Real Baking with Rose Discussion Forums

Pfeffernusse!

2007-12-14T13:15:27-05:00

Does anyone else bake Pfeffernusse for Christmas? I’m just curious as to how other people make it. I use an old family recipe passed on to me by my paternal German grandmother.

The recipe calls for rendered goose fat (and I’ve never used anything else!) instead of the typical shortening. For spicing the cookies, my grandmother always used anise oil, ground clove, and black pepper.

My one special addition to the recipe that’s my own is a little orange extract to balance out the spice.

For those who don’t bake this special German Christmas cookie, what special family heirloom cookies do you bake?

Rose�s Notre Dame Gingerbread Cathedral

2011-12-11T15:48:51-05:00

Just git the courage to build the gingerbread Notre Dame Cathedral featured in Rose’s Christmas Cookies book. Has anyone tried this and do yoi have any pointers for me?

Lemon Poppyseeds

2011-11-23T10:02:15-05:00

I have made Rose’s Lemon Poppyseeds from “Rose’s Christmas Cookies” and instead of staying in a ball, they’ve spread out. All the measurements are correct, as is the oven temperature. Any idea why this is happening? I am not a novice cookie maker and I have never had a trusted recipe not ‘work’. Was there a typo? Have I somehow done something? I am at a loss to explain why this has happened. I have even double checked my measurements and made sure the oven is reading temps correctly. Ideas, anyone?

Shortbread Stone?

2011-12-12T11:41:51-05:00

I purchased a shortbread stone ages ago (on sale) and I was wondering if anyone has used them to bake shortbread? If so, were you pleased with the results? Did you do any special preparation to the stone?

Here is my stone: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0028Y5TNY?ie=UTF8&tag=chickefindsma-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0028Y5TNY

Gingerbread

2011-12-08T22:49:46-05:00

Hi, I’m new here. I’m not a huge baker but I’m a better baker than a cook!

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to try gingerbread houses. I wanted to do a vegan recipe (even though I’m not vegan). However, I didn’t want to use margarine or egg replacer, which was what most vegan recipes were calling for. I decided on this recipe. http://www.vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=1243&catId=2

Instead of margarine, I used real butter, and rice milk instead of soymilk. I have allergies to a lot of things, so I was apprehensive about the soymilk.

I knew when I added the vanilla and rice milk that something was amiss. I chilled the batter for a few hours, then tried to roll it out, but it was still pretty wet. I baked four cookies and they pretty much spread out on the cookie sheet and I don’t think they’re edible.

What did I do wrong?

Thanks.

Getting ahead during the holidays with cookies…

2011-11-16T14:18:15-05:00

Lots of cookies to make for Christmas - as usual!

In my experience, some cookies freeze better than others (pre-baking). Does anyone have experience with freezing dough for spritz cookies? Can I pipe the cookies out, freeze them, pop them in bags, then bake them later? Looking for any suggestions on how to spread out the work over a couple of weeks or so, since my full time job and toddler somehow mean that I don’t have all the time in the world for baking.

Thank you!
Catherine

chewy, dense pistachio cookies

2011-10-28T13:22:00-05:00

For the past 4 years, I’ve been trying to make pistachio cookies like those from Mike’s Pastry in Boston’s North End. I’m almost there, but I just know there’s something I’m either forgetting or not doing right. Any ideas on a recipe?
I can post the recipe I used and maybe someone could tell from that?

Rose’s gingerbreadman cookies

2011-10-03T09:27:11-05:00

Hi, I am getting requests for cakey ginerbreadman cookies. Has anyone tried Rose’s recipe from her cookie book?

Safe to double meringue recipe?

2011-09-24T02:51:06-05:00

I’m making the Black and Whites from Rose’s Christmas Cookies for functions this Wednesday and Thursday, so I need to make a few batches. Is it safe to double or triple the recipe (page66) or am I better off making individual batches? I appreciate your guidance. This cookie, by the way, is absolutely ethereal.

Eggy Cookie

2011-07-27T12:17:46-05:00

Hey all!
I have a chocolate-wafer recipe that I love but the only problem is that it tastes a little eggy.
It has only one egg and it bakes at 375 for 9 minutes.
I used one large egg and baked a batch at 375 for 9 minutes, and another batch at 180.
What could be the problem?