Berner Hasselnuss Staengeli

Swiss Hazelnut Bar Cookies from Berne.


I am not sure if these cookies are considered traditional Christmas cookies in Switzerland but it sparked my interest with it's all nut ingredient, simple components and method. These cookies were a delight to bake. It took no time to mix up with little fuss. The ingredients just consist of sugar, hazelnuts meal ( husk and all!), lemon zest, cinnamon and egg whites. Everything is just mixed together and the result is a delicious slightly chewy cookie with a crunch. I am tempted to dip these in some melted chocolate which I think would make it more divine.


In due respect to Nick Malgieri and copyright concerns I am afraid I am not able to post the recipe here. However I'll be happy to share them with you. Just leave me a message and I will email it to you. I highly recommend getting the book by Nick Malgieri - Cookies Unlimited from where this recipe came from. This book is chocked full of delicious cookies and a great addition to your cook book collection.


Edited by Sze Lin December 20

Yesterday, I kindly received the privilege to share this recipe from the author himself. Thank you Mr. Malgieri.

Berner Hasselnuss Staengeli
Swiss Hazelnut Bars from Berne
as written from Cookies Unlimited by kind permission from Nick Malgieri pg. 119

This is a typically Swiss recipe shared by my friend, cooking teacher and caterer Thea Cvijanovich. Thea was born in Berne, Switzerland, and this recipe is like many from the region. Though I don't think these were originally made without flour for religious reasons, they make a great Passover cookie.

Makes about 48 cookies

4 1/2 cups ( about 18 ounces) whole unblanced hazelnuts
1 1/2 cups sugar, plus more for rolling out the dough
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 large egg whites ( a little more than 1/2 cup)

2 cookie sheets or jelly roll pans covered with parchment or foil

1. In the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the hazelnuts and half the sugar. Pulse repeatedly at 1-second intervals until finely ground. Add the lemon zest and cinnamon and pulse again.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites to break them up. Whisk in the remaining sugar in a steam. Add the hazelnut mixture and with a large rubber spatula combine the ingredients to form a very firm dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to let the dough mature for about 30 minutes. (This resting time is to get all the sugar melted so the dough doesn't change consistency while it is being rolled or baked.)
3. When you are ready to bake the cookies, set racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
4. Scatter granulated sugar on a work surface and scrape the dough onto it. Use the palm of your hand to flatten the dough and scatter sugar over it. Roll out and press the dough until it is about 1/4 inch thick – it should make a 12-inch square. Using a ruler for accuracy, cut the dough into 1-inch wide strips. Then cut across at 3-inch intervals to make 48 cookies.
5. Transfer the cookies to the prepared pans, leaving about an inch all around each. Bake the cookies for about 15 to 20 minutes, until they are slightly puffed but still soft to the touch of a fingertip. Cool on the pans on racks.
6. Store the cooled cookies between sheets of parchment or wax paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover.

Basler Brunsli

First on this year's Christmas Cookie list is Basler Brunsli; a popular and festive Chocolate spiced cookie enjoyed throughout the Christmas season in Switzerland. I was excited when I reviewed the ingredients as it has no flour at all so I am able to enjoy them in it's original form. I have never made this before so was unsure of the texture and appearance. I may have been too eager and was not patient after stamping them out as instructed by the recipe so the cookie spread whilst baking. The cookies filled the house with a gorgeous aroma whilst baking and certainly added to the Christmas spirit. This is again a Nick Malgieri recipe featured in Gourmet's Cookies Favourites 1942-2008. Recipe can be found here or for convenience below.



Basler Brunsli
- by Nick Malgieri adapted from Gourmet.com

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole natural almonds (8 ounces)
1 1/2 cups sugar plus additional for coating work surface
6 ounces Swiss or other fine-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup egg whites (from about 2 large eggs)

Method
In a food processor combine almonds with 1 1/2 cups sugar and pulse until ground fine (do not overprocess or mixture will become warm and melt chocolate when added). Add chocolate and pulse until ground fine. Add spices and pulse twice. Add whites and pulse until mixture forms a stiff dough, adding 1 teaspoon water if necessary. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or foil.

On a surface coated with additional sugar press out or roll dough about 1/4 inch thick. With bottom of fork held facing down and tines touching dough at 60-degree angle, score dough about 1/16 inch deep by pulling fork across in a series of parallel vertical lines. With a 2-inch heart-, star-, and/or clover-leaf-shaped cutter cut out cookies and transfer to prepared baking sheets. Press dough scraps together and cut out more cookies in same manner. Let cookies stand, uncovered, at room temperature 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 325° F.

Put cookies in oven and immediately reduce temperature to 300° F. Bake cookies, switching position of sheets in oven halfway through baking, 10 to 15 minutes, or until they are just firm (do not overbake or cookies will be hard), and cool on sheets on racks. Keep cookies in an airtight container up to 2 weeks. Makes about 60 cookies.