Gingerbread Baseler Basler Leckerli Recipes

BASLER LECKERLI (SWISS CHRISTMAS COOKIE BARS)

Steps:

• Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper that sticks up at least one inch (2.5 cm) on each side.
• Finely chop the almonds and candied peel. You can do this by hand or in the food processor (much easier). For the food processor, chop the almonds coarsely first, then add the peel and process together until they are evenly ground, with little chunks of the nuts still remaining.
• In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the chopped nuts, peel, lemon zest, flour, spices, baking powder, and salt.
• Heat the honey and sugar in a small pot on the stove until the sugar is melted and the honey is warm. Do not allow it to boil.
• Pour the hot honey over the flour mixture and stir or mix (in the stand mixer) until the batter is blended into a thick, sticky dough. It will be very firm.
• Divide the dough in two and put half into each prepared pan. Use a metal spoon to scrape the remaining dough out of the mixing bowl and add it to the rest.
• Using damp fingers (keep dipping them in water as needed), push and pat the dough into a 9" x 13" (23 x 33 cm) rectangle on each cookie sheet. Work quickly while the dough is still warm, as it gets harder to work with as it cools. This takes effort and muscle. Pinch off pieces of dough from the thicker spots and press them into the thinner spots until the rectangle is of even thickness. Pat the top smooth with damp fingertips. Dock the dough all over with a fork (poke the fork straight down through the batter until it touches the cookie tin, 1 to 2 inches apart, all over the dough rectangle). Trim off excess parchment paper so it sticks up no more than one inch (2.5cm) above the cookie dough.
• Allow the pans to rest at room temperature, covered with a clean dish towel, for two hours or up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
• Bake the cookie sheets for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating them halfway and using a spatula to press down any parts of the dough that have bubbled or bulged up. The edges of the dough should just be starting to brown.
• While the cookies are baking, whisk together the glaze ingredients.
• Brush the glaze all over the top of the two cookie rectangles as soon as they come out of the oven.
• While still warm, lift the cookie slabs from the cookie sheets using the parchment paper to hold onto, and transfer them onto a large cutting board. Cut the cookie slabs into 1" x 2" (2.5 x 5 cm) bars. You can trim off a thin strip from the outside edges first, if desired. Use a large, sharp knife and work quickly to cut the cookies while still warm, as they are hard to cut once they cool.
• Allow the cookies to cool.
• Store the cookies in an airtight, covered container. The are best if left for at least a week to soften and mellow the flavours, but need a minimum of one day in the container before they should be eaten.
• The cookies will keep for up to two months, in a sealed container at cool room temperature and up to six months in the freezer (age at room temperature for one week before freezing). If you're storing the cookies at room temperature and they get too hard, put a few wedges of apple or some orange peels into the container with them and after a few days they will have softened considerably.
• Make 8 dozen Basler Leckerli cookie bars (that sounds like a lot, but they are small and keep forever! (They freeze well, too).

GINGERBREAD, BASELER (BASLER LECKERLI)

Steps:

• 1. Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray.
• 2. Whisk flour, baking soda, spices, and salt together in a small bowl.
• 3. Combine honey and granulated sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, swirling pan a few times to combine mixture. Boil for 2 minutes; make sure sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 2 minutes.
• 4. Whisk in Kirschwasser (be careful, as mixture may bubble up). Stir in candied peels and almonds, then stir in flour mixture. Scrape into baking pan, spreading batter evenly. Allow to sit for 1 hour; the texture and flavor improve with time.
• 5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Bake until light golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
• 6. Place pan on rack to cool. Cut into 35 bars (5 x 7) before glazing, but leave in pan.
• 7. Meanwhile, whisk together glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Spread in a thin, even layer over cooled bars.
• 8. Rescore bars while glaze is warm; glaze will crack if you try to cut it after cooling.
• 9. Cookie Tip: To fancy these up, slice candied cherry halves and use these and bits of candied fruit or nuts to make designs on each bar. You can make somewhat abstract flower shapes or just create a little cluster of candied fruit to add color in a pretty pattern.
• 10. This spicy bar cookie is made in one saucepan and starts with boiling honey. This unusual technique gives it a very chewy texture, so do not expect a soft, cakey bar. These have substance and lots of flavor from the Kirschwasser (clear cherry brandy), candied citrus peel, honey, almonds, and spices. These improve in texture and flavor after a few days, so plan ahead.
• 11. LIFESPAN Up to 6 days at room temperature in airtight container, but at their best after 3 or 4 days.

ULTIMATE EASY GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Heat the butter, syrup and sugar together in a small pan until melted, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Mix together the bicarb, ginger, cinnamon and flour in a large bowl. Pour in the buttery syrup mixture and stir to combine, then use your hands to bring together to form a dough. The dough will be soft at this point, but it'll firm up in the fridge.
• Put the dough on a sheet of baking parchment, shape into a rectangle, and lay another sheet of parchment on top of it. Roll the dough out to a thickness of ½cm. Transfer to a baking sheet to keep it flat, leaving the parchment in place, then chill in the fridge for 1 hr.
• Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and line a large baking sheet with more baking parchment. Remove the dough from the fridge and cut out shapes using a cookie cutter. We used 9cm stars, but you can choose any shape. We also made some with smaller stars cut out of the centre to thread ribbon through and hang from a Christmas tree.
• Place the shapes, spread apart, on the lined baking sheet, and bake for 10-12 mins. (Depending on the size of the cutters you use, they might need a few minutes more or less cooking in the oven). Leave to cool completely on the baking sheet.
• Meanwhile, mix the icing sugar with 1-2 tbsp water - you want to create a consistency that's thick and pipeable, and not too thin or it will run. Decorate the cooled biscuits with the icing using a piping bag with a thin nozzle. Find out how to make a piping bag.

GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Combine egg, sugar, molasses, butter and water; mix well. In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, ginger and salt; add molasses mixture. Beat until well mixed. Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° until cake tests done, 20-25 minutes. Cut into squares; serve warm with whipped cream.

SWISS BASLER LECKERLI (BASEL COOKIES)

Steps:

• Put honey, sugar, cinnamon, clove powder and nut meg in a pan, heat up slowly, then remove from stove.
• Add candied orange peel, candied lemon peel, almonds and grind skin of lemon, stir until mixed evenly.
• Add kirsch, flour and baking powder, knead on a table to form a soft dough.
• While the dough is still warm, roll it out on the back of a greased baking sheet approximately 5 mm (0.2 inches) thick.
• Let it rest for about 5 to 6 hours or over night in a dry place.
• Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes in the center of the pre-heated oven at 430°F(220°C).
• Mix confectioner's sugar and kirsch or water, frost dough immediately.
• Cut off stale edges.
• Cut dough in small pieces (5 x 3 cm, 2 x 1.5 inches), take them off the baking sheets and let them cool.