Back to Basics: Traditional Christmas cookies from across the pond

Recipes

Masaryk's Cookies

Makes about 30 cookies

Ingredients:

For the cookie:

2 cups of hazelnuts*

1 cup powdered sugar

2 egg yolks

2 sticks (8 ounces) of butter — soft (room temperature)

2 cups all-purpose flour

For the side coating:

About 1/2 cup of brown sugar — adjust if needed

Final touch:

Powdered sugar

*Optionally substitute with walnuts.

Directions:

Nuts preparation: Place into a medium mixing bowl: 2 cups hazelnuts and add enough cold water to cover all the nuts — all nuts need to be fully immersed.

Let the nuts soak in cold water until they soften (about 2 to 3 hours; you can optionally extend this time frame to fit your schedule better).

Note: Nuts need to soften for later steps when you cut the dough into cookies with a knife — the knife needs to be able to cut through the cookies as easily as it would cut through butter.

Right before you are ready to proceed with the next step, drain the water from the nuts over a colander, then place the nuts into a kitchen towel to slightly dry.

For the dough: Place into a stand mixer with a flat beater attachment: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 egg yolks, 2 sticks softened butter and 2 cups flour. Process on high speed until fully incorporated (start slow to let the ingredients partially combine).

Add soaked and drained nuts. And process on medium to high speed until fully incorporated.

Note: Work the following steps on a dry surface — no need for flour.

Forming the cookie and resting the dough: split the dough into two parts (just approximately split, no need to weigh them).

Roll into two logs (each with diameter about 1 1/2 inches).

Wrap with food wrap and let cool in the freezer until the dough at least partially hardens (so it can be easily cut into individual cookies), which takes only about 20 to 30 minutes. Or let it cool overnight in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat and cut cookies: Place brown sugar on the plate and coat both logs in it. Tip: You can optionally cut each log in half for easier manipulation.

First, for perfect results, cut off the round ends — you can bake them too.

Using a chef’s knife, cut each log into individual cookies of about 1/2 inch thick.

Place each cookie on a baking sheet with some space between each cookie

Bake in a preheated oven until fully baked (about 15 minutes).

Rotate the baking sheets in the middle of baking.

Dust with the powdered sugar right after removing them from the oven.

Tip: If parts of the ingredients stick to the side of the stand mixer during processing, stop the mixer, and use a spatula to mix it back in. Then, continue processing.

Source: Tom Slepicka

Mini Nests Cookies with Almonds

About 35 to 40 mini nests

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 1/4 sticks (9 ounces) of butter, soft (room temperature)

35 to 40 pieces almonds (not salted) *

* For a version with filling, optionally substitute raspberry or strawberry preserves.

For the dough: Place into a stand mixer with a flat beater attachment: flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder and softened butter. Process on a slow speed until all ingredients are partially combined. Then increase the speed to medium-high and process until the dough is formed (about 2 to 3 minutes). The final dough can be slightly crumbly.

Tip: If parts of the ingredients stick to the side of the stand mixer during processing, stop the mixer, and use a spatula to mix it back in. Then, continue processing.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

Form the nests: Using your hands and a scale, separate the dough into individual portions, each about 0.5 ounces, and roll them into balls about 1 inch in diameter.

Place each ball on a baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other (about 25 to 30 on each baking sheet).

Bake in a preheated oven until fully baked (about 8 to 10 minutes).

Important: Rotate the baking sheets in the middle of baking.

They will still be soft at first but will eventually harden after just a few minutes of cooling

For the almond version: Push one almond into each immediately after baking while cookies are still hot.

For the preserve version: Create a small dent with the other side of the wooden spoon. Then fill with preserve.

Important: Let it cool totally on the baking sheet before serving or further manipulation.

Source: Tom Slepicka

Good to know

· There is no need to peel the nuts and almonds for either of these recipes. But feel free to do so if you would like. Peeling almonds and other nuts is easy. Just bring a small pot of water to a boil, add your nuts, and blanch them for about 60 seconds. Drain the nuts and rinse with cold water. Then, spread them on a kitchen towel and gently squeeze each nut to slip the skin right off. Enjoy your perfectly peeled nuts for snacking, baking, or cooking. While you can sometimes buy almonds and other nuts pre-peeled, I find it's simpler and more economical to peel them myself. This way, I avoid stocking an extra ingredient and save money by not buying the pricier version.

· European butter and American butter have some key differences that affect their taste and performance in the kitchen. European butter typically has a higher butterfat content (around 82 percent to 86 percent) compared to American butter (around 80 percent). This gives European butter a richer, creamier texture and a more pronounced flavor. European butter is often cultured, meaning bacteria are introduced to ferment the cream, resulting in a slightly tangy flavor profile. American butter, on the other hand, is usually sweet cream butter with a milder taste. These differences can be noticeable when tasting the butters plain, and they also impact baking. European butter's higher fat content can create flakier pastries and richer cakes. I personally find European-style butter tastier when eaten raw on bread, and I also enjoy its taste and slightly better texture in cookies, cakes and baked goods. So, from my point of view, European butter has a slight edge, but it also usually costs significantly more. Generally speaking, you can use any butter you have unless a recipe specifically asks for European butter, which rarely happens. Probably the most accessible European butter in the European market is Irish Kerrygold.

· Many people perceive the First Republic as a time of flourishing Czechoslovak culture and lifestyle. This short period in history, bordered by two world wars, is mainly associated with the name of the first president, Tomas Garrigue Masaryk. An unassuming cookie was named after him. He was a very humble person who grew up in a family that was not wealthy. For that reason, he always preferred regular meals and desserts over fancy ones. And based on a few sources, Masaryk cookies were one of his favorites.