Finnish Pepper Cookies Piparkakut Food

PIPARKAKUT

Steps:

• Heat the butter, sugar, molasses, spices, pepper and orange zest over medium heat, constantly stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 4 to 5 minutes. Pour into a large bowl and cool until tepid, about 20 minutes.
• Add the egg, salt and baking soda and beat well to combine. Add half the flour and beat until barely combined. Add the remaining flour and beat until barely combined. The dough should be sticky but manageable; if it is too wet, add a little flour. Form into a large ball and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Divide the dough in two. Place one half on a floured work surface, and sprinkle a little flour on top. With a floured rolling pin, roll dough to between 1/16- and 1/18-inch thick. Sprinkle flour on work surface as needed to prevent sticking.
• Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Arrange about 1/2 inch apart on a greased cookie sheet. Beat egg white with 1/4 cup water and lightly brush on the cookies. Sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until cookies begin to darken around the edges. Let cool one minute before transferring to racks to cool. Gather leftover dough, roll it out again, and continue to cut out and bake the remaining dough.

PIPARKAKUT - FINNISH GINGER COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine butter, sugar, corn syrup and spices in a saucepan.
• Over low-medium heat, stir ingredients constantly until ingredients look like they are about to boil.
• Remove from heat and transfer to a mixing bowl.
• Allow sugar mixture to cool to room temperature.
• Stirring occasionally might help speed up this process.
• Stir eggs into cooled sugar mixture.
• Sift flour and baking soda together and add to sugar mixture.
• Mix well.
• Roll dough into a ball.
• Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours or overnight.
• Split dough into 2 parts; Roll dough about 1/4-inch thick on a clean, floured surface.
• Cut into desired shapes.
• Bake in preheated oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes, or until firm to the touch.
• Cookies can be left plain, or decorated with pipped icing.
• NOTE: This makes a crisp cookie, if a softer cookie is desired you may substitute brown sugar for the granulated sugar.

FINNISH PEPPER COOKIES - PIPARKAKUT

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the syrup, cinnamon, allspice, pepper, cloves, ginger, butter, and sugar, and bring it to a boil.
• Remove the mixture from the heat, transfer it into a bowl, and let cool.
• Stir in the egg, cream, soda, and flour; cover and place in the refrigerator and let chill overnight.
• When ready to make cookies, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Roll the dough out very thin, using about 1/2 cup of the dough at a time and cut it into your desired shapes.
• Lightly grease a cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes until the cookies are lightly brown, crisp but not too dark.
• Recipe makes about 8 dozen 2-inch cookies.