Roman Menyhart

The Ginger snap or Ginger thin, Pepparkakan is a cookie that has been developed in Sweden during centuries, to become the cookie it has been the last hundred years. With its delicate flavor of ginger, pepper and other Herb’s baked so thin and crispy. It has become one of the favorite cookies in Sweden.As far back as the 15th century came the first ginger cookies to Sweden through some German munks. The first documented evidence of the cookies is from 1534 the time of the famous king Gustaf Wasa, that the world’s biggest skiing event in Sweden is named after. Through the centuries the ginger cookies has mostly disappeared in the other countries and developed into the Swedish specialty that it is today.

The Name in Swedish “pepper cookie” is probably a name that the cookie got because the people in older times could not specify the spices so it was the dominant one that gave name to the cookie. The first Pepparkakor that was made was not brown as it is today. Instead they were white and often decorated with caramel color. That was the tradition in to the 1800. About 1830 changed the color to brown and the heart shaped Pepparkakan started and became popular. The heart shape is from old tradition combined with goodness and kindness. Perhaps has the belief of the cookies good influence of your spirit life connection with the heart shape of the cookie. It is believed in the folklore that you became kind of eating Pepparkaka, so just in case, take one.

GINGER COOKIES (Pepparkakor — Sweden)

• 1 C. granulated sugar
• 1 C. melted butter
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 C. dark molasses
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 C. boiling water
• 1 egg
• 3 C. flour

Dissolve baking soda in the boiling water. Mix allingredients together. Roll thin. Cut dough with cookie cutter. Bake at 325ºF until lightbrown. Watch carefully, as cookies brown very quickly.

SPICY CHRISTMAS COOKIES FROM SWEDEN, “PEPPARKAKOR”

Eating “pepparkakor” is said to make You kinder. I´ve made theese cookies every Christmas for 36 years now. They´re crisp and spicy.

• 175 gr of margarine
• 1,5 dl of molasses (In Sweden molasses come in three different colours: for “pepparkakor” we use the middle brown)
• 1 table spoon of cinnamon
• 1 table spoon of ginger
• 1 table spoon of clove
• 1 table spoon of cardamum (preferably fresh ground)
• 0,2 kilo of sugar
• 0,15 litre of cream
• 0,5 tea spoon of bicarbonate of soda
• 0,5 kilo of wheat flour

Stir margarine and molasses. Mix spices and sugar into it. Whip the cream and turn it down with an easy hand. Mix flour and bicarbonate and add. (save some flour for baking) STORE IN A COOL PLACE UNTIL THE NEXT DAY! Roll it out thinly (1-2 mm). This dough is pretty difficult to handle – take a small amount of it at a time (leaving the rest in the cold). Best is to roll it on a piece of cloth covered with flour.

We make cookies in a lot of shapes: round (can be made with a glass) stars, hearts, leaves, pigs, man, woman, christmas tree….

Bake in 225-250 centigrades for a short time (Ask somebody to watch!)

GINGER COOKIES (SWEDISH GINGER BREAD COOKIES)

• 1 cup (2 dl) water
• 1/2 cup (1 dl) syrup (molasses)
• 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon of ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom
• 1 tablespoon of bicarbonate
• 10,5 oz (300 gr) butter
• 2,5 cups (5 dl) sugar
• 7,5 cups or about 1 lb. (1,5 litres) flour

Mix butter, sugar and syrup. Add spices and bicarbonate, then water and finally part of the flour. Mix in the rest of the flour. Let the dough sit over night, wrapped in foil in the fridge.

Roll the dough as thin as possible using flour. Cut out figures – preferable Christmas figues, hearts, stars etc.

Bake in oven for about 5 minutes at 200-225 degrees C (400-425 degrees F). Watch it! They burn fast once they start.

You can get about 300 cookies, depending on how big you make them. It´s nice to make some quite big hearts, decorated with frosting and maybe hang them up in the window.

GLÖGG

Glögg is a wonderful hot drink, also known as gluhwein, mulled wine or hot, spicy wine. It´s “allowed” to drink it all through December. Warms your heart and soul! It´s preferable served with almonds, raisins and gingerbread cookies.

• 1 bottle of red wine (cheap)
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup (0,5 – 1 dl) vodka (not spicy)
• 5 – 20 pcs of cloves
• 1 large teaspoon of cardamom seeds
• 2 – 4 pcs (sticks) of cinnamon
• 1 – 2 pcs of ginger
• Peels from half a lemon
• 1/2 – 1 cup of sugar
• 1 large teaspoon of vanilla suger

Crush cinnamon and cardamom. Peel lemon. Put all spices + peels in a glass jar with the vodka. Cover. Leave over night. Strain the vodka, toss the spices. Mix the now spicy vodka with wine and sugars.

Heat all ingredients in a large kettle until steaming hot. Do not boil! Stir and taste. If not sweet enough, add sugar. If too sweet, add vodka and wine.

Serve with peeled almonds (or just chop them up) and raisins, plus of course ginger bread cookies.

The Glögg will be even spicier and gets a fuller taste if you bottle it and leave it for a week. You can also leave out the vodka if you wish something with less alcohol.