December 3rd
2006
The first day of December isn't only a precursor to a fast impending approaching holiday season but also a benchmark, a quite strong reminder about taking it easy and appropriate time management - in my non-business life. Due to my regular job schedule and freelance projects, making pre-Christmas-fun-time is becoming an ever so difficult task, in other words I'm running late: NO PRESENTS, NO COOKIES yet. How depressing is that?! Nevertheless, this year's 1st of December was a truly worthy start into my personal Christmas season, for many unexpected and very different reasons. Well, and homemade cookies played a role, too!
Here we go, reason ONE:
Aside from reading blogs and design-related stuff, my daily early morning routine also includes a few online newspapers. After all the recent discussions (going back and forth, void of any real ambition & progress) about smoking in public, I joyfully noticed our coalition parties' agreement to ban smoking from restaurants (among others). Could I trust my eyes? Was this for real? While the whole debate here in Germany was and is conducted with sheer aggression and low tolerance on both sides (smokers and non-smokers), I personally would love to being able to savor good food without the nuisance of smoke all around me. Anyhow, it is a draft, hence not yet implemented and still ways to go before we hopefully see change. So far, so good.
The flip side of the coin you ask? How come that pubs and nightclubs are exempt and what makes a pub a pub and a nightclub a nightclub? And how is it possible, that the tobacco lobby releases a restricted non-smoking law draft to the politicians, a document that miraculously turned into the official law draft of the coalition parties - including even the same typos? Banana republic?! (a must-read, in German though)
Reason TWO:
Aside from our very own sneak-preview party on Friday (well done Craig, Dagi & Carlos!), our one and only sneak-preview cinema celebrated their 700th sneak preview show. We all may have looked a tad silly like blues brother clones wearing funny Ray-Ban-style 3D goggles, but the humiliation was worth it, the bonus 3D shortfilm was a fun experience. The real surprise however was "The Holiday", a wonderful chick-flick presented afterwards - in fact, it was shown even before the movie's world premiere! Perfectly apt to let you slide right into into a fine holiday mood...
Two down, two to go, here is THREE:
Surprises happen when you least expect them (I guess that's why they're called surprises). When I open the door for the postman the ritual usually includes a silent, knowing nod. In the sense of, we both know, another cookbook or what not delivery. I order, he delivers (not always, but he's gotten better at it). Anyway, that morning I must have looked rather puzzled - I couldn't for the life of it recall any outstanding orders. He handed me a huge package and smiled: "From England!" Which didn't ring a bell. But the senders address did. Johanna! The package revealed what has to be the most thoughtful chosen (with a culinary theme) and beautifully crafted advent calendar I have ever received in my whole life. I'm in complete awe and can't wait to open a new little something each morning now for 21 more days :)
Finally, reason FOUR:
I did manage to find some time to whip out one of my favorite Christmas cookies, Brombeerbusserl (blackberry smacks?), an adapted Johann Lafer recipe. Opposed to the original recipe which uses elderberry jam, I prefer blackberry jam. Based on an easy and quick to prepare vanilla-scented shortcrust, very flavorful and coming with a light mouth feel, one of my very few must-have-or-die-cookies each year.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F). Combine butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla sugar and scraped out vanilla seeds in a large bowl and mix well. Add one egg and at last the ground almonds and flour. Beat until you have a smooth dough.
Cover your baking sheet with parchment paper. Fill the dough in a piping bag with a mid-sized star-tipped nozzle and pipe little cookies on the tray, keeping little space in between. Bake on the middle level of your oven for about 7 to 10 minutes or until light golden (don't let them get too dark, it makes them bitter). Remove from oven and carefully transfer to a wire rack. Allow to cool down completely.
Meanwhile heat the jam in a small pan, this will make it easier to fill the cookies. Stir occasionally. Either use a small spoon or baking brush to apply some jam to the bottom side of one cookie, then gently press another cookie with its bottom side against it. The challenge is to use enough jam to give them a nice fruity touch, but not let any of the jam run down the cookies' sides. Let the jam cool for an hour, then dust the cookies with confectioners' sugar and store them in an airtight container.
My second mission - Florentiner - wasn't crowned by success, the recipe only worked after major adjustments (like sieving off the excessive liquids). While they tasted pretty good, I'm still looking for a better recipe and am all ears in case you'd be willing to share yours!
Brombeerbusserl ("blackberry smacks")
Recipe source: adapted recipe from Johann Lafer, an old magazine clip (Freundin, year unknown)
Prep time: 20-30min., baking: 7-10min.
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Ingredients (yield: ~50 double-cookies):
250g butter, at room-temperature
100g confectioners' sugar
2 tsp vanilla sugar
scraped out seeds of one vanilla pod
1 egg
125g ground almonds
250g flour
~100g blackberry jam, without seeds
confectioners' sugar for dusting
Simply stunning! I know what some of my friends will be getting in their Xmas goodie baskets ;)
Thank you SO much for the smacks recipe! Browsing through my Plätzchenbücher I realized that I start getting bored with what I got. I definitely want to try something new - so this will be it.
Thanks & thanks - for the participation in all these good things from the calendar to the cookies in the simple elegance of JL. One word about the smoker’s ban in restaurants: as it is planned at the moment, a smoking area is still allowed when the restaurant has a extra room for non-smokers.
Now guess: Which room will your favourite place (your choice) choose for the non smokers - the beautiful main room where all the theatre is going on or the odd backroom? Ways to go, you said it.
Rauchverbot in Restaurant, was wäre das für eine Wohltat! Ich alter Pessimist glaube es erst, wenn tatsächlich umgesetzt und eingehalten. Warum funktioniert es in der Mehrheit der europäischen Länder, ohne Umsatzeinbußen, aber die deutschen Gastwirte haben Angst um ihre Umsätze?
How could I possibly resist and not make cookies with a name as cute as "blackberry smacks"? They're on my list!
I was looking for a fruity addition to my holiday baking list, and Brombeerbusserl are the perfect solution. I have a jar of blackberry preserves I purchased from a farmer this summer and they will work perfectly. Thanks for the idea!
The smoking ban... how nice! I spent a lot of time in Berlin last year with a migraine because I couldn't get away from the smoke, so I'm relieved to hear that my next trip to Germany will (hopefully) be less painful.
[...] 03.12.06: Bei Delicious Days starten ebenfalls die Weihnachtsvorbereitungen [...]
DELICIOUS! All of it so delicious ... I hope you get some more time to bake this December!
Love your pics and cutest cookies.
Thanks for the thoughts and recipe!
amy
Ich liebe Florentiner, aber meine Versuche waren nie annähernd so hübsch wie Deine, rund schon mal gar nicht und meistens auch noch sehr flach und zu dunkel an den Rändern. Auch von meiner Seite besteht also Bedarf für ein einfaches und wirklich funktionierendes Rezept.
i can completely identify with kathinka, although I have this problem with almond bows (same concept, though)... i wish i knew how to keep the delicious topping in place!
Glad you liked your parcel - I always find it so sad that we lose out on the excitement leading up to Christmas which we used to experience as kids... I hope the advent calendar will help!
And: I have to try these blackberry smacks... sound like my kind of xmas cookie!
Ein kleiner Beitrag zum Thema Florentiner: Nach ausgiebigem Probieren hat sich unser Rezept (da steht's: Florentiner) als brauchbar herausgestellt. Im Ernst: für meinen Geschmack ergibt diese Variante ganz hervorragende Plätzchen. Achtung: unsere werden blechweise gebacken und anschließend in die gewünschte Größe geschnitten. Der zwangsläufig beim Backen dunkel werdende Rand kann dabei großzügig entfernt werden. Ist vielleicht einen Versuch wert ...
Here in Chile there's a smoke ban running since August, and things are better now! Restorants and bars can choose between be either for smokers or not, so people can choose freely...it's way better, specially in bars.
The cookies look awesome, I may try making them to my boyfriend :D thanks!
Especially in restaurants smoking is so annoying! How are you supposed to enjoy your food as a non-smoker? Hopefully they'll change the law.
Your cookies look so good! They remind me of melting moments.
Loved the chosen jam.
A Busserl is a Smack?
Here is my Tante Brigittes very simple, not as visually elegant, but delicious Florentiner recipe:
150 g Butter
250 g Sugar
2 Tbls honey
200 g Hazelnuts
200 g Almonds
(the nuts chopped coarsley)
Melt butter, dissolve sugar in butter, remove from heat, add honey, then nuts
Make little aluminium cups w/ foil and a schnaps glass - Put a heaping tsp in each little cup. Place cups on baking sheet and bake about 10 minutes at 200 degrees C.
Let cool completely, remove foil, glaze with chocolate (Schokoglasur)
Any idea what to do here in the States, in terms of the vanilla in the smacks? Vanilla sugar is not available in my area. Can I use vanilla extract? How much?
I've been in a grocery shopping rut lately. I find this happens around this time of year and I would like to offer you (and my other favorite food blogs) a challenge. I've noted themed entries in the past. There seems to be an unspoken collective commitment to making no-knead bread, for instance. So, I am challenging you to write about your typical trip to the grocery. Do you decide what you will bake ahead of time? Do you go to specialty stores and farmer's markets or belong to a food co-op or just go to your local large chain? I'd love to see a list or two, as well. I hope you do not find this comment to presumptuous.
Best,
Erin Fae
Tobias, Vielen lieben Dank für den Link, die Idee mit dem Schneiden finde ich klasse - endlich muss ich nicht mehr vor dem Ofen warten und bangen, dass die kleinen Häufchen zusammenlaufen...
KleinesF, Depending on how you'd like to use the word, I'd say sure thing ;)
Susanne, That's an interesting method, I've never heard of something similar before. So the whole thing gets glazed with chocolate? How wonderful, for a chocolate lover like me...
Jessica, I've never used vanilla extract, so I can only guess: I'd substitute the vanilla sugar with plain sugar and then add some drops of the extract, try the dough and add more until you get a noticeable hint of vanilla. But you could also order vanilla beans online (e.g. here) and make your own vanilla sugar - it's easy to do and can be stored for quite some time.
Hi Erin Fae, Thanks for the challenge! I'll keep it in mind and as soon as I have a little time on my hands, I'll get back to it - Great idea!
That is so neat you adapted these from Johann Lafer, my husband and I visited his hotel last summer and had the best meal and experience of our lives! These look delicious!
[...] 16.29: +++ Brombeerbusserl mit dem Jüngsten und Spongebob - delcious made, jedoch leicht lädiert durch den gestrigen Transport von der Messe nach Haus [...]
Nicky - my Florentiner are actually just glazed on the flat side - not all over. The little "Foermchen" are a little wasteful, but make beautiful, round Florentiner without brown edges. -Sus
Hi,
I'm a longtime lurker, haven't commented before but your website is simply fantastic.
Anyhoo, I'm about to make the Brombeerbusserl, and was wondering whether "confectioners' sugar" is Puderzucker...? or regular sugar?
thanks!
Susanne, Thanks for clarifying, I'll make another attempt over the holidays. But thinking about it, glazing them COMPLETELY with chocolate doesn't sound like a bad idea either, does it?
Leonie, it's Puderzucker, used both for the dough as well as the final dusting.
Dear Nicky,
Do you have a nice recipe for Bienenstich?
Here in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, we have a Bavarian bakery that has a wonderful Bienenstich. The top is crunchy, almond covered and sweet and the yeast cake isn't too thick with enough custard filling to finish a nice balance of textures and flavours.
PS on the smoking, we are completely smoke free and it’s great. It’s so wonderful having your clothes and hair to remain fresh and clean after going out to the theatre and restaurant. If your readers are non smokers they will know exactly what I mean, and if not, well, they may not realize the extra presents of their presents. :o)
Germany smoke free? That would be so nice. But like you said, the lobby is hard to beat. Hope dies last!
Oh my that simply looks delicious!
Hi! Thank you for sharing such a sweet cookie recipe! I tried making your Brombeerbusserl but found it to be quite difficult piping out the dough on the sheet. I'm a novice baker and was wondering if I added another egg in the mix (to maybe thin it out a bit) would this affect the cookies outcome?
Hi Anna, Sorry for the bad news, but I yet have to find a great Bienenstich recipe myself ;(
[...] some other goodies today and tomorrow, my family will probably mutiny! I really want to try these Brombeerbusserl from Delicious Days, a simply yummylicious blog that my mom sent me a link to recently. They sound (and look!) so [...]
[...] am Donnerstagabend hatte ich die Brombeer-Busserl von Missees Deliciees, Nicky, ausprobiert, die sich als genauso hinreiend herausstellten, wie sich das Rezept gelesen [...]
[...] by a German couple living in Munich. I was so inspired by the gorgeous photographs of Nicky’s Brombeerbusserl that I couldn’t wait to make my own [...]
I would personally like to see Japan go smoke-free too. Your cookies look delicious!