Scandinavian Ginger Citron Cookies Food

PEPPARKAKOR (SWEDISH GINGER COOKIES)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
• In a small saucepan over moderate heat, warm the corn syrup and orange zest. Add the butter and sugar and continue warming, stirring occasionally, until melted. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Add the egg and whisk to combine. Pour over the flour mixture and stir to combine. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in a double layer of plastic wrap, and chill overnight.
• Arrange racks in the upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 375°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with nonstick baking mats, such as Silpats, or parchment paper.
• Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out a portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 1/4 inch thickness. Using cookie cutters, cut the dough into desired shapes, such as circles, stars, hearts, bells, gingerbread men, and Christmas trees. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets and sprinkle with the pearl sugar. Bake, switching the cookies between the upper and lower racks and rotating the baking sheets about halfway through baking, until the edges are just beginning to brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Watch the cookies carefully to make sure they don't get too brown.
• Let the cookies cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to let cool completely. Continue rolling and cutting out the rest of the cookie dough and baking the cookies on cooled baking sheets. DO AHEAD: Pepparkakor can be baked ahead and kept, stored between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container, for up to 2 weeks, or frozen up to 1 month.

SCANDINAVIAN GINGER CITRON COOKIES

Steps:

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Toast ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves in small skillet on medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes then remove from heat.
• Sift flour, toasted spices, baking soda, salt and pepper into medium bowl.
• In large bowl, cream butter and sugars until fluffy, 2 minutes using electric mixer on medium speed.
• Beat in eggs one at a time, blending well.
• Beat in molasses scraping bowl as needed.
• On low speed, beat in flour mixture until moistened and clumped.
• Stir in citron.
• Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and dollop onto prepared sheets, spaced at least 3 inches apart. (For tidier cookies, briefly toss each dollop in lightly greased hands to form an uneven round and return to sheets.).
• Bake on racks just above and below centre of preheated 350F oven until tops look dry, about 10 minutes, switching pans on racks at halftime. Remove from oven.
• Sit pans on cooling racks for 2 minutes.
• Gently transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.
• Repeat with remaining dough.
• Arrange cookies on serving platter and dust with icing sugar (if desired).

SWEDISH GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses and egg. In another bowl, whisk flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and baking soda; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-1/2-in. gingerbread man cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake until edges are firm, 8-10 minutes. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a bowl, beat confectioners' sugar, shortening, vanilla and enough water to reach spreading consistency. Decorate cookies with frosting and, if desired, Red Hots. , Freeze option: Transfer wrapped disks to a resealable plastic freezer bag; freeze. To use, thaw dough in refrigerator overnight or until soft enough to roll. Prepare, bake and decorate cookies as directed.

SWEDISH GINGER COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add molasses.
• Add the egg.
• Mix together the flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and allspice.
• Add flour mixture to creamed mixture.
• Mix well.
• Roll into small balls and roll in sugar.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

GERMAN CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Combine first seven ingredients. In another bowl, combine eggs, butter, lemon peel and extract. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in almonds and citron., Shape into 1/2-in. balls and place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake until set, 8-10 minutes. Roll warm cookies in confectioners' sugar; cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

SCANDINAVIAN BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Mix all ingredients together at once.
• Form into balls.
• Press down with glass dipped in sugar and top with nuts or candied cherry or dip balls in crushed nuts and press cherry into top. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.