Pfeffer....what??

As children we all have special times in life that become our memories. My warmest and most memorable thoughts come to me whenever I think back to my years at East Oreland Elementary School. Each grade in that school, and every teacher I was lucky enough to have during those years of my early education, have carved a special place in my heart and in my mind. Preparing for the Christmas plays and parties were especially exciting times for me. The red and green paper chains, the play programs made from painted rubber shapes pressed against construction paper to form a scene of three wise men following the light rays of an angular star, and party food served by a PTA mother picked to work her magic during the month of December, all served to define my vision of what I have come to know as the Christmas season.

Being a nine year old in the fourth grade brought for me some of the best and worst of life. The sudden death of my grandfather gave my young heart, not only the first real pangs of fear, but also a devastating loneliness that only the loss of a loved one's life can bring. Many good things happened in my life as well and riding in an airplane for the first time was one of them. Discovering a book called "Nancy and Plum" by Betty MacDonald was another. I had my first introduction to this book in the school library which, much to my dismay, was located in the basement of the building. It could only be reached by navigating a path that weaved its way down a flight of stairs and through a maze of dark musty passageways. Much to my amazement, I managed to become an avid reader despite those hazardous trips! I treasured that book as a child and have a copy of it on the shelf of my bedroom closet at this very moment. I pull it down around this time of year as it serves as a reminder of the magic of my youth and of the season around which the story takes place. It is a book that really should find its way to a shelf in your home and, at least once a year, be shared with a special child in your life.

My fourth grade teacher was a wonderful woman and only after many years away from her classroom did I realize just how wonderful she was. It was her suggestion that led me down the school's dark wooden stairway clutching my library card to check out a copy of "Nancy and Plum" for the very first time. She also taught us to play the flute-a-phone, and her lessons on the difference between synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms, have served me well throughout the years. That year on a special night in December, about a week before Christmas eve, she invited her students to sing carols to the residents of the neighborhood that surrounded our school house. I remember clearly that a light snow was falling as the sun set that evening and the cold air possessed a crisp and silent quality making it the perfect vehicle for carrying choir-like voices to the ears of a captive audience.

After singing "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" for the last time that night , our teacher led us through the doorway of one of those homes... one belonging to her. I had never been invited into a teacher's home before that evening, nor have I since. She lived in a neat, modest house with pale blue shutters, and the pleasant middle age man who appeared at the front door was introduced to us as her husband. Beside him stood their frisky family pet who eagerly offered us a greeting as well. That night was my first encounter with a miniature, yet mighty, dachshund. He was noisy, nosey, and playful. Once he had loudly welcomed us and made sure that we understood that we were his guests, he became more subdued and his personality quickly took over. That night was also the first time I was informed that there was something in this world called Pfeffernusse. The whole reason the subject came up at all was because my teacher disclosed to us that her wiggly little hot dog was named Pfeffernusse. She explained that, because his breed originated in Germany, she had named him after a German Christmas cookie. That little guy made quite an impression on me and I suppose that is why, after three children and a number of cats, when the time finally came to try on a dog, it was a miniature dachshund that stole my heart. Iggy, as I call him, is not named after a cookie, or any other type of food for that matter, but he is the love of our lives and has almost the same personality traits portrayed by his brave and noble predecessor from long ago.

Although I doubt I would have ever forgotten that special night, my memory has been triggered to remember it every Christmas since because that is the time of year when Pfeffernusse appear on the scene. They are one of the many cookies that German women brought over from their native homeland many years ago. These women and their families settled here in Lancaster County, as well as several other parts of the country, but it is in this area that they came to be known as members of the "Pennsylvania Dutch" community.

You would think that somewhere along the line I would have asked someone to buy me that Pfeffernusse cookie, or that once I had a semester or two of home economics under my belt, I would have baked a few dozen. However, it was not until a few weeks ago that I found myself looking through my cookbooks trying to find a "not too complicated" recipe for the cookie that has had such an influence on my life. In my search I found many traditional recipes, but soon discovered that they are not a soft sweet version of the various cookies we enjoy today. If I had the room I would post the traditional recipe used to create that famous cookie from all those Christmas' past, but instead I am going to give you my adaptation. This version is still subtle in its sweetness, but softer in texture. Like the original, you will enjoy it much better with a glass of milk, or a cup of hot coffee or tea. Including them in your baking just might give your cookie plate a little more interest and may change your family's expectations of the usual assortment of cookie offerings. So in honor of childhood memories, sugar plum fairies, and puppy dog tails, I am sharing with you my version of the traditional German Pfeffernusse cookie.

Happy baking everybody! The season is just beginning and we have a lot of cookies to make!!



"Pfeffernuggets"

Place 3/4 cups of mild molasses and 1/2 cup of butter in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat until the butter melts. Cool to room temperature.

While the molasses mixture is cooling preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Sift 4 cups of unbleached all purpose flour into a bowl, then sift the flour again with:
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

When cooled to room temperature, use a spatula to scrape all of the molasses mixture into a large bowl. Stir 2 beaten eggs into the cooled molasses. With an electric mixer, begin to slowly add all of the flour mixture in small batches, beating well between each addition. Once the flour has been incorporated, beat in 1 1/2 ounces of cream cheese and 1 Tbsp (and up to 2 Tbsp) of half and half until the dough holds together tightly but is easier for the beaters to go through than before the addition of the half and half. Chill well.

Cut approx 14 large marshmallows into quarters with kitchen scissors. To make the cookies, press a medium size walnut piece (optional) within the marshmallow piece and roll the cold dough around the marshmallow. (The marshmallow disappears as the cookie bakes, but leaves a softer center than without it). The cookie should be between 1/2 -1 inch in diameter. Placed on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for approximately 7-8 minuets. The dough will crack and look slightly dry. Cool for 1-2 minutes on a wire rack. Roll in confectioners sugar and return to the rack to finish cooling. Store in an air tight container.
Makes approximately 4 1/2 dozen.