Zimtsterne (Cinnamon Stars in English, Étoiles de canelle en français) is one of the most popular Christmas treats in Switzerland. A star-shaped almond cookie with lots of cinnamon and the optional merengue on top, it’s a fun snack/dessert that is a must-have for the holiday season.
Ingredients:
● 1.5 cups hazelnuts or blanched almonds, finely ground
● 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
● ¾ teaspoon grated lemon zest
● ¼ cup egg whites (about 2 large)
● Pinch of salt
● 1.5 cups confectioners’ sugar
● 0.5 cup addition sugar for rolling
Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
2. Combine the nuts, cinnamon and zest
3. Beat the egg whites on a low speed until they are foamy (roughly 30 seconds). Add salt and increase the speed to medium-high and beat until you see soft peaks forming (roughly 1-2 minutes). Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff and glossy (5-8 minutes). Reserve 1/3 of the meringue and fold the nut mixture into the remaining
4. Sprinkle confectioner’s sugar on a large piece of wax paper. Place the nut mixture on the sugar and lightly sprinkle with sugar and cover with another piece of waxed paper. Roll out until it is about half a centimetre thick.
5. Remove the top piece of wax paper and using a cookie cutter dipped in water, cut into 2-inch star shapes or use a sharp knife.
6. Reroll and repeat step 5 until you’re happy with how many cookies you have
7. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet
8. Bake until set (10-12 minutes)
9. Spread the meringue you kept aside in Step 3 on top of the cookies and bake until the tops are golden (roughly 5 minutes, keep an eye on them!)
10. Let cool
11. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Best before 3 weeks from when you baked them.
The word literally means delicious. This sweet treat from Basel is a hard spice biscuit made with honey, almond and Kirsch and topped with a sugar glaze. Läckerli was originally created by spice merchants over 700 years ago and is one of the most popular and well-known biscuits in Switzerland.
Ingredients:
● ¾ cup honey
● ½ cup granulated sugar
● ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
● ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
● ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
● Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
● Pinch of ground ginger
● Pinch of ground cloves
● Pinch of freshly ground white pepper
● Scant 2/3 cup finely diced candied lemon and orange rind
● 1 ¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons slice almonds
● ¼ cup kirsch (unsweetened cherry liquor)
● 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
● ½ teaspoon baking soda
● 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
● 1 ½ tablespoons water
Preparation:
1. Combine honey, granulated sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon, black pepper, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and white pepper in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until the honey and sugar are melted (about 3 minutes)
2. Remove pan from the heat and add the candied rings, 1 cup + 2 tablespoons almonds and 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon of kirsch
3. Sift flour and baking soda over the mixture and stir to incorporate
4. Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap
5. Scrape dough onto the plastic and flatten into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate until firm (about 2 hours)
6. Generously flour a work surface and roll out the dough to a 12-inch square about 3/8 inch thick
7. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and slide the dough onto it. Prick all over with a fork
8. Scatter remaining almonds on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight
9. Preheat oven to 200°C. In a small bowl, mix the confectioners’ sugar with the water and the remaining 2 teaspoons of kirsch to make the glaze
11. Let cool
12. Using a sharp knife, trim the edges of the square and cut into four 3-inch-wide strips. Cut each strip into ¾ inch bars
You can store these in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week.
The Buche de Noël or “Yule Log” is a traditional Christmas dessert that is served primarily in the French-speaking regions of the world. It is a roulade made of a sponge cake that resembles a miniature actual Yule Log. You can get very creative with how you present this dessert and it is sure to be a hit at any dinner party.
Ingredients:
● For the batter
o ¾ cup cake flour
o ¾ teaspoon baking powder
o ¼ teaspoon salt
o 5 eggs
o ¾ cup sugar
o 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
● Chestnut filling
o ½ cup sugar (superfine)
o 1 egg yolk
o 1 pinch salt
o 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
o 2 tablespoon heavy cream
o ½ cup butter
o 2 cups sugar (powdered)
o 30 chestnuts, whole and cooked
o 2 tablespoons butter
o 4 tablespoons heavy cream
o 1/3 cup powdered sugar
● Mocha Silk frosting
o 1¼ cup powdered sugar
o 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
o 2 teaspoons instant coffee
o 5 1/3 tablespoons butter
o 1 ½ tablespoons corn syrup
o 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
o 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 200°C
2. Prepare cake tin by greasing it and lining bottom and sides with wax paper and greasing wax paper
3. Brings eggs to room temperature and separate
4. Mix flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside
5. Use an electric mixer to beat yolks until thick and pale. Gradually add 6 tablespoons of sugar, beating well after each addition. The mixture should fall in thick ribbon when beaters are lifted. Add vanilla and beat again
6. With clean dry beaters, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating constantly until whites stand in peaks
7. Fold 1/3 whites into yolk mixture to lighten it then fold remaining whites in too
8. Gently but thoroughly fold dry ingredients into egg mixture
9. Spread batter evenly in your cake tin. Put the tin in the oven immediately and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden on top
10. Remove from oven and cover with clean towel followed by inverted cookie sheet
11. Turn over the tin, towel and sheet to turn out the cake
12. Remove pan, peel off wax paper
13. Slide towel and cake onto the counter. Make it neat around the edges and allow to cool completely. Meanwhile work on the filling and frosting
14. Combine sugar, egg yolk, salt, vanilla and cream. Beat with electric mixer for 8 minutes at medium speed
15. Use the beater to cream butter until light. Add yolk mixture a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well after each addition. Set basic buttercream aside
16. Using a food processor, puree chestnuts with butter, cream and powdered sugar. Stir chestnut puree into the buttercream. Blend thoroughly. It should have a spreadable consistency. You can thin the mixture with a little more cream to achieve this
17. Place instant coffee in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Mix together sugar, cocoa and coffee. Add remaining ingredients and beat for 1 minute at medium spead
18. Unroll cooled cake and leave it on the towel
19. Spread ½ cup frosting evenly cake all the way to the edges
20. Spread 2 cups filling over thin layer of frosting, pushing generous amount into curved end
21. Roll the cake up again
22. Place the cake seam side down on a cake plate or try
23. Remove any excess filling from ends. Refrigerate for an hour to firm filling
24. Trim and discard/eat a thin slice from one end of each chilled cake
25. Cover the cake with frosting using a fork to create a bark like texture
This is a typical Swiss German Christmas baked treat that was created in the 18th century. It was found in a recipe book from Basel that dates back to 1780 under the name “Cateau de Milan”.
Ingredients:
● 1 pound butter
● 1 cup sugar
● 6 egg yolks
● 1 tablespoon vanilla
● 5 cups flour
● 1 additional egg (for eggwash)
Preparation:
1. Make dough using creaming method and refrigerate until solid
a. Mix 1 pound butter, 1 cup sugar, 6 egg yolks, 1 tablespoon vanilla using a electric mixer
b. Gradually add in flour 1 cup at a time
c. Beat the mixture until you attain a smooth consistency
2. Roll out the dough ¼ inch thick and cut in whatever shape you like
3. Apply an egg wash and bake at 180°C for 24 minutes
The Lebkuchen is the cake of the St. Nicholas Festival that is celebrated annually on 6th December. In Lucerne, this day is celebrated with a parade through the town where the terrifying “Schmutzli” of “St. Nicholas” lead him through the town. Legend has it that the Schmutzli punish children who they believe have misbehaved during the year. The well-behaved children on the other hand receive presents on this day!
Ingredients:
● 2 dl fresh cream
● 140 g treacle
● 150 g sugar
● 20 g candied lemon peel, diced
● 20 g candied orange peel, diced
● 1 pinch ground aniseed
● 1 pinch ground cinnamon
● 1 pinch ground nutmeg
● 1 pinch ground clove
● Salt
● 200 g baking powder
● 500 g whole meal / white flour
● 2 dl warm milk
Preparation:
1. Whip the cream and mix with treacle, spices and salt
2. Add the baking powder, flour, warm milk and diced peel, mixing thoroughly until smooth
3. Pour the mixture into a greased and lined sponge ring and bake for 45-50 minutes at 180°C
4. When baked, brush the top with treacle to glaze
Ingredients:
● 2 cups butter, unsalted
● 1 cup powdered sugar
● 3 egg yolks
● 3 tablespoons of brandy
● 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
● 6 cups of flour
● ½ cup blanched and chopped almonds
● 1 pound powdered sugar
Preparation:
1. Beat butter with sugar until fluffy. Add yolks one by one, beating continuously
2. Add brandy and vanilla
3. Blend in almonds and flour, 1 cup at a time. Use enough flour to get a firm dough
4. After the first 2 or 3 cups of flour have been added, use your hands to do the mixing as an electric mixer will not help
5. Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least an hour
6. Shape the dough into balls, about one inch in diameter, flatten them and place on a greased cookie sheet
7. Bake at 180°C for 20 minutes
8. Remove from the oven. Roll each cookie while hot in powdered sugar and put it back on the cookie sheet. Repeat until you get a thicker coating
9. Place cookies on a platter and liberally sprinkle with powdered sugar
10. Let cool
This Christmas bread was baked for the first time in 1545 at the Council of Trent. Created as a tasteless and hard loaf, it has evolved over the years to become a sweeter bread with much richer ingredients such as marzipan. Fun fact: it was not until 1490 that Pope Innocent VII allowed for butter to be used in the bread.
Ingredients:
● ¼ oz dried yeast, active 1 package
● ¾ cup warm water
● ½ cup granulated sugar
● 3 large eggs
● 1 egg yolk
● ½ cup soft butter
● 3 ½ cups flour
● 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
● 1 cup blanched and chopped almonds
● ½ cup diced candied lemon peel
● ½ cup diced candied orange peel
● ½ cup raisins
Preparation:
1. Dissolve yeast in water and proof it
2. Add sugar, eggs, egg yolk, butter and half of the flour. Beat for 10 minutes
3. Blend in remaining flour, nuts, fruits and peels
4. Let rise for 1.5 hours until the size has doubled. Punch down, cover and refrigerate overnight
5. Knead the dough. Roll into one or two rectangles, butter it and fold over the edges to make a rolled load
6. Place on a greased cookie sheet with the folded edges down
7. Spread with a combination of 1 egg white and 1 tablespoon of water
8. Let rise until doubled over
9. Bake 30-35 minutest at 180°C or until golden brown