Name: Pfeffernüsse
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 20
Ingredients: 335 gm plain flour; 1½ tsp ground cinnamon; ¾ tsp ground black pepper; ½ tsp crushed aniseed; ¼ tsp each ground allspice, ground nutmeg and ground ginger; Pinch of ground cloves; ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda; 125 gm butter, softened; 120 gm brown sugar; 60 gm blackstrap molasses; 1 egg; Spiced icing; 100 gm pure icing sugar, sieved; Pinch each of ground nutmeg and ground cloves

Pfeffernüsse

These spiced German biscuits are a traditional treat come Christmas, but really, we love them any time of year.

Serves 20

Prep

30M

Cook

30M

Total

Translating to “pepper nuts”, these deliciously spiced German biscuits are a traditional Christmas treat, but are irresistible any time of year. By making the biscuit dough in advance and leaving it overnight, the spices deepen to give the best flavour.

Ingredients

335 gm plain flour

1½ tsp ground cinnamon

¾ tsp ground black pepper

½ tsp crushed aniseed

¼ tsp each ground allspice, ground nutmeg and ground ginger

Pinch of ground cloves

¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

125 gm butter, softened

120 gm brown sugar

60 gm blackstrap molasses

1 egg

Spiced icing

100 gm pure icing sugar, sieved

Pinch each of ground nutmeg and ground cloves

Method

Main

1.Sift flour into a large bowl, add spices and bicarbonate of soda, and set aside.

2.Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add molasses, beat to combine, then add egg and beat to combine. Stir in flour mixture with a large pinch of flaked sea salt. Combine to form a dough and refrigerate for flavours to develop (2 hours-overnight).

3.Preheat oven to 160C. Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls and place on baking trays lined with baking paper. Bake until just firm to touch (16-20 minutes). They’ll harden as they cool.

4.For spiced icing, combine sugar, spices and 1 tbsp water in a large bowl (it should be a thick consistency). Dip pfeffernüsse into the icing and set aside to dry. They will keep in an airtight container for 5 days.