Christmas cookies & Mulled Apple Cider
After pretty long thinking about what I can present on my Blog for the Christmas-month… I decided with a little help from my friends that it’s going to be Sweet and aromatic this Time instead of savoury.
I’m very lucky and grateful to be collaborating with the beautiful store “Hausen” from my neighbourhood. Maybe not all of you know the word and meaning of “Hygge” , it’s origin comes from Denmark and means “coziness”. But it’s actually much more than interior design..Hygge is a Lifestyle and attitude. To live a mindful Life and sometimes slow down a bit to actually enjoy your Life. I’m getting more and more interested by this zen and attentive attitude.
When you enter “Hausen” you right away feel these “hyggelig” vibes flying around and you just want to spend time exploring all the beautiful things they offer.
~ More details about the products I used from “Hausen” will be mentioned below the Blogpost. ~ here you can check out their website
You can get lost in the moment of timeless, stylish Scandinavian designs … A beautiful nordic mixture of Danish, Swedish, Finnish products and more.
Cinnamon stars - or as we say in Germany: Zimtsterne
With these cookies Christmas can come!!!
Inspired by my mom who is always baking a lot of cookies for the entire family during Christmas time, I decided to put up some sweet recipes for the festive days! :)
Zimtsterne are very popular in Germany. These delicious cookies are a real treat for you and your loved ones! A MUST during Christmas time!
So, don’t wait any longer and try out this super easy and delicious recipe!
Ingredients:
2 egg whites
200 gr powdered sugar
270 gr grounded almonds
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 tbsp of rum or cherry-water
Wrapping film for the mixing bowl
Baking Paper for the baking tray
Sugar for the working surface
Directions:
Beat the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff, after that add slowly the powdered sugar.
Keep 4 tbsp of “ice snow” (the mixture of egg whites and powdered sugar) for the glaze.
Carefully stir the almonds and cinnamon under the ice snow.
Cover the mixing bowl by wrapping film and put to the fridge for 60 min.
Preheat the oven on 356 degrees F (180 degree Celsius). Put a little bit of Baking Paper on the Baking tray and sprinkle your work surface with a bit of sugar.
Roll out the dough on the work surface approx. 5 mm thick, cut out stars from the dough and place them on the baking sheet.
Mix the rest of the ice snow with the rum or cherry water and cover the stars with the glaze.
Bake for approx. 12-15 min, so that the inside of the stars is still soft and the glaze still white.
Let cool down on a kitchen grid.
Enjoy your freshly baked cinnamon stars!
Vanille Kipfrl - Aka (Austrian Vanilla Crescent Cookies)
Vanillekipferl’s origin comes from Vienna, Austria.The shape comes from the Turkish flag symbol, inspired by victory against the Hungarians from one of the many nation wars. These little cookies in a half-moon shape are very popular in Europe and are traditionally made in the Christmas Season!
They are absolutely soft and a little sandy which makes them fun to eat. Another fun fact: you don’t need to be experienced in baking for that, they are super easy to bake!
And you can treat your friends and family with giving them some home baked cookies for Christmas.
Approx. 80 pieces
Ingredients:
800 gr of flour
250 gr of butter
125 gr of sugar
3 egg yolks
125 gr grounded almonds
2 sachets of Vanillin sugar
2 tbsp powdered sugar
Wrapping film for the dough
Flour for the work surface
Baking paper for the baking tray
Directions:
Put the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add butter in flakes, sugar, egg yolks (makes it easier to shape the dough later!) and the almonds and knead together until it becomes a smooth dough. Shape the dough into a log and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
When taking out of the fridge you can start preheating the oven on 356 degrees F.
Cut off pieces of the dough to shape them into crescents.
Place them onto a non-stick cookie sheet. Bake on the middle rack for 12-15 minutes (depending on the size of the crescents) or until the edges begin to turn golden.
When they are done let them sit for a minute, them start to dust them with the vanilla-powdered sugar.
Stored in an airtight container in a cool place, these cookies will keep fresh and tasty for several weeks.
Mulled Apple Cider
Mulled Apple Cider is a brilliant alternative to mulled wine. If you already like Apple Cider cold, you will probably also be a fan of this Christmassy recipe full of spices and flavours.
Cheers! And Merry Christmas everyone!
Ingredients for one big pot:
2 tbsp of “Gewürzglück” - Apple-Plum Christmas spice
1tbsp of cloves
2 Anis stars (for a little note of liquorice)
1/2 of a cup of brown sugar or 1/3 of a cup of honey
1 orange
1 apple
1 lemon
Pinch of salt
3,7 l of apple cider or juice
optional: Brandy, Rum, cinnamon hard liquor, vodka or whiskey
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a big bowl (except the optional ingredients).
Heat up the mixture until just below the boiling point.
Let simmer on lowest temperature for the next 20-30 min.
Take of the stove and serve. optional: add a cinnamon stick in every glass served (It makes it look more beautiful)
Little Advice: You can add hard liquor to create an aromatic-christmassy Drink.
Products & Brands:
Towels from “Ferm Living”
Matches from “Fine Little Day”
Bowl from “H Skjalm P”
Plates from “H Skjalm P”
Candle “Dieder”
Teaspoon-set from “Ferm Living”
Candle Holder “iitala”
Mugs from “H Skjalm P”
Glasses from “HSP'“
Tablett from “HSP'“
Sieve Spoon from “HD”