Finnishpeppercookiespiparkakut Food

SPOON COOKIES: LUSIKKALEIVAT (FINLAND)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
• Melt the butter in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter browns lightly and smells slightly nutty, about 15 minutes. Transfer the butter to a medium bowl -- be sure to get all the tasty brown bits -- and cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in another medium bowl.
• Whisk the egg yolk, sugar and vanilla into the cooled browned butter.
• Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture to make a uniform but crumbly dough that looks like wet sand.
• Scoop out dough with a small teaspoon (the kind you set the table with, not the ones you measure with). Rock spoon gently back and forth against the side of the bowl, packing the dough into the spoon, then scrape/slide the spoon against the inside of the bowl to make spoon-shaped cookies. Trim excess dough with your fingers and slide out onto the prepared pans, preserving their shape. (Try to make sure you form an even number of cookies, since these sandwich together.)
• Bake cookies until just browned, about 12 to 15 minutes. Cool almost completely on the baking sheets, and then transfer cookies to a rack to cool.
• When cool, spread 1/2 teaspoon jam on the flat side of a cookie, and then sandwich together with a second cookie. Repeat until all cookies have met their match. Lightly dust the cookies with the confectioners' sugar. Serve.
• Busy baker's tips: The dough can be prepared several hours ahead and stored at room temperature. Freeze baked cookie halves wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil for up to 2 weeks. When ready to serve, defrost at room temperature and assemble as desired. Store sandwiches in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Do not store with crisp cookies, as moisture from the jam will soften the texture of other crisp cookies.
• Copyright (c) 2007 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

FINNISH PANCAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar and salt. Add the milk and flour and whisk until just blended and no pockets of flour are left; do not overmix.
• Heat about 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add 3/4 cup of batter to the pan. Tilt the pan to allow the batter to spread evenly to about 8 inches in diameter. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sides of the pancake are set and bubbles begin to appear in the middle. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes or until fully set and golden on both sides. Repeat with the remaining batter.

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.