A Winelover's Wanderings

I am delighted to join the Season's Eatings challenge for the first time! Actually, that is not quite true. I signed up last year with Katie of Thyme for Cooking (the organizer of this fun event), and I sent a foodie gift to the person I was assigned. Unfortunately, whoever got my name did not follow thru, so I was giftless last year.

Fortunately, though, this year I did receive a gift - all the way from Germany from a lovely lady named Ulrike. Her blog is called Kuchenlatein (Latin cuisine), and she publishes it both in German and in English.

Ulrike's recipe and ingredients are for Brown Cakes, which are actually what we would call cookies. She sent me a package of the measured flours, leavening agents for both the Brown Cakes and White Cakes, and Ceylon Cinnamon and specific instructions for making both the Brown and White Cakes.

Brown Cakes - Braune Kuchen

Ingredients (50 Servings):
100 grams Butter
75 grams Brown Sugar
100 grams Dark Molasses
75 grams Almonds, chopped
1 teasp Cinnamon, ground
1 pinch Cloves, ground
1/2 teasp Pottash
125 grams Plain Flour, Type 405
125 grams Rye Flour, Type 1150

Directions:
In a saucepan warm butter, sugar and molasses on low heat. Fold in almonds, cinnamon and cloves and let cool.

Dissolve the potash in l tablespoon warm water and add to the mixture. Add the flours and knead until the dough is smooth and well combined. If necessary add 1 or 2 tablespoons water.

Place into a bowl, cover and cling film and rest over night at room temperature.

Roll out between clingfilm, about 3 mm and cut into 3 x 5 cm rectangles. Place on a greased baking tray.

Bake for 8 mins at 200 degrees C/fan, 170 degrees C/gas 3. Cool on a wire rack.

My cookies don't look as good as Ulrike's (see her blog post), but they tasted great! Thanks Ulrike!

PS - Here is one particularly good blog entry for the Season's Eatings event right on Thyme for Cooking's site.