Linzeraugen

I've had a breakdown yesterday, because my last Vanillekipferl dough didn't do what I want. I felt lonely, couldn't believe that my nan really left me alone with all this baking. I tried another one, but again it didn't work. Then I decided to bake something else and I still had 2 doughes in my fridge.

This recipe is called Linzeraugen and its originally from my moms mom, Katica. She gave it to my other nan and there we go, family history, I've made them today. And I was so much talking to both my nans, every step I made was full of love and hope, please let it work. It did work out very well, I've just heard "wow, these are fantastic" - so I'm happy again, not reliefed yet, I first need to make Vanillekipferl again, but that's my story for tomorrow, we will see how things go.

And here it is, our real family recipe:

Linzeraugen

280 g flour
240 g butter
140 g powder sugar
175 g grounded almonds
a pinch of cinnamon
red currant jam

Stiff the flour and the powder sugar, add the almonds and cinnamon. Then quickly add the butter and knead it to a dough. Then put it into the fridge in plastic wrap and leave it there for at last one hour.
When starting to make the biscuits divide the dough in three parts. Put two parts back in the fridge and use a rolling pin to extend the dough to a thin piece. Use very very little flour to make sure it doesn't stick to the rolling pin. Move the piece after three or four time rolling over it and before you start cutting out the biscuits use a palette knife to remove the dough from your work surface.
Cut out as many upper shapes as lower shapes. After baking at 180 degrees for about 15 minutes and letting them cool down put upper and lower pieces together with red currant jam in between. To make the jam easier to use warm it up.

How we knew it was biscuit baking time

When I went to my nans house and there was a baking tray next to her front door, I knew, she's on. The trays were always placed there to cool down so they could be used again. And yesterday, when I was baking I looked out of my kitchen door and there she would have been, placing them trays where they stood. She is so far away now, but also so close.

Butter breads (Butterbrote)

Butterbrote are the biggest love of all my grandmothers grand children and great grand children. When my kids heard we made Butterbrote they got this sparkle in their eyes. And even today, first thing my daughter says when its about to bake Christmas biscuits, if we can make Buttebrote. Its a very easy recipe but nothing can beat the easy ones.
Its a bit tricky to get the right shape for the bread slices but once you are used to it also kids can easily help.

Butter breads (Butterbrote)

120 g margarine
150 g flour
60 g grounded dark or cooking chocolate
80 g grounded hazelnuts
50 g icing sugar

Knead everything together and put it into the fridge for at least an hour, doesn't matter if its the next day when you use it. Form little shapes like bread and cut slices. Bring them in shape with your fingers and put them on the baking tray. Bake for about 15 minutes at 180-200 degrees.



For the topping use
2 egg yolks
120 g icing sugar
Mix both to make a smooth paste.
With a knife put the topping on the breads as if it was butter. Let it dry and enjoy!

Vanilla cornets (Vanillekipferl)

Its 47 days till Christmas and I've started to think of all the biscuits my nan and I always made. This time of the year was always very special. You couldn't visit nans house without being welcomed by the smell of sweet little sins like vanilla sugar, nuts, rum, oranges every breath you took was delicious. Coming back home always meant to have the smell in my hair and it lasted till I washed it again. The cosiness and love she created during them weeks was so special to me.
First thing we started with was always Vanilla cornets (Vanillekipferl). It doesn't take much to make the dough but to form them properly you needed years. I can't count how often my little artworks got corrected by my grandmother, in the end I think I'm not too bad now, but it was hard work.

And here is the recipe, for those of you who want to give it a try.

Vanillekipferl

 

300 g flour
250 g margarine
100 g grounded hazelnuts
80 g sugar
Vanilla sugar to roll the biscuits in

Knead all ingredients together quickly. Make a big ball and put it on plastic wrap. Put it into the fridge for at least half an hour, better longer, you can also use it the next day.
Form little cornets and bake till they are light brown on the lower side at 180 degrees. When you take them out of the oven don't leave them on the baking tray. Once they've cooled down just a bit, roll them in vanilla sugar carefully.

Introduction

I'm 37 years old and many hours of my life I've spent in a kitchen. Watching, learning, cooking, baking, solving problems. My parents told me many many things in cooking but my nan told me everything in baking. When in doubt, bake, that's what she did, that's what I do. My heart broke, the day she died in 2016 and apart from the love she left in all our lifes she left me a cookbook. HER cookbook, hand written. It contains the history of this family in a way, it contains memories, it contains friendships, refers to other women she's met on her way and who told her different recipies. This book means the world to me and as a tribute to my grandmother, I want to share it. With everyone who is interested in baking and cooking, with everyone who is interested in beloved cooking, creating food with passion. It won't be perfect, but it will be true and honest.