Christmas baking Scandinavian style

December 1st 

This is my absolute favourite time of the year and I make no apologies for the posts that will be coming from this blog EVERY DAY until Christmas Eve.  Yes, that's right EVERY DAY!  So come on join in with me, add to the discussions, let me know what traditions you have in your home or what you are going to try out for the first time this year.

This is my third year of posting every day in December.  I aim to share with you my love of Christmas, hope to enthuse you and sprinkle a little inspiration into your December days.  Can you sprinkle some back my way?

My second apology is to any 'old' readers out there for this post.  Christmas for us would not be Christmas without the baking of the seven traditional cookies that the Norwegians love to make to welcome both unexpected and planned guests that pop into their home on these darker days.  Many families will always bake the same seven every year and others will try new ones from year to year.  I have a couple of three that I have to make each year and the rest I like to mix it up a bit.  So here is our families absolute cannot be missed off the list Christmas cookies or as they say in Norway Julbak.

Today I bring you Pepperkaker, a Scandinavian version of ginger biscuits.

You will need:

NOTE: This recipe needs to be started the day before you intend to bake as the mixture needs to sit in the fridge overnight.

Melt the syrup, sugar and butter on a low heat.

 

Add in the egg and stir well.

 

 

 

Sift the flour, baking powder and spices, mixing well.

 

Cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, pepper

The mixture should be a little sloppy.  It now needs to be left in the fridge over night to harden.  I tend to leave it in the sauce pan, but you can transfer it into a bowl. 

The following day, cut out a quarter of the mixture, roll it into a ball and roll out to approx. 3-4mm thick and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes.  Place on baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and bake in a preheated oven of 180 degrees for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Leave to cool on a wire rack before boxing up in an air tight container.  These biscuits should last for about 2-3 weeks. 

Eat and enjoy.

You can either freeze the mixture for up to four weeks or leave covered in the fridge for about 5 days before using if you so wish.  This mixture made about 40 large size cookies.  I often double the mixture as these are so popular in  our house that 40 are never enough. 

Lighting the first advent candle and eating pepperkake by the open fire, what a lovely start to this festive season...

Advent is such a cosy time of year.

♥  What are your baking 'must do' for Christmas?  ♥