Baking cookies with Christina: You should always have these 10 ingredients at home

2023-11-22 07:10:00

It’s often like this: When the weather shows its terrible side and the atmosphere at home is really cozy, the desire to bake cookies quickly arises. And although many types of cookies only use a few ingredients, these are not the ones you have at home. To prevent this from happening, it’s best to keep a small supply of basic ingredients that can be used for spontaneous baking afternoons. Baking blogger Christina Bauer (“Baking with Christina”) reveals in her book “Christmas with Christina” (published by Löwenzahn-Verlag) which foods she always has on hand at home.

Even if you’re thinking about what you need for gingerbread, vanilla crescents, etc. at the beginning of the cookie season, you should include the following ingredients (see list) it’s best to put it on your shopping list straight away.

You should always have these foods at home

1. Mehle: Smooth flour (Type 700, in Germany Type 550) is suitable for most types of biscuits, as it makes the dough more supple and easier to work with. An alternative is spelled flour type 700 (in Germany type 630) or wholemeal spelled flour. But be careful: spelled dough requires more liquid, so the recipes usually contain eggs. Rye flour type 960 (in Germany type 997) is the flour of choice for gingerbread.

2. Fett: An important ingredient in Christmas cookies is butter (or margarine). To be able to process the butter well, it should be soft but not melted. Only when making shortcrust pastry should the butter be kneaded cold with the other ingredients. “But milk, yoghurt and (sour) cream are also often important for the consistency and contribute to the taste,” advises baking professional Christina Bauer.

3. Zucker: To sweeten Christmas baking, many types of sweetener can be used: powdered sugar, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cane sugar, maple syrup or honey. Vanilla sugar is also a must in many recipes. Powdered sugar (preferably sifted) makes the dough particularly smooth. It is also mixed into the dough faster than granulated sugar. “A mixture of powdered sugar and vanilla sugar for sprinkling makes many cookies really perfect,” says Bauer. Honey sweetens less than sugar and makes the dough softer. Honey is therefore not suitable for shortcrust pastry.

4. Owner: In some recipes, eggs provide binding and in the form of egg whites they provide airiness. Eggs are absolutely necessary for making meringue (e.g. at Busserl).

5. Baking powder or baking soda: Raising agents add volume and fluffiness to the dough. However, baking powder and baking soda cannot be interchanged at will. In order for baking soda to become active and make the dough nice and soft, it must come into contact with acid. The list of ingredients should therefore always include lemon juice or acid, curd, buttermilk, fruit or vinegar. Baking powder, on the other hand, is a mixture of baking soda, an acid and a release agent.

6. Chocolate: A shiny chocolate glaze refines every Christmas cookie. There are different ways to make it: cooking chocolate or dark couverture can be mixed with coconut fat, oil or butter. Alternatively, you can also buy ready-made glazes in cups.

7. Nuts, shredded coconut and more: Dry ingredients such as nuts (whole or ground), poppy seeds or coconut flakes should not be missing from any pantry. Raisins, orange peel or lemon peel are also popular ingredients in Christmas baking.

8. Jam: Many classic biscuits such as Hussar donuts, Linzer biscuits or railway workers are filled with jam or held together with it. Whether apricot, raspberry or currant jam: what tastes good goes in.

9. Spices: Bauer: For me, the special thing about baking for Christmas is the wonderful scents of the spices: cinnamon, clove powder, karadmom, vanilla and gingerbread spice exude a pure Christmas feeling.”

10. Alcohol: If you like it high-proof: In classics such as rum balls, raunigels/rawuzeln or mulled wine slices Rum and mulled wine provide the rich aroma. If you prefer to avoid alcohol, you can also use rum flavoring in a bottle.