A Saturday with nothing to do brought grand ideas of baking my grandmothers wonderful Pfefferneuse. The whole idea started around 11:30 with me phoning my Mom only to find out she didn't have the recipe. So then I was forced to roam the world wide web until about 12:30 only to end my search fruitlessly. It was then that I realized that I had a recipe for Pfefferneuse somewhere in the bowels of my old Mennonite treasury that sounded about right. The only problem was that it called for 8 different spices and I only had 6. So off the the grocery store trying to find cardamom and oil of anise (just happening to be the only word in the English language that rhymes with my name). By the time we ran some errands and found my spices and got back it was about 2:00. I started making my recipe to the letter - I always do the first time.
I did think it was odd that the recipe had the usual amount of butter/sugar and NINE cups of flour, but what do I know? I'm not a recipe writer. When I had finished stirring, the mixture ended up resembling thick flour instead of dough.
Thus I added egg after egg, cup after cup of butter until I reached my desired consitency.
At 4:45 they were ready to be cut and baked.
And at 5:30, 6 hours later my little Pfefferneuse were completed! What joy! And what beautiful little Pfefferneuse they turned out to be.
This picture only has about half of the ones I made because I'd already given so many away. Okay, and we ate one or two ourselves.
9 comments:
You are quite the baker. I really wish I had a desire to bake and cook. I guess I just need the motivation. I am glad you didn't give up after your hours of searching.
HAHA...Janice you're hilarious! I've never even heard that word before never mind tried those things...I'm very intrigued! They looked delicious though.
Louise
Janice, first of all, I'm very proud of you for going to all that work. Keep those Mennonite traditions going!!!
Second of all - I always thought anise was pronounced "ah - NEESE", and I was going to tell you it didn't rhyme with your name, but when I looked it up in the dictionary, I found out you were right. I guess I'll have to correct my mom on her pronounciation of the word, as well. Thanks for teaching me something new today.
Oh, and the update is on it's way!!
My word. I can not believe y'all have a blog. And all this time I have been wondering what the heck you guys were up to! HI. Basically, that's what I'd say if I saw you right now - HI. And... how the heck are you guys!? Now that I know you've got yourself this little ditty of a blog, I'll be back. Oh yes, oh yes I will. Peace out and keep it real in the ole C-Town. Scammell!
Your pfeffreneuse look fabulous. I feel inspired to make them even though my menno heritage is ver short, extending only to school and church. You look like you had fun. Blessings.
Hi Janice! Jen Bueckert here (well now it is Birkland)I didn't know you had a blog! Good stuff! And I will be back to check it frequently. You can check mine out at www.i-love-life.blogspot.com
God Bless!
Jen
Hey Janice-- I was so excited to find your blog! Good work on the baking-- you are definitely a true mennonite woman at heart!
o bot yo! Mennonite cooking is so good! I can't say I have ever had those before pefefernut-thingys, but I imagine they are quite good. Hey Janice and Gord!
Woohoo! Janice I miss you so much. Especially at Christmas time. But way to go on the pfefferneuse - way beyong anything i've attempted. Clarence got new hips this year for Christmas! I love you, love you, love you. Hope you are well - say hi to Gord!
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