Belgrader Brot German Christmas Cookies Recipes

BELGRADER BROT (GERMAN CHRISTMAS COOKIES)

Steps:

• Grease and flour a large baking sheet.
• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• In a large bowl, beat eggs until fluffy.
• Add sugar gradually and continue beating until thickened and pale.
• Mix together the dry ingredients.
• Gradually add to egg mixture and mix until combined.
• Fold in lemon rind, candied fruit and almonds.
• This dough is soft and sticky, so either oil or wet your hands before handling.
• Divide dough into thirds.
• On the baking sheet, form the dough into three long flat "loaves" spaced a few inches apart to allow for spreading. If your baking sheet is large enough, it will all fit on one sheet.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned.
• While the cookies are baking, make the icing by combining the ingredients. You should have a spreadable consistency.
• Remove cookies from the oven and let stand a few minutes.
• Ice the loaves while they are still on the baking sheet.
• Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then slice the loaves crosswise into approximately 1/2-3/4 inch slices. Do not wait too long before slicing, as the icing will flake off if it cools too much before you slice.
• Allow to cool on the baking sheet. These freeze well and keep well.

BERLINER BROT (GERMAN CHRISTMAS COOKIE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 1/2 x 13-inch baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
• Cream together sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Add eggs, 1 at a time, and mix until just blended.
• Mix together flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder, and cloves in a separate bowl.
• Add flour mixture to the wet mixture, and mix until just blended. Add hazelnuts and mix again until just blended. The mixture should have the consistency of a smooth dough.
• Transfer dough onto the prepared baking sheet and smooth with a rolling pin into all the corners.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cookie sheet has set, about 20 minutes. Cut into squares while still warm.
• Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl and brush icing over the cooling bars.

BETHMAENNCHEN - GERMAN CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Finely grind the measured almonds.
• Break the marzipan dough into small pieces and mix with one of the eggs, rosewater, powdered sugar, ground almonds and flour.
• Separate the remaining egg and beat the yolk, set aside.
• Form marzipan mixture into balls the size of walnuts.
• Press three almond halves onto the sides of each ball. The almonds should stand up and down and be evenly spaced around the ball.
• Brush each ball with the beaten yolk and place on a cookie sheet.
• Place cookie sheet on the middle rack and bake 15 minutes until golden brown.

VANILLE HOERNCHEN (GERMAN CHRISTMAS COOKIES)

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients except powdered sugar together in a medium mixing bowl.
• Knead by hand until dough comes together.
• Don't over knead it.
• Seperate dough into about 30 segments.
• Form each segment into a half moon or cresent shape.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Bake 10-12 minutes until they're golden colored.
• Roll the cookies in the powdered sugar while they're still hot or dust them with the powdered sugar while still on the cookie sheet.
• It is important that you do this while they're still warm or the sugar won't stick.
• Put on wire rack to cool.

SCHNITZBROT (GERMAN CHRISTMAS BREAD)

Steps:

• Grease a large bowl. Lightly grease three 5 x 9-inch loaf pans.
• Pour the warm water into a large mixing bowl, and stir in the yeast until dissolved. Allow to rest until the mixture becomes creamy, about 15 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of white sugar and 3 cups of flour until evenly blended.
• Pour the prune juice into a pan, and stir in the condensed mincemeat. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, and cook 1 minute at a rolling boil. Remove from the heat, and stir in the prunes, butter, raisins, walnuts, brown sugar, and salt. Combine the prune mixture with the yeast mixture in the mixing bowl. Gradually stir in the flour, 1 cup at a time, until well blended to make a moist dough. Turn out onto a floured board, and knead in any remaining flour to make 9 cups. Gather dough into a ball and place into greased bowl. Cover with a cloth, and place in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down dough, knead lightly on a floured board, and return to the bowl. Allow to rise again, about 1 hour.
• Turn dough out onto a floured board. Punch down and shape into 3 loaves. Place each loaf into a prepared loaf pan. Lightly grease tops of each loaf with1 teaspoon butter. Cover with a clean cloth, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Lower heat to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C), and bake 1/2 hour more. Remove from pans, and cool on racks.

CHRISTMAS ROCKS GERMAN COOKIE

Steps:

• Cream butter, shortening, brown sugar and vanilla all together.
• Add beaten eggs, until fluffy.
• Sift two cups flour with the salt and spices.
• Dissolve the baking soda in hot water.
• Add soda to creamed mixture alternately with the dry ingredients.
• Blend well.
• Toss the fruit with the last 1/2 cup of remaining flour.
• Work this into the dough by hand.
• Drop from a teaspoon 1 inch apart onto greased cookie sheet.
• Bake 325 degrees F.
• for ABOUT 15 minutes.
• Remove to cooling rack.

BELGIAN CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter with extract; add brown sugar gradually, creaming until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together; add in thirds to creamed mixture, mixing until blended after each addition. Turn into a greased 15 x 10 x 1 inch jelly roll pan and spread evenly to edges.
• Sprinkle a mixture of almonds and cinnamon over batter, then sprinkle with a mixture of red and green sugar.
• Bake at 375°F 10 to 12 minutes.
• Cut into bars while still warm. About 5 dozen cookies.
• Canadian Family Cookbook.