As promised a couple weeks ago, here is my snowflake cookie recipe.
Im glad it took me two weeks to post it because i've had a chance to change the recipe and really make it my own.
The basic recipe was from my mother but like everything i do, i just had to go and change it and make it my own.
So here we go:
You will need
Eggs (4)
Flour (2 1/2 cups +)
Sugar (1 cup)
Butter (50gr)
Lemon (1)
Honey (1 table spoon)
Break and separate egg white from yolk, keeping the egg white in a large bowl.
Whisking egg whites is fun and painful so it helps if you're prepared to giggle.
I do it in a large bowl to get all that precious air flowing about, using a fork and no sugar.
Whisk away until its completly white and fluffy (not liquid).
When its cloud like, pour in previous mixed egg yolk, mix with wooden spoon (note the cool color change) and add the sugar.
Pour in *one* cup of flour (how big of a cup? a mug? a regular cup? i use both cup or mug, you will add extra flour in the end so this is just measure by sight, yeah, sorry, i bake like that.)
The 50 grams of butter should go in now.
And this is where opinions could arise, melt the butter? Throw it in and crush it with the spoon?
Oh the options!
I do not like completelly melted butter (its just me) so i take it out of the fridge and let it get to room temperature before i break it into pieces, then i throw it in the bowl and spread the pieces until they are tiny and floating about.
You should have a very liquid mixture by now, so go and add one table spoon of honey!
The smell is amazing (and if you're weird like that and dont like honey it can do without and we can still be friends) and right after the honey, in goes the lemon zest. (the amazing smell might make you all smiles so you have been warned).
I use one entire lemon for this, just scrape all of it. Now, my grandmother used to make rice pudding with cut lemon zest so i have major childhood traumas because of it. I never cut lemon zest into it, just scrape it.
Mix everything up and add another cup of flour.
Now add half a cup and you should have a sturdy dough by now.
Ditch the spoon.
Get some flour in your hands, pour a little onto the dough and start kneading.
You dont have to do this for long, and if its too sticky, add more flour, little by little. (keep using the cup as measure so you know how much you need next time)
The dough is ready when its no longer sticky and floppy.
Take a ball of dough, pour flour onto wooden board and spread it even, either by hand or roll.
The height of the dough depends on the cookies you are making.
We make snowflakes so a finger high is good. When we make round cookies its better that they are thiner, depending on how you like them.
They do not grow much so dont be affraid to gather lots of them in a tray.
I dont use butter on the tray (i use aluminum foil) but you can go ahead and butter yours.
Funny thing about the oven (and number one reason why i dont post recipes) mine doesnt have temperature reading, no numbers, nothing, just plain old fashioned high, medium, low, off.
I turn the heater on high as im putting the cookies on the tray and then turn it to medium.
My medium is probably lower than yours so be adviced and watch over your cookies!
They bake relatively fast and only the bottom should be golden. (do not turn the cookies over)
Time of cooking depends on the cookies, if you have thiner ones you should keep an eye because they will bake faster and larger ones will... well... take longer.
We like ours soft (in contrast with the crispy bottom) but i will let you decide how you like yours. (but really, go with our opinion)
Notes on the dough:
I divide the dough and freeze half for the next day, i always get two trays each time and my two kids eat them in seconds, with milk.
If you want to make all of the dough into cookies, have more than one tray at hand so you can keep cutting and adding onto a second tray.
(or use the wooden board, like we do, and then move them over)
Oh snowflake honey cookies, i love you.
