. I had written “excellent” on the recipe. Last year, I made a a similar cookie recipe from Luisa Weiss’s Classic German Baking called Baseler Brunsli (click here for the recipeBaseler Brunsli). Both these cookies belong to the family of Lebkuchen. You can find many different recipes for Lebkuchen throughout the German-speaking countries. Lebkuchen is a blanket term for German gingerbread, and this particular recipe is a smoother and more cake-like version, with a hint of chocolate, hazelnut and almond too. I love them because they are not overly sweet, but my American family is not a big fan of this tasty treat. They will go for the sweeter shortbread, sugary kind of cookie. That’s why I bake a variety of different cookies, put them in my tins and have one I like in the afternoon with my tea.
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​I baked these cookies because they remind me of the German Elisenlebkuchen, a treat from the German town of Nürnberg. Traditionally, they are baked on wafers and covered with either chocolate or a powdered sugar icing. I didn’t add the wafers and the icing, which makes them less sweet and easier to bake. I also liked the combination of ground hazelnuts and almonds. Instead of chocolate, this recipe uses unsweetened cocoa powder. Like all Lebkuchen recipes, these cookies improve after being stored in a tin for a few days or weeks. They are soft and chewy, and should not be stored with other cookies.
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This year will be a special Christmas because my niece and her husband are visiting from Germany. It doesn’t happen very often that I get to celebrate with my German family and it is always very special to me when they come to my home in California. So, I am baking and decorating as much as I can. Check out my post from 2016 with most of my family’s favorite cookie recipes. (click here)
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If you feel like a savory treat for the holidays, try my country pâté. It’s a great party pleaser.(click here )
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My dear readers, I wish you all a peaceful holiday filled with good food and surrounded by people you love. May the stars shine upon you and may your home be filled with warmth and good cheer.
Fröhliche Weihnachten and best wishes for the coming year!
This is a soft, chewy cookie that will improve with age. Store them in a tin box between wax paper. For the nut flour, use roasted and peeled hazelnuts and peeled almonds.
Print Recipe
Ingredients:
This batch makes 43-45 large cookies

For the nut flour:
3/4 cup (3 ½ oz) roasted and peeled hazelnuts 
3/4 cup (2 ½ oz) sliced almonds
2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 
3 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
1 TBS ground cinnamon 
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cloves 
3/4 tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder 
¼ tsp baking soda
​ 

For cookies:
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup mild honey
½ cup butter, softened 
2 large eggs 
½  cup finely diced candied orange peel
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit, arrange the oven racks in the lower and upper ovens.
Making the nut flour:
In a food processor, grind  the nuts (be careful not to make nut butter) adding the rest of the ingredients and continuing to grind.
Making the dough:
In an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and honey until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour on a low speed (do not over mix), stirring in the candied fruit.

Spray two cookie sheets thoroughly with oil, as these cookies are sticky and traditionally put on edible rice paper.  
Roll a generous tablespoon of the cookie dough into a ball and arrange each one on the baking sheet. Leave some space, as these cookies will spread. I put my hands in a cup with hot water when rolling these cookies, which helps a lot. 
Bake the cookies for 15 minutes in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, switching the positions of baking sheets halfway through baking. The cookies are done when their surface no longer appears wet, but the cookies themselves will be soft. Carefully loosen the cookies from the baking sheets with a spatula. 
Traditionally, these cookies are served with icing (which I didn’t do). If you choose to ice them, mix 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar with 3 tablespoon lemon juice and ice the cooled cookies.  The icing will darken while stored. Gourmet magazine recommends to ice them later. 
​

Guten Appetit!
recipe from Gourmet magazine
​adapted by©Sunnycovechef.com
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Persimmon Chutney

12/8/2018

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Every year, I eagerly await the time when the persimmons ripen in our little town of Santa Cruz. They are a sure sign that fall has arrived. I don’t have a tree myself, but friends and locals are willing to share their bounty. Hachiya persimmons are the ones I get most of the time. They are teardrop-shaped and have to soften before you can use them. Fuyu persimmons are the flat-looking ones that are great sliced in salads and other dishes. Persimmon trees can grow up to 70 feet tall, and one of these wonderful trees grows in my girlfriend’s son’s garden.
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I have been cooking and baking with persimmons for years. Read more about persimmons and the recipe for my persimmon bread on a previous post (click here).
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Each year, I can't wait to make this chutney. The recipe comes from a twenty-year-old local newspaper clipping. The chutney is great with a variety of different foods. This year, I am going to make it part of my Christmas cheese board. It is also great with fish, on duck breasts, or with any food you can think of. In the photo above, I am serving it with my muffin quiches without a crust . These quiches make a healthy snack. (click here to get the recipe)
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My chutney is rather mild and not overly sweet. The fresh ginger gives it a great flavor. Since I am hosting our book club next week, I am giving each member a jar of my chutney and persimmon bread as a gift.
I have also made this persimmon chutney with apples or pears using lemon or lime juice. Personally, I prefer lime juice. The jury is out on whether to use apples or pears, so it is really a matter of your taste. The pears should be firm. For my last batch, I used golden delicious apples. Instead of dried cranberries, you can substitute dried blueberries. The chutney develops its full flavor after a couple of days in the fridge.
Print Recipe
 Ingredients:

Makes about 4 cups of chutney

4-5 Hayicha persimmons  (enough for 2 cups of blended pulp)
4-5 limes (enough to make ½ cup juice)
​3 smallish apples of your choice (about 2 scant cups)
1 red pepper (about 1 cup chopped)
½ cup sugar
¼ cup golden raisins
¼ cup dried cranberries 
1 small jalapeño pepper (seeded and finely chopped)
1 ½ TBS lime zest
3 inches fresh ginger 
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
a splash of white balsamic vinegar
Directions:
​

To prepare the persimmons, slice off the top, peel and squeeze them into a food processor or blender removing the black seeds. Blend them with some lemon juice and then put them in a container with a lid. This can be done ahead of time and will keep in the fridge for a couple of days. 

Grate the limes to get 1½ TBS of zest, then squeeze the limes to get ½ cup of juice. 

Peel the ginger and chop it into small pieces, the smaller the better. Peel and core the apples, and cut them into ½-inch diced pieces. Core and seed the bell pepper, and cut it into ½-inch sized pieces. Cut the jalapeño in half, take the seeds out and chop finely. A word of caution: don’t touch your face while doing this.

Combine the lime juice, zest, ginger, and sugar in a medium- sized pot and bring it to a boil. Add the raisins, cranberries, peppers and jalapeños and simmer for 3-4 minutes, adding the apples. Continue to cook for another three minutes or until the apples start to soften, but are not mushy. Add the persimmon pulp and bring it to a boil and simmer for another couple of minutes. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Add a splash of white balsamic vinegar. 

​Put into jars with a lid and refrigerate. 

Guten Appetit!
recipe by © Sunnycovechef
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    WELCOME TO SUNNY COVE CHEF

    Thank you for visiting my blog.  My two passions are cooking and traveling. Traveling exposes me to a wide variety of food and experiences. I walk around cities looking for markets, restaurants, bakeries, shops, you name it, and if it is related to food you will find me there, tasting, smelling, talking to vendors, and having a great time.

    ​
    If you  have tried any of my recipes, snap a photo and tag me @sunnycovechef I'd love to see your creations!​


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