We are getting closer and closer to the greediest days of the year. And Christmas is Christmas calls for a simple and delicious cookie recipe. But, after all, where did this delicious tradition come from?
Apparently, the origin of these cookies is uncertain. It is said that they were born from a very ancient tradition that emerged in the convents of Middle Ages, but it is also claimed that they may have achieved popularity in England, by the hand of Queen Elizabeth I. In the United States, children learn how to prepare these Christmas cookies and offer them to Father Christmas together with a glass of milk, as a symbol of your gratitude and humility.
Of course, you can be careful and fancy with the decoration of these cookies in a sophisticated way, but there's nothing easier than a quick dip in melted chocolate. Get to work and share them with who likes it most. Or, prepare a glass just for yourself (we promise to save secret!).
Ingredients:
1 cup of softened butter;
1/4 cup of granulated sugar;
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract;
2 eggs;
1/2 teaspoon of salt;
1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder;
1 teaspoon of cardamom powder;
Zest of 1 orange;
3 1/2 cups of wheat flour;
To dip and decorate: melted (dark) chocolate.
Preparation method:
Line two trays with parchment paper and preheat the oven at 375º;
In a bowl, add the softened butter and sugar granulated. Blend until it becomes a shade lighter. Add eggs, vanilla and all the zest and spices and mix everything very well;
Add the flour (half a cup at a time) to the blender and mix with the previous mixture;
When the dough is homogeneous, place it on a floured surface and use your hands to work it. Wrap in plastic and leave in the freezer for 15-20 minutes;
Remove the dough from the freezer and roll it out to a thickness of half centimeter. Use cookie cutters of your choice and place the cookies in the baking trays;
Leave the cookies in the oven for 12 minutes (sides They shouldn't be too golden and the middle shouldn't have too much color). Leave them cookies to cool before putting on the chocolate icing;
Melt the dark chocolate in a bowl over a bain-marie and dip the cookies in the chocolate, placing them on a tray lined with paper. Add a decoration of your choice to the cookies (just let your imagination run wild!), while the chocolate is still melted. Let it rest for two hours.
