Burning leaves and crisp fall air come to mind sipping this bourbon apple ginger martini. The smokey Bourbon delivers subtle hints of caramel and vanilla, and the earthy spice of ginger compliments the apple flavor. Reminiscent of a boozy slice of apple pie, this martini could become one of my favorite autumn cocktails.

I guess it was a little over a week ago I was completing some fall chores in my garden, putting things to bed and harvesting everything I could before a forecasted freeze. I found myself with an abundance of herbs, luckily I caught the eye of a neighbor and offered her some of the harvest. As I was handing her a bouquet of assorted herbage she asked if I liked bourbon, to which I replied of course. About 10 minutes later I heard a knock on the door, and there was my friend holding a small jar of what she explained was ginger syrup and a recipe card for a drink. A day later after a trip to the liquor store and with a bottle of bourbon in hand, I tested the recipe and found it to be incredibly delicious. I think this just might be the perfect cocktail to offer Thanksgiving guests this year.

Bourbon vs Whiskey

All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. Both bourbon and whiskey are brown liquids and look about the same. And to add to the possible confusion, if you just refer to bourbon as whiskey, you wouldn’t be wrong. Bourbon is a type of whiskey, much the way that Champagne is a type of wine. So all bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon.

What makes Bourbon bourbon

What makes bourbon distinct from other whiskeys is the way it is manufactured and aged. All whiskey is spirit made from fermented grain and then aged in barrels. But the kind of grain and the kind of barrels determines the variety of whiskey. In order to be classified as bourbon, a whiskey needs to be distilled from a mixture of grains or mash that is at least 51 percent corn which gives bourbon its distinctive sweet flavor.

Aged in New Charred Oak Barrels

Bourbon also must be aged in new charred oak barrels, and cannot include any additives or colorings. Other whiskeys can be aged in barrels that have been previously used for other spirits.  Port, sherry, and rum casks are used in the aging process for non-bourbon whiskeys. To be designated “straight bourbon whiskey,” bourbon must be aged in new charred oak barrels for a minimum of two years. When bourbon is barreled it also has to hit a certain proof or alcohol content. The mash must be distilled at 160 proof or less, and aged in barrels until it is no more than 125 proof or less. Before bottling the bourbon is filtered and diluted to no less than 80 proof.

Preparing the ingredients

I decided to purchase a bourbon crafted by the Breckenridge Distillery. I had the good fortune of living near Breckenridge for about 20 years, and remember when they first opened their brew pub in 1990. At that time brewing beer on site to serve was a new concept. I have always had a fond memory of the place so decided to try their distilled product. This bourbon has pronounced aromas of butterscotch, candied orange and apple with subtle notes of vanilla and white pepper making it perfect for this bourbon apple ginger martini.

There really is no special magic to making this cocktail but there are a couple of ingredients that need to be prepared before you can begin mixing.

Ginger Syrup

Ginger syrup is simply grated fresh ginger steeped in simple syrup. Shred a thumb sized piece of ginger on a box grater or enough to equal about 2 – 3 tablespoons, there is no need to peel the ginger. In a small sauce pan over medium high combine 1 cup of water, 1 cup of white sugar, and the grated ginger. Heat until the syrup comes to a full boil stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, and allow the syrup to cool to room temperature before straining into a jar with a tight fitting lid.  This makes enough syrup for about 8 drinks. The syrup will hold in the fridge for several weeks.

Apple Balls

A Jazz  or honey crisp apple work well for making the balls. Peeling the apple or not is completely up to you. I like leaving the skin on as it adds a touch of color and visually reinforces that the drink is an apple flavor. Cut as many balls as you like placing them in a small jar with a tight fitting lid. Fill the jar with lemon or apple juice to keep them from turning. My neighbor like to hold hers in bourbon for an added pow. The apple balls will last three to four days in the fridge before turning soft.

Shake it up

Fill your bar shaker with ice and measure the ingredients using a shot glass or bar jigger. It is important to measure to get the correct balance of flavors. As a person who tended bar for quite a few years I resist the temptation to free pour. Eye balling is tempting but to get the right flavor combinations just measure. Once everything is in the canister, shake vigorously until the shaker is too cold to hold. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with apple balls and a twist of lemon. Alternatively this bourbon apple ginger martini can also be served on the rocks for an equally refreshing drink.

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Bourbon Apple Ginger Martini

Course Cocktails

Cuisine American

Keyword Bourbon apple ginger martini, Bourbon drinks, Cocktails, Martini

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Ginger Syrup 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Christoph

Equipment

• Box grater
• Melon Baller
• Shot glass
• Bar Shaker & Strainer
• Martini Glass

Ingredients

Bourbon Apple Ginger Martini

• 2 ounces Bourbon
• 1 ounce Unfiltered apple juice
• 1 ounce Ginger Syrup*
• 1 ounce Fresh lemon juice
• Apple Balls and Lemon twist garnish

Ginger Syrup*

• 1 cup Water
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 - 3 tbsp Ginger root, grated or finely diced

Instructions

Bourbon Apple Ginger Martini

• Fill bar shaker with ice
• Add bourbon, apple juice, ginger syrup, and lemon juice
• Vigorously shake
• Strain into chilled martini glass, garnish with apple balls and lemon twist
• Serve and enjoy!

Ginger Syrup

• Combine water and sugar in a small sauce pan over medium heat
• Add ginger and bring to a slow boil stirring often
• Boil for 2 to 3 minutes
• remove from heat and allow to cool
• Strain cooled syrup into a jar with a tight fitting lid
• Ginger syrup can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Apple Balls

• Using a melon baller cut as many balls as desired from a large apple. Apple can be peeled if you prefer.
• Place the balls in small jar with a tight fitting lid and top with apple juice, lemon juice or bourbon to prevent browning. Apple balls will keep for several days in the fridge.

Notes

• Cocktail can also be served on the rocks if you prefer.
• Candied ginger would also be a tasty garnish
• Try using our Apple Syrup  in place of the ginger syrup for an "over the top" apple cocktail

And  please  remember  to  drink  responsibly.

Soft slightly salty caramel is sandwiched between chocolate shortbread cookies in this updated version of the traditional Linzer cookie. A drizzle of melted chocolate adds another layer of flavor and a little edible glitter makes the cookies sparkle. This amazing flavor combination brings a new and fun twist to a holiday classic.

My mother always swore by sifting, and I have lately become a believer. By breaking up any clumps of flour or other dry ingredients, my cookies bake more evenly and have a better texture.

Cookie Ingredients –

I converted this recipe from metric so that is why some of the measures are a little odd. I actually have taken to weighing ingredients more than measuring with cups and spoons. I find it is actually much easier and there is less clean up involved.

• 2 cups flour
• 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 Tablespoons dark cocoa powder
• 2 egg yolks
• 12 Tablespoons un-salted butter, softened
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Sift together all of the dry ingredients together to eliminate any clumps. Use the back of a spoon or your hand to work all of the bits through the mesh.

Mix the butter and the eggs with the sifted ingredients until all the flour is absorbed. The dough will be slightly crumbly but will clump together in your hands.

Shape the dough into a ball and wrap tightly with plastic wrap.

Chill the dough for at least one hour or overnight. Dough will hold for several days in the fridge if needed.

Roll the chilled dough out about 1/4″ thick on a floured surface. Use a spatula or a bench knife to make sure the dough is not sticking as you roll.

Dip your cookie cutters in flour and cut out your desired shapes. Symmetrical shapes work best, the cookies will get sandwiched together back to back so make sure the shape you are using will work.

Cut out the center of half of your cookies with what ever shape you like. These cut out cookies will make the tops of the little sandwiches. Be sure you have equal amounts of cookies with the holes in them and the bottoms.

Arrange your cut cookies on parchment or sil-pat lined baking trays. Place the trays of cut cookies in the fridge for 15 – 20 minutes before baking off. This trick helps the cookies keep their shape and also reduces spreading.

Heat your oven to 350°F for conventional or 325°F for convection. If you are baking only one tray at a time position your oven rack in the center. Position your racks in the B & D positions if you are using two racks.

Bake cookies for 8 – 10 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned. It is best to start by baking for 8 minutes and then check for color. Since they are a chocolate cookies you need to watch the edges more than the top.

Remove the trays from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for about 3 minutes before moving to a wire rack to completely cool.

Caramel Ingredients –

Be very careful when working with any melted sugar. It gets extremely hot and can burn very easily.

• ½ cup + 2 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3.5 Tablespoons butter
• ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon salt

Pour the sugar into a medium sized pan over medium heat. Spread sugar over the entire bottom. DO NOT STIR.

Watch for the sugar to begin to melt and take on an amber color after 2 or 3 minutes. DO NOT STIR.

When about a fourth of the sugar has melted and turned a nice color it is time to STIR. The sugar will completely dissolve as soon as you begin to stir. Make sure all the sugar is melted before adding any ingredients.

Add the butter in tablespoon size pieces and stir continuously. The sugar will foam up as the butter melts into it, so just keep stirring.

Heat the cream in the micro before adding it SLOWLY to the bubbling pot of sugar and butter. Don’t boil the cream, just get it hot. Also add the salt and stir. The mixture will be bubbly and foamy, reduce heat and cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and allow to cool to workable temperature. The caramel will thicken as it cools.

Pipe or spoon the caramel on to the back or pan side of one of the solid cookies when the caramel has cooled to a temperature that it can be easily handled.

Gently press one of the cookie tops on to the caramel to make a sandwich. The soft caramel will fill the center when pressed together. Be careful not to break the cookies or squeeze all the filling out.

Drizzle with melted milk or dark chocolate when the caramel has completely set up.

Dazzle your cookies with a little bit of edible glitter to give them an extra holiday glow.

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Salted Caramel Chocolate Linzer Cookies

An updated twist on a classic holiday cookie. Soft salted caramel is sandwiched between tender chocolate shortbread cookies then topped with some melted chocolate.

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Chocolate, Christmas cookies, Linzer Cookie

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Chill 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Author Christoph

Ingredients

Cookies

• 2 cups flour
• 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 Tablespoons dark cocoa powder
• 2 egg yolks
• 12 Tablespoons un-salted butter softened
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Caramel

• ½ cup + 2 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3.5 Tablespoons butter
• ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon salt

Decoration

• Melted milk or dark chocolate

Instructions

Cookies

• Mix together all ingredients with a hand mixer. Knead the dough to form a smooth short crust pastry. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least one hour or overnight.
• Position rack in center of oven and heat to 350°F. (If using convection set temperature to 325°F and position oven racks accordingly).
• Roll the dough on a floured work surface to about a ¼” thick. Cut out the desired shapes making sure that half of the cookies have a hole in them.
• Place cut out cookies on parchment or silpat lined baking trays. Place trays of cut cookies in the fridge for about 15 minutes prior to baking to help hold the shape.
• Bake for 8 – 10 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned.
• Remove from oven and let cookies rest on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Salted Caramel

• Place the sugar in a pan over medium heat. Do not stir. Heat the sugar until the sugar has started to melt and turn an amber color. When about ¼ of the sugar is melted, give the sugar a stir. The sugar mass will melt and all the crystals should be dissolved.
• Cut the butter into pieces and carefully add to the melted sugar, stirring constantly.
• Heat the cream in the microwave and slowly add to the melted sugar & butter. Stir continuously. Add the salt and continue to stir the bubbling mixture.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 2 – 3 minutes stirring often. Remove from heat and allow to cool enough to handle. Caramel will thicken as it cools.

Decoration

• Melt about ¼ cup of milk or dark chocolate in the microwave.
• Drizzle over top of assembled and cooled cookies.

Assemble

• When the caramel is cool enough to handle transfer to a piping bag. Pipe an even layer on the back or pan side of one of the cookies with no hole. Carefully press one of the cut out cookies on top. Pipe more caramel into the cut out if desired.
• Let cookies set up until caramel is firm.
• Melt chocolate in the micro and pipe or drizzle over cookies. Allow to set up completely before storing in an air tight container.

Holiday appetizers are some of my favorite things and this Cranberry Brie Pull Apart Bread just might be topping my list. Who could resist an ooey-gooey molten cheesy treat like this? A lightly toasted boule of bread filled with the creamy goodness of melted brie, dried cranberries, and chopped walnuts make this an irresistible pull apart delight. The thing I love most about this appetizer is that it just could not be any easier to prepare as well as delicious. Just what we all need this holiday for sure!

This is one of those recipes that I really enjoy making. There is not a lot of measuring or detailed instructions to follow, you really can’t go wrong.

What you need to get started………….

Boule of Bread – Any kind of round bread works for this and you can pick the size based on the number of people you are planning to serve. This style of bread comes in various sizes. I like a soft sour dough myself, I have tried using a multigrain and found it was a bit too tough but that was just me, it is totally up to your likings.

Wheel or Wedge of Brie – Triple cream is always my favorite type of brie, but any will be good. The amount of cheese you will need will depend on how big of a boule you have and also how cheesy you want this to be.

Dried Cranberries – The natural tart sweet of the dried berries cuts through the richness of the brie and butter, so don’t short yourself on these.

Brown Sugar – The brown sugar coats the walnuts and brings a little sweet crunch to the dish.

Butter – Things are always better with butter of course. I use unsalted.

Chopped Walnuts –  I love the flavor and texture nuts bring to this bread. There is no need to toast the nuts, just chop them up and let the brown sugar coating toast them.

Let’s make this…….

Start by heating the oven to 350°F and position a rack in the center of the oven. Also line a baking pan with parchment paper for easy clean up.

Cut into the boule using a serrated bread knife. Make cuts horizontally and vertically into the loaf stopping about a half an inch from going through making one inch pieces. When you cut the second direction you need to hold the loaf in shape so as not to tear off any pieces.

Stuff half of the butter into the cuts followed by hunks of the brie.

Pinch together half of the butter with the brown sugar and chopped nuts to for a “streusel”. Crumble over the loaf making sure to get in the cuts.

Top it off with a bit more brie and dried cranberries

Bake the bread for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the bread is toasted. Serve straight out of the oven.

I did not cut the rind off the brie and as you can see it did not completely melt in the oven. If this bothers you or if you are serving guests you might want to remove the rind from your brie.

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Cranberry Brie Pull Apart Bread

Easy holiday appetizer recipes for an incredibly delicious brie stuffed pull apart bread.

Course Appetizer

Keyword Cranberry Brie Pull Apart Bread, Holiday appetizers, Pull Apart bread

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 1 Round loaf of bread
• 1 Wheel or Wedge of Brie
• 3/4 Cup Dried Cranberries
• 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, divided
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts

Instructions

• Position shelf in center of oven and heat to 350°F.
• Slice the bread in to one inch pieces cutting both directions. Be careful not to cut all the way through the loaf.
• Cut 2 tablespoons of the butter into small pieces and work them into the cuts.
• Cut chunks of the brie and tuck them into the cuts even across the entire loaf.
• In a small bowl pinch together the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter along with the brown sugar and nuts to create a crumble. Drop evenly in to the cuts. Spread the dried cranberries over the loaf.
• Place the loaf on a sheet pan lined with parchment and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the bread is toasted.

Notes

Boule or round breads come in many sizes so pick one for the size of group you are serving.

 

Also the amount of cheese you use is up to your personal liking. Pile it on as you wish!

The spirit of the holidays come alive in this delicious and moist gingerbread cake.  Toasted almonds, candied citrus, and rum soaked currents mingle with Lebkuchengewürz (German gingerbread spice) to make a most memorable combination of flavors.  Topped with a lemon zest frosting, this cake is truly full of the essence of an old world Christmas.

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Old World Gingerbread Cake

The spirit of the holidays come alive in this delicious and moist gingerbread cake.  Toasted almonds, candied citrus, and rum soaked currents mingle with Lebkuchengewürz (German gingerbread spice) to make a most memorable combination of flavors.  Topped with a lemon zest frosting, this cake is truly full of the essence of an old world Christmas.

Course Cakes, Dessert

Cuisine German

Keyword cake, Gingerbread Cake, Holiday baking

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Servings 12 slices

Author Christoph

Ingredients

Gingerbread Cake

• ½ cup dried currants
• 3 Tablespoon spiced rum optional
• ½ cup toasted almonds finely chopped
• ½ cup candied orange & lemon peel
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon Lebkuchengewürz*** is a German gingerbread spice that can be purchased on Amazon or make your own.
• 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter soften
• 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
• ½ cup dark molasses
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• ½ cup buttermilk

Lebkuchengewürz***

• 2 ½ Tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground green cardamom
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground star anise
• ¼ teaspoon ground mace
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Lemon Zest Frosting

• 1 ¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
• ¼ cup meringue powder
• Zest of one lemon
• 2 – 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Gingerbread Cake

• Position shelf in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F. Grease a 9” x 5” loaf pan and line with parchment leaving the side to hang over the edge of the pan.
• Toss currants together with rum in a small bowl and set aside to hydrate while you prepare the batter.
• Place the almonds in a dry skillet over medium high heat to toast, when cool pulse them in a food processor until finely ground (do not process into almond butter) and set aside. Pulse the Citron until finely ground and set aside.
• Sift together flour with baking soda, salt, and spices.
• In a large mixing bowl cream together brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add molasses mix until well combined. In a small bowl whisk together eggs and extract. Add to butter mixture and beat until completely incorporated.
• Add about half of the dry ingredients to the wet along with half the buttermilk and mix until combined. Repeat with the balance of the flour and butter milk. Fold in the almonds, citron, and currants (including any remaining rum).
• Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on rack to cool for 5 minutes. Lift cake out of the pan using the parchment paper handles and allow to completely cool before frosting.

Lebkuchengewürz***

• Combine all the spices together and store in an airtight container for up to a year.
• For the best tasting blend use whole spices and toast them lightly in a dry skillet to enhance their flavors before grinding. Take care not to burn the spices when toasting as they can become bitter.

Lemon Zest Frosting

• Combine powdered sugar, meringue powder and lemons zest in a small mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice a little at a time mixing well after each addition until the frosting is a nice thick yet spreadable consistency. Spread over the top of the completely cooled cake. Decorate with cinnamon sticks and citron if desired.

Notes

Brandy can be used in place of Rum if you prefer or alcohol can be omitted completely.

 

Soft and chewy dark chocolate cookies are studded with white chocolate morsels and brandy soaked cherries to bring a favorite holiday flavor alive.  A drizzle of cherry brandy icing puts all the flavors together to make that chocolate-cherry dream come true.  My grandfather Vance loved chocolate covered cherries and would always be sure to have some around at Christmas.  I remember as a kid being offered one as a special treat when we would visit our grandparents, so having a box of cherry cordials has long been a holiday tradition for me.  This cookie reminds me of that once a year, extra special treat and just how much joy my grandfather had passing on one of his favorite holiday traditions with his grandchildren.

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Cherry Cordial Cookies

Soft and chewy dark chocolate cookies are filled with white chocolate morsels and brandy soaked cherries. This cookie is also known as a Black Forest cookie.

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American, German

Keyword Black Forest Cookies, Cherry Cordial Cookies, Holiday baking

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Chill 3 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 2 Dozen

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
• ½ cup dried cherries rough chopped
• ¼ cup Kirschwasser or brandy optional ***

Cherry Icing

• 1 cup powder sugar sifted
• 2-3 drops cherry flavoring
• 1 - 2 Tablespoons water as needed

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl beat the butter until smooth and creamy, add sugars and cream together until fluffy and light in color. Beat in egg and vanilla until completely combined.
• Rough chop the dried cherries and set aside.
• In a separate bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the wet and mix to combine. Add milk and mix well, dough will be thick and sticky. Mix in white chocolate chips and cherries. Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight.
• Heat oven to 350°F or 325°F for convection. Line two baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper.
• Remove dough from fridge and allow warming at room temperature for 20 – 30 minutes. Scoop about 2 Tablespoons of the dough with a cookie scoop or spoon. Roll into a ball with your hands and place on the baking sheet.
• Bake cookies for 10 minutes (cookies will appear a bit soft in the middle). Remove from oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet pans for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cherry Icing

• Place sifted powder sugar in a small bowl. Add a teaspoon of the remaining brandy from the cherries or a few drops of cherry flavored oil. Slowly mix in just enough water to make a icing that can be drizzled over the cookies.

Notes

*** Place the chopped cherries in a small bowl with brandy to soak, cover with plastic wrap and soak overnight or until most of the brandy is absorbed. Drain off any remaining brandy before adding cherries to the dough. Remaining juice can be added to the icing for some extra flavor.

When it comes to cookies, I am a huge fan!  I don’t think I have met a cookie I did not like (well there are some I like more than other of course).  In general however I find I do prefer a soft biscuit over a hard “dunker”.  I have always loved sugar cookies but it was not until I was an adult that I embraced the Snickerdoodle.  I do not recall my mother or grandmother ever making them for the holidays, but a sugar cookie coated with more sugar and cinnamon, what could be better? Well I will tell you, this “pumpkin-ed up” version of the holiday classic very well might be.  Pumpkin pie spices and a bit of pumpkin puree take this sugar cookie to an entirely new level, and the addition of butterscotch and white chocolate chips sends it right over the top!  Soft and chewy on the inside with a sweet sugary crunch, now that is my kind of holiday classic.

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Pumpkin Snickerdoodles with Butterscotch Chips

Light and soft snickerdoodles are flavored with pumpkin spices and butterscotch chips. White Chocolate chips add another layer of goodness to this amped up holiday classic.

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Cookies

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 24 Cookies

Author Christoph

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/3 cup butterscotch chips
• 1/3 cup white chocolate chips
• ½ cup pumpkin puree
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Coating

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Coating

• Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside

Cookies

• Heat oven to 375°F for conventional or 350°F for convection. Line baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper.
• Whisk together all dry ingredients in a bowl. Add butterscotch and white chocolate chips and mix to coat.
• In a separate bowl cream together pumpkin puree and sugars, add melted butter and mix thoroughly. Add vanilla and mix well.
• Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until just combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Scoop about 1 ½ tablespoons of the dough and roll to form a ball, roll ball in the coating sugar and place on baking sheets. Using your hand or a glass with a flat bottom, slightly flatten the balls into disks. Carefully dip the flattened cookies in the coating mixture again and return to baking sheets leaving about 2” between them.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly puffed and lightly golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and let cookies cool on the baking pan for about 3 minutes. Using a spatula transfer cookies to a wire rack to completely cool before storing in an air tight container.

Fresh blackberries and a sprig of thyme bring an interesting combination of flavors to this sparkling holiday cocktail.  Mixed with your choice of Prosecco or Champagne this refreshing festive drink is the perfect way to toast any special occasion.  Use sparkling water for an non-alcohol version of this delicious drink so everyone can join in the celebration.

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Blackberry Bellini

Blackberries and fresh thyme add an interesting sparkle to this festive holiday drink.

Course Cocktails

Cuisine French

Keyword Champagne cocktail, Cocktails

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Christoph

Ingredients

Bellini

• 4 ounces Prosecco or Champagne
• 1 ounce Chambord
• ½ ounce blackberry syrup
• blackberry and spring of fresh thyme for garnish

Blackberry syrup

• ½ cup water
• ½ cup sugar
• 6 ounce package fresh blackberries

Instructions

Bellini

• Pour blackberry syrup into the bottom of a champagne flute.
• Add Chambord and blackberry
• Fill glass with prosecco or champagne and garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme.

Blackberry Syrup

• Bring sugar, water, and berries to a boil in a small sauce pan over medium high heat, stirring often.
• Using the back of a spoon smash the berries and simmer on low for about 20 minutes.
• Strain syrup with a fine mesh strainer to remove seeds and chill.

Notes

Either Prosecco or Champagne are great for this cocktail.  Prosecco tends to be a bit sweeter.

 

For any recipe like this that calls for a small amount of a liquor we don't normally keep around I purchase a mini bottle for just a few dollars.  The perfect solution!  

For the perfect dessert paring try our Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Few things make the house smell as good as a pan of gingerbread cookies in the oven.  The spicy sweet aroma of brown sugar, molasses, and ginger most certainly bring the season alive.  This traditional holiday treat is loved in many parts of the world.  The origin of the gingerbread cookie appears to date back to the 1500’s in Germany.  The Grimm Brothers fairy tales boosted the popularity of gingerbread and the custom of making houses.  These fairy tale cookies are still very popular today and making these cookies has become an annual tradition for many families. 

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Gingerbread Cutout Cookies

A holiday classic gingerbread roll out cookie dough with the perfect blend of spices for the season.

Course Cookies

Cuisine Christmas, German

Keyword Cookies, Gingerbread Cookies, Holiday Treats

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Chill 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 42 minutes minutes

Servings 36 3" Coookies

Author Christoph

Ingredients

Cookies

• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• ¾ cup brown sugar packed
• ¾ cup molasses
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Icing

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 teaspoons meringue powder
• 2-3 drops gel food coloring optional
• 1-1½ tablespoons water as needed for piping consistency

Instructions

Cookies

• Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add sugar and molasses. Continue heating until the sugar is completely dissolved stirring often. Add salt and spices and stir to combine. Remove from heat and place in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature before beating in the egg.
• Whisk dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, then add to the molasses mixture stirring to completely combine.
• Divide the dough in half and form each half into a thick rectangle. Wrap in plastic and place in the fridge for at least an hour to chill. The dough is a bit sticky and needs to be completely chilled to roll.
• Heat oven to 350°F and line several baking trays with parchment paper.
• Work with one half of the dough at a time, rolling dough out on a floured surface to 1/8” or ¼”. Dip cutters in flour and cut out shapes as close to each other as possible. Roll scraps into a ball and place back in the fridge to chill before rerolling.
• Bake cookies for 8 to 12 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. Let the cookies cool for several minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to completely cool.

Icing

• In a small bowl combine powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add color if desired. Add water a teaspoon at a time until desired constancy for piping. If icing becomes too stiff and a few drops of water.
• Allow icing to dry for several hours before storing.

Notes

Placing plastic wrap over the top of the dough for rolling will keep it from sticking without adding additional flour.

 

Chill any scraps before re-rolling.

A creamy smooth texture and amazing combination of spices make this dulche de leche pumpkin cheesecake the ultimate holiday dessert.  A gingerbread crust adds the flavors of the season to this rich and decadent  cake .  Served with a cup of coffee or a glass of champagne this delicious cheesecake is certain to end your evening in style.  This cake can easily be made days in advance of your gathering giving you time for other holiday preparations and entertaining.

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Dulche do Leche Pumpkin Cheesecake

Velvety smooth pumpkin spiced cheesecake with gingersnap crust and dulche de leche topping.  Perfect for holiday entertaining.

Course Cakes, Dessert

Cuisine American, French

Keyword cheesecake, pumpkin cheesecake

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 12

Author Christoph

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 1/2 cups gingersnap crumbs
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Filling

• 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup heavy cream cold
• 3 8 ounce packages cream cheese room temperature
• 5 large eggs room temperature

Topping

• 1 ¼ cups dulche de leche find it next to the condensed milk

Instructions

Crust

• Preheat the oven to 325° F degrees and position a rack in the center of the oven.
• Wrap a 9-inch spring form pan with aluminum foil taking care to wrap up the sides to prevent water from seeping in. Spray the bottom and sides of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Place gingersnaps in the food processor and pulse into a fine crumb. Add the sugar and pulse and then add the butter and pulse to combine. Dump the crumb mixture into the prepared pan and using a measuring cup or glass press into an even layer. Bake about 15 minutes to set. Cool on a wire rack before filling.

Filling

• Bring about 4 quarts of water to a simmer in a pan for the water bath.
• In a small heavy saucepan stir together the pumpkin, sugar, spices and salt. Over medium heat bring the mixture to a boil stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook stirring constantly for about 5 minutes until thick bronzed and shiny. Transfer the mixture into a large food processor fitted with the metal blade and process for 1 minute with the feed tube open.
• With the motor running, stream in the cold cream. Add the cream cheese cut into chunks and process for about 30 seconds or until smooth. Break the eggs into a small bowl and lightly beat with a fork. Add the eggs to the filling mixture and process for about 5 seconds just to combine. Do not overmix!
• Place the spring form pan in a large roasting pan and pour the batter into the cooled crust. Fill the roasting pan with the simmering water about half way up the side of the spring form pan.
• Carefully move the Bain Marie (water bath) into the oven and bake for 1 ½ hours or until the center is just set. If it jiggles add a bit more time and keep an eye on it. Carefully remove the water bath from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool water and all. Run a small knife around the cake to loosen from pan, leaving the cake to cool in the water bath. Cool about 45 minutes or until the water is just warm then remove the spring form pan from the water bath, discard the foil and set on a wire rack. Continue to cool at room temperature until barely warm, about 3 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight before removing the form from the pan.

Topping

• Warm dulche de leche in the microwave for about 30-40 seconds to soften to a spreadable consistency. Spread evenly over the top of cooled un-formed cake. Place back in the fridge for one hour to set before serving.

Notes

Keep cheesecake in the fridge for up to five days.  Cheesecake can also be frozen buy double wrapping cake with plastic wrap and then foil.  Add topping after thawing.

Dresden Stollen goes by many different names; Stollen, Strutzel, Striezel, Stutenbrot, or Christstollen.  This traditional German Christmas bread, is a flavorful combination of rum soaked raisins and currants, almonds, candied citrus peel, spices such as cinnamon and cardamom, and of course lots of butter.  Legend says that the shape of Stollen with the white layer of powdered sugar symbolized the swaddled Christ Child.

For probably the last five years I have stated that I wanted to have Stollen for Christmas, but for some reason have never done so.  Last year we were in Munich at Christmas and I still managed to not savor any of the traditional treat.  Part of the reason has been that no one else in my family has seemed remotely interested and I really don’t need one to myself.  It seems that others equate Stollen to fruit cake  (which I am also the only one to claim a fondness for) and while there are some similarities, they are not the same thing.

So this year I decided that I would go it alone if I had to and make my own holiday bread.  I began searching for a recipe to try and found that there probably are as many versions of Stollen as there are Großmutters.  I was not inspired by much of anything I was finding, then it occurred to me to change my search words to Deutsch.  I replaced the word recipe with rezept and the results were much more what I was hoping for.  I found incredible recipes from many German bloggers (remember you can always use Google translate if you need) and finally came across this one that particularly interested me.  It was shared by a woman whose mother had worked in Dresden before the bombing at a bakery that was famous for making the Christstollen.  Her mother claimed that this was the original recipe, whether or not this is actually true, it doesn’t matter, I love the story.

The dough for this bread is very heavy because of the large amount of butter and lard.  After combining the dry ingredients and fruit it is best to just roll up your sleeves and mix in the milk, butter and lard by hand, it is much to heavy to stir.  Due to the large amounts of butter in the bread, it requires very long rise times and will not double in volume like other breads.  Because of the high fat content you need very little flour to keep it from sticking to your board or hands.

While the ingredients in the recipes I looked at varied somewhat, there was a consistency for the shaping.  To form the loaves or ‘lugs’, turn the ball of dough out on a lightly dusted board and flatten it by hand into disc that is easy to divide in half.  Then roll each half into an oval shape about 1″ thick using your hands to tighten up the edges as needed.  Then fold the oval in half lengthwise allowing the bottom of the fold to stand out about an inch past the top.

I brushed these loaves with butter before baking, about half of the recipes I looked at instructed to do so.  It did help to get a nice even golden color however I did need to tent them with foil after 45 minutes as they were getting too dark.  I think on another round I would skip this step, there is enough butter in the dough and the added butter coating made a slightly crisper crust than I want.  I also baked these lugs on a parchment lined sheet pan as recommended.  Because of the long baking time and the high fat content the bottoms of the loaves did end up a bit dark.  I would suggest baking the loaves on silpats or doubling up sheet pans to prevent this.

The completely cooled loaves are heavily dusted with powdered sugar then wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and should be held for several weeks before you enjoy them.  I did cut into one of the two loaves of my experiment to see how things worked.  I will tell you it is a bit denser that I would like but the flavor is amazing.  I did not soak the citrus in the rum but I think I would do that another time, some of the bits seem a bit hard.  It will be fun to see how this bread develops over the next couple weeks.

I find baking is always a fun challenge and experimenting with new recipes is very interesting.  The techniques for making this kind of bread is one that will certainly require some practice.  Overall I am pleased with my results, and remind myself that the Germans have been baking these breads for hundreds of years in order to perfect.

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Dresdner Stollen

I found this recipe shared by a woman whose mother had worked in the bakery famous for making Christstollen before the bombing of Dresden during WWII. This traditional German Christmas fruit bread is also known as Striezel or Weihnachtsstollen.

Course Breads

Cuisine German, Holiday

Keyword Christmas recipes, Stollen

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Rising 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours

Servings 2 Loaves

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups raisins
• 1 ¼ cups current
• ½ cup spiced rum
• 7 ½ cups flour
• 4 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
• ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup sugared lemon and orange peel fine diced
• 1 ½ cups almonds chopped
• 2 - 3 drops bitter almond oil
• 1 1/3 cups unsalted butter room temperature
• 2/3 cup lard room temperature
• 1 cup lukewarm milk
• 1/3 cup butter melted
• 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar more if needed

Instructions

• Soak raisins and currents in spiced rum overnight in a non-reactive bowl with a lid
• In a large bowl combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix to combine. Add the soaked raisins, citrus peel, and almonds. Mix well.
• Add almond oil, butter, lard, and milk. Mix with hands until a dough is formed. Turn out on to a lightly floured board and knead for about 5 minutes. Return dough ball to bowl and cover with a tea towel. Allow to rise for 1 hour.
• Knead well again and let rise for another hour.
• Slightly flatten the ball of dough into a circle and divide in two. Working with one half at a time roll the dough into an oval about 1" thick. Use your hands to tighten up the edges if necessary. Fold the oval in half the long way (like a taco shell) bending it so the top is held back and not even with the bottom. Transfer the lugs to a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with a tea towel. Allow dough to rest for 30 minutes.
• While the dough is resting heat the oven to 350°F. Bake for one hour, cover with foil if necessary to prevent burning. Stollen should have a nice dark color but not be burnt.
• After baking, allow to cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack. Brush warm lugs with the melted butter and sprinkle with vanilla sugar.
• When lugs are mostly cooled, brush again with melted butter and heavily dust with powdered sugar. When loaves are completely cool, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil.
• Stollen should be held for 2 weeks before serving.

Notes

This dough is very heavy almost like cookie dough. The bread does not rise very much during the resting periods but the sugar and flour become completely absorbed.

Very little flour is needed to prevent sticking.

I baked the loaves on a parchment lined sheet pan and the bottoms got a bit dark. I would suggest using a silpat or doubling up the pans to prevent this.