Usually this is the time for the Daring Bakers, but unfortunately I didn't have time to do the challenge this month, since I just got married two weeks ago. It was a wonderful winter wonderland wedding. Back to the Daring Bakers, we were asked to make a typical German Christmas treat: Stollen. There is really no Christmas without Stollen in Germany, and you can find all kinds of variations, with different fillings and in different sizes. I made a Poppy Seed-Marzipan Stollen last year, which was very good.
I still have a recipe for you today though. Remembering my home for the last few years, I made those Canadian Maple Leaf cookies. They use a good portion of maple syrup in the dough and as glaze. A very Canadian Cookie. We have much snow ourselves this year in Germany, so a white Christmas is a sure bet.
I wish you all a wonderful and peaceful Merry Christmas together with people you love and hope you enjoy lots of sweets wherever you are.
I still have a recipe for you today though. Remembering my home for the last few years, I made those Canadian Maple Leaf cookies. They use a good portion of maple syrup in the dough and as glaze. A very Canadian Cookie. We have much snow ourselves this year in Germany, so a white Christmas is a sure bet.
I wish you all a wonderful and peaceful Merry Christmas together with people you love and hope you enjoy lots of sweets wherever you are.
Maple Cookies
adapted from Martha Stewart
300g all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
226g unsalted butter
50g granulated sugar
50g brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup maple syrup
Sift flour and salt into a medium bowl. Beat butter and granulated and brown sugars with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low, and add yolk, then 1/2 cup maple syrup, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture, and beat until just incorporated. Shape into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll out 1 disk of dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a sheet of lightly floured parchment. Place parchment with dough on baking sheet. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
Coat baking sheets with cooking spray, line with parchment, and coat parchment. Cut out cookies from frozen dough using a 3 1/2-inch maple-leaf-shaped cutter, and space 1 inch apart on sheets. Roll and cut scraps once. Freeze cookies until firm, about 15 minutes.
Bake cookies until edges begin to turn golden, 14 to 16 minutes. Transfer parchment with cookies to wire racks, and let cool for 5 minutes. Brush cookies with 2 tablespoons maple syrup, and sprinkle with 1/2 the sanding sugar. Let cool. Repeat with remaining dough, maple syrup, and sugar.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll out 1 disk of dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a sheet of lightly floured parchment. Place parchment with dough on baking sheet. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
Coat baking sheets with cooking spray, line with parchment, and coat parchment. Cut out cookies from frozen dough using a 3 1/2-inch maple-leaf-shaped cutter, and space 1 inch apart on sheets. Roll and cut scraps once. Freeze cookies until firm, about 15 minutes.
Bake cookies until edges begin to turn golden, 14 to 16 minutes. Transfer parchment with cookies to wire racks, and let cool for 5 minutes. Brush cookies with 2 tablespoons maple syrup, and sprinkle with 1/2 the sanding sugar. Let cool. Repeat with remaining dough, maple syrup, and sugar.
Enjoy and Guten Appetit!
