March 17: Pfeffernüsse

Yvonne: Pfeffernüsse! Pfeffernüsse! Pfeffernüsse!
Pfeffernüsse: It's showtime!

80's kids in tha house!

Ahem.

ANYway...in the quest for international cookies, I came across this recipe from Holland called Pfeffernüsse (literally pepper nuts). "Pepper nuts" tickled me in just such a way that I simply had to make this recipe.

Although similar to Basler Läckerli, Pfeffernüsse differs from its Swiss counterpart in shape, lack of icing, and the addition of two special ingredients: pepper, obviously, and cardamom. Now I've made savoury cookies before, but this recipe called for pepper in a sweet dough, so needless to say that I was now both tickled and intrigued.

Make it, roll it, bake it.

These cookies were a quick make, which served me well after an evening appointment and an episode of Ally McBeal (What? My friends all watched it in high school and I never got into it, but I finally got around to seeing what the fuss was about. Don't judge me.) found me finally getting around to baking at almost 9pm.

When they cooled, I popped one into my mouth and savoured it for a moment. The only word that would come to mind was...weird.

Was it weird good, or weird bad?

I had no idea! I mean, I liked the crunch of the almonds and the chewiness of the candied fruit, but did I like the flavour?

I leaned on the side of no, not because of the pepper, but because of the cardamom. See, much like an ex you don't want to run into, if I know large amounts of cardamom are going to be at the party, I probably won't go. However, this recipe only called for 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom, which I likened to passing that ex on the street, where you see them, but they don't see you. That's why this recipe didn't intimidate me. Dig?

Sliced open: nuts and candied fruit

Turns out that 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom is like literally running into your ex at a party; the flavour was rather strong, and by my standards unpleasant. If you like cardamom (especially cardamom cookies), however, well these cookies are for you.

What I did enjoy, however, was the pepper. I used white pepper, which left an aftertaste that my manfella--whom I predicted would not like this cookie--described as "pleasant".

Final Grade (and remember, my personal tastes are the ones doling out the grades): C. They're not a fail, I just wouldn't make them again.

You can find the recipe for Pfeffernüsse on my Recipes Page.

If you'd like to order some of your own Pfeffernüsse, please sponsor me for the Daily Bread Food Bank's Spring Challenge! Simply make your donation, then email me your order!