Friday, December 23, 2011

BASLER LÄCKERLI - LÄCKERLI BÂLOIS

"Frozen streams and vapours gray,
cold and waste the landscape lay...
Then a hale of wind

Hither - whirling, Thither - swirling,
Spin the fog and spin the mist...
Still we walked on through woods and wintry gray,
home through woods where winter lay - cold and dark...
Waiting for a change in the weather
Waiting for a shift in the air
Could we get there together, ever?
Waiting for our late, late return.

Through the woods, home, through the woods where winter lays..."
- Lyrics from the song "Wintry Grey" by the Norwegian band Arcturus
 Dreamy, immaculate landscapes looking as if they were covered in a pelicula of heavenly icing sugar, feather-like flakes enchantingly falling upon us like fairy stardust, diaphanously monocromic sceneries which seem frozen in time, nature that would have made a wonderful subject for the Flemish Renaissance painter Bruegel (See his artwork here), goddess Skadi's icy breath congealing the earth, the eerie silence of the blizzard and gloomy croaking of crows punctuating the quietness with their evil complaints, the electrifying crunch of snow under our footsteps and cosy evenings spent lazily watching Scandinavian movies while nibbling on Xmas cookies and fantasizing about majestic fjords, the grandeur of Norse wildness and desolate Arctic mountains... This is the reason why I adore the cold season and cannot get enough of winter's bewitching atmospheres. Its splendor and the frivolous as well as nostalgic mood it confers are just unparalleled...

Although the whole shebang and kitschiness of the end of year festivities is not exactly my cup of tea, tends to make me smirk and leave me cold, I have to confess that I still wish to have a white Christmas. I am no different from everybody else on this planet. I guess that snow connects me to my inner child, helps me escape the bleak reality, soothes my soul and talks to my romantic heart.

As I was born on the 25th of December and I have the blood of Norsemen flowing through my veins, it is no wonder that I feed a hunger for living in a wood cabin in the middle of Norwegian, Swedish or Finnish woods, that I love chilly weather and rejoice when frost bites the tip of my nose. After all, my genetic background programmed me to prefer cool climates and Nordic settings.

"The sun has vanished
Freezing northwind now rules the land
From the realm of ice and eternal darkness
Mother winter snow-clouds sends

White warlord rides the sky
Hundred steed pull his sledge of ice
The roaring noise follows him
It's the sign that the winter solstice have arrived
The ancient song fills the air
On the mound sacred fire burns
People dance the magic dance of rebirth
For the sun's sooner return
Here is the longest night of the year
When the evil spirits of darkness is awake
Old witch woman dances across the room
She drives whole evil spirits back in the bloom

Over the frozen field the northwind walls
Falling snow turns into the raging snowstorm."

- Lyrics from the song "Night Of The Winter Solstice" by the Latvian band Skyforger
Hence, if the Christian celebration means not much to me, I nonetheless consider this period of the year to be festive, because Yule symbolizes the return of the Sun (light) and the completion of the cycle of life (birth, life, death and rebirth), thus it brings hope and offers the promise of a new beginning.

As during any other joyful fete, eating well is a must and there is no way I'm going to refrain from stuffing myself with yummy holiday food designed to make my taste buds shiver or from busying myself around the oven. Every year, I bake a vast array of international cookies and candies for my friends, P.'s parents and ourselves. In my gift bags you'll generally find classics such as "Pfeffernüsse" (Germany), "Mailänderli" (Switzerland), "Speculoos" (Germany, France, Belgium and Netherlands), "Mexican Wedding Cookies/Russian Tea Cakes" (USA and Russia), "Chocolate Truffles" (France) and "Fudge" (UK).

Being adventuous in the kitchen and having an inclination for novelty, I decided to prepare a new speciality in order to vary things a little: "Basler Läckerli (Leckerli)". This world famous pastry composed of many ingredients such as honey, almonds, candied orange or lemon peel, kirschwasser as well as a variety of spices. It is a traditional Swiss cookie bar we enjoy all year long and which is very similar to gingerbread. This biscuit's name means "small goody" ("lecker" = yummy and the Swiss German suffix "li" indicates smallness) and it originates from Basel in Switzerland where it was created by local spice merchants around 1431, at the time of the Council of Basel. At the origin, "Lackerli" were only fabricated on the occasion of the New Year, to  sustain the assembled church dignitaries and were accompanied by mulled wine, but it became so popular that people started producing it whenever they fancied it. Before the commercialisation of professional mixers, train station porters were employed to knead the stiff dough as big muscles were needed to successfully carry out the harsh task of mixing.

The recipe
I am presenting today was adapted from a "Cuisine De Saison" magazine I possess. As usual, I had to make a few changes (ingredients- and method-wise) as I found that it could be slightly improved. So, I added more honey to the mass because I found it far too dry, for more flavor I incorporated a pinch of salt and some ground nutmeg to the mix, and confectioned my icing with cherry booze in order to give it oomph. The result was just mindblowing. My no-brainer "Basler Läckerli" turned out really great as they were marvelously chewy, exhaliratingly spicy, so pretty and above all they were mindboglingly comparable to the ones that are made by the renown Läckerli Huus  (no need to buy this expensive confection anymore).

If you are still looking for a Xmassy gift idea to bake, then you should give this confection a try as you'll not be deceived. Your friends and family will be raving about them!

Have A Merry Yuletide!
Joyeux Noël!


~ Basler Läckerli ~
Recipe adapted from "Cuisine De Saison".

Makes about 20 cookies.

Ingredients For The "Bars":
240-250g Runny honey
80g Castor sugar
100g Matchstick almonds, chopped coarsely
240g All-purpose flour (+ extra flour for rolling)
1 Tsp Baking soda
1 Tsp Ground cloves
1Tsp Ground cinnamon
1/3 Tsp Ground nutmeg
A pinch of fine sea salt
100g Candied orange peel
Ingredients For The "Icing":
1 1/2 Tbs Kirsch, lemon/orange juice or water
3 Tbs Icing sugar

Method For The "Bars":
1. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, soda, spices and salt. Set aside.
2. In big bowl (or in that of your KA), mix the honey together with the sugar until it looks pale, then add the almonds, the flour mixture and the candied peel.
3. Knead lightly in order to obtain a stiff dough.
4. Cover with clingfilm and let rest for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C).
6. On a floured work surface, roll out the dough to a 0.4 inches (1cm) thick rectangle.
7. Transfer the sheet of dough to a baking pan covered with baking paper.
8. Bake for 13-16 minutes in the centre of the oven (I baked mine 16 minutes).


Method For The "Icing":
9. Let cool for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the kirschwasser together with the icing sugar.
10. Brush the top of the dough with the icing and cut it into about 20 equally-sized rectangles.

Comments:
When mixing, if your dough is a little dry add a bit more honey so that it comes together in ball.
As the dough is very stiff, I recommend you to knead it in a stand mixer.
When coming out of the oven, the baked läckerli must be pale in color and soft to the touch (they will harden while cooling).
The läckerli can be kept for up to a month in an airtight container.

Serving suggestion:
Eat those cookies at any time of the day and serve with a good cup of tea or an eggnog.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


~Basler Läckerli ~
Recette adpatée du magazine
 "Cuisine De Saison".

Pour environ 20 läckerli.

Ingrédients Pour les "Läckerli":
240-250g de Miel liquide
80g de Sucre cristallisé
100g d’Amandes allumettes, hachées grossièrement
240g de Farine (+ un peu pour abaisser la pâte)
1 CC de Bicarbonate de sodium
1 CC de Clou de girofle en poudre
1 CC de Cannelle en poudre
1/3 de Noix de muscade en poudre
Une pincée de sel de mer fin
100g d’Orangeat
Ingrédients Por Le "Glaçage":
1 1/2 CS de Kirsch, jus de citron/d'orange ou d'eau
3 CS de Sucre en poudre

Méthode Pour les «barres»:
1. Dans un bol moyen, mélanger la farine, le bicarbonate, les épices et le sel. Mettre de côté.
2. Dans un grand bol (ou dans le bol de votre robot ménager), mélanger le miel avec le sucre jusqu'à ce que le mélange devienne pâle, puis ajouter les amandes, le mélange de farine et l'orangeat.
3. Pétrir légèrement afin d'obtenir une pâte ferme.
4. Couvrir avec un film alimentaire et laisser reposer pendant 30 minutes.
5. Préchauffer le four à 180 ° C.
6. Sur un morceau de papier sulfurisée fariné, abaisser la pâte à 0,4 cm (1 cm) d'épaisseur rectangle.
7. Transférer le tout sur une plaque de cuisson.
8. Cuire au centre du four pendant 13-16 minutes (j'ai cuits mes läckerli pendant 16 minutes).


Méthode Pour Le "Glaçage":
9. Laisser refroidir pendant 10 minutes. Pendant ce temps, mélanger le kirsch avec le sucre glace.
10. Badigeonner la pâte cuite avec le glaçage et la couper en ~ 20 rectangles égaux.
 
Commentaires:
Lors de l'assemblage de votre pâte, si cette dernière est trop sèche, alors ajouter un peu plus de miel afin d'obtenir une boule qui ne colle pas, mais n'est pas sèche non plus.
Une fois cuite, la pâte à läckerli doit être claire et molle (elle durcira en refroidissant).
Les läckerli peuvent être conservés pendant un mois dans une boîte hermétique.

Idées de présentation:

Mangez ces cookies quand cela vous chante et accompagnez-les d'un thé ou d'un lait de poule.


132 comments:

  1. Merry Christmas and happy birthday, two celebrations in one. All the best

    ReplyDelete
  2. love the crisipiness of the cookie ! merry christmas & happy birthday rosa...hope its fun !

    ReplyDelete
  3. Merry Xmas and all the best for the holiday season...and a BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Love the spices in this gingerbread...hope you get your white Xmas!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Joyeux Noël Rosa, et merci pour cette belle année passée en ta compagnie! Bises...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Gorgeous. Happy Winter, Rosa! xx

    ReplyDelete
  6. Joyeux Noël Rosa et joyeux anniversaire :)
    j'en profite pour noter ta recette, c'est quelques choses que je n'ai pas encore essayé :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wishing you a beautiful birthday, Rosa. The bars look gorgeous..Have a wonderful holiday.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Your gingerbread looks divine!

    Happy holidays and Happy Birthday, especially!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ils ont l'air bien bons ces läckerlis... c'est marrant, j'avais envie d'en faire la semaine prochaine...

    Joyeux Noël et Bon anniversaire Rosa !!! Profite bien des fêtes !

    Tes photos... wouaaah !!! J'ai des leçons à prendre !

    Bises

    Cath

    ReplyDelete
  10. Je ne connaissais pas, mais c'est encore une découverte gourmande que je fais grâce à toi !
    Passe de joyeuses fêtes, et une bonne journée en attendant !
    Bises,
    Delphine

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow..what lovely looking bars, and how perfect are the slices..just awesome treat!
    Happy holidays to you Rosa.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Awesome, Rosa! Happy Christmas and Happy Birthday!

    ReplyDelete
  13. It looks amazing! Im totally in love with the climate of Your blog, the photos and the heart You put in it.
    Merry xmas and for the upcoming year - keep it up!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ils sont magnifiques,rien à voir avec ceux que j'ai faits!Je testerais ta recette après les fêtes ... quand j'aurais fini les deux kilos de läckerli que j'ai commandés ^^

    ReplyDelete
  15. Du pain d'épices de grand, très grand luxe!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Happy Christmas to you too..

    Such wonderful photos..and the textures are expertly applied:) Love them.

    ReplyDelete
  17. they look perfect and i know, what i am saying. Liebe Grüsse und schöne Weihnachten

    ReplyDelete
  18. Such a lovely post...and such gorgeous photos. Your work could keep pinterest stocked forever.

    Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday and best wishes for 2012.

    ReplyDelete
  19. My heart gets excited every time I come to your blog. Beautiful pictures of bars. Stunning! Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday to you Rosa!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Merry Christmas and a Happy Birthday!!
    Hope the new year brings forth all u wish for!!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Rosa, I was at a big chain store yesterday and pondered on how crazy every one goes this time of the day, and how commercial the whole thing has become. I loved this time of the year as a child not for the presents but for the fact that the family got together and the coziness of a decorated home.

    I wish you a white and joyous birthday.

    This cookies sounds delicious, I am inclined to try and make it gluten free. I will let you know how that goes.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Your gingerbread is lovely...just lovely! (The poetry was beautiful too.)

    Happy Birthday, Rosa! And Merry Christmas!! ♥

    ReplyDelete
  23. Bon Anniversaire Rosa, et merci pour la recette.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I've never heard of this cookie before but it looks delicious! Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and birthday.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Joyeux Noël Rosa et joyeux anniversaire, Rosy!!
    Bises

    ReplyDelete
  26. Merry Christmas Rosa. Those bars look so tempting. Best wishes for your upcoming birthday as well.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Je dois dire que ça me donne vraiment envie de goûter... Il faut dire que vos superbes photos y sont pour beaucoup aussi!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Merry Christmas!These cookies look gorgeous... Love the texture in the photos :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. Dear Rosa, everything wonderful in your style ! Buon Natale

    ReplyDelete
  30. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season , great birthday and more beautiful work on this blog.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Voilà une version qui change de nos pain d"épice frenchy, j'adore
    Merci ROSA,
    Je te souhaite un excellente réveillon
    Bises
    Valérie

    ReplyDelete
  32. These bars look scrumptious! Merry Christmas and Happy birthday to you!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Wishing you all the best for the next new year. Merry Christmas and happy Birthday Rosa.
    Thank you for sharing this lovely cookies recipie.

    Cheers

    Marimi

    ReplyDelete
  34. Superbes les photos de tes leckerli. Mais elles sont si grandes que je ne peux pas les voir en entier sur l'écran de mon portable ... ;-)
    Joyeux Noël et tous mes voeux pour 2012.
    Bien à toi
    verO

    ReplyDelete
  35. Scrumptious! Your little sugary cranberries are so beautiful!

    + Happy Early birthday again! :p

    ReplyDelete
  36. Hi Rosa! Thank you so much for sharing the Nordic side of you today. It is just wonderful to discover the shreds of nuances that shine in your creativity.

    I had to laugh when you mentioned needed strong arms for the preparation. I often wonder how much cooking and baking would be going on if not for modern conveniences, lol...

    Your Basler Läckerli looks lovely. I have read about its heritage in books but have never known someone who actually prepared it and "improved" it as I'm sure you did. Thank you again for sharing and a Very Happy Birthday to you!!!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Its very festive and looks absolutely scrumptious... Feeling happy and festive seeing all ur pictures. Merry Christmas to you and your Family !!!

    ReplyDelete
  38. our other blogger friend Jenn (aka leftover queen) has nordic blood in her too. did you know that?
    Merry Christmas to you Rosa. Thank you for all your comments on my blogs and for sharing your world via your stunning photos to me. Always love to hear about Swiss life.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Merry Christmas Rosa!

    Thanks for all that you do.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Anyone who knows me knows I love ginger and candied orange peel. Put them together and I am in heaven. LOL
    Happy holidays!

    ReplyDelete
  41. Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday..!!!
    The dish looks heavenly...its awesome

    ReplyDelete
  42. Gorgeous holiday honey bars!
    Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday to you!

    ReplyDelete
  43. Merry Birthday and Happy Christmas :) Thank you for always being there for my online foodie ventures Rosa. Cheers to 'our' 2012 ventures and endeavors. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  44. Beautiful, beautiful ginger bread! Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  45. Very pretty photos yet again. I love your processing skills! I lack a lot in that department. Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  46. Wish you happy holidays and a wonderful birthday!!
    May 2012 be filled with gorgeous posts and recipes :)

    Cheers
    Cherine

    ReplyDelete
  47. et toujours de belles photos gourmandes !Bonnes fêtes! Pierre

    ReplyDelete
  48. What a great birthday to share a date with! Merry Christmas and have a great birthday too :) Thank you for the information on Basler Lackerli and all the best for 2012!

    ReplyDelete
  49. Ce qu'elles sont belles tes photos ma chères Rosa! Ce pain d'épices a l'air fameux. Joyeux Noël ma chère!

    ReplyDelete
  50. Your gingerbread is stunning, Rosa! Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas, my friend!

    ReplyDelete
  51. Les leckerli sont à mon avis parmi les meilleurs gâteaux de noël.
    J'aime beaucoup le poème-chanson sur le solstice.
    Joyeux Noël, Rosa !

    ReplyDelete
  52. merry christmas and happy birthday,rosa!:)

    ReplyDelete
  53. Love these look awesome and delicious:) Happy and nice Christmas time!!! Rosa

    ReplyDelete
  54. Stunning gingerbread photos and CH is so pretty even in these cold months. Joyeaux Noel!

    ReplyDelete
  55. ils sont superbes..joyeux noel a toi

    ReplyDelete
  56. Your gingerbread looks absolutely divine Rosa. Happy Holidays to you and your family.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Merry christmas and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to one of the best and most talented food bloggers around. Have a wonderful day Rosa. This gingerbread is outstanding!!
    Happy holidays!!

    ReplyDelete
  58. Dear Rosa!
    Beautiful post!
    Merry Christmas!
    Greetings, Anna-Maria

    ReplyDelete
  59. Lovely cookie! Beautiful post!
    Happy Christmas AND Birthday, Rosa!

    ReplyDelete
  60. I like your gingerbread the Swiss way! ;-) Very nice! Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  61. Happy Holidays to you Rosa & Happy birthday too ;))
    This confection looks delicious !

    ReplyDelete
  62. Yum! Tu portes bien ton nom :-) J'espère que Noël a été joyeux et je te souhaite toutes sortes de belles aventures en 2012!

    ReplyDelete
  63. Happy Birthday, Rosa! Love your take on gingerbread! xx

    ReplyDelete
  64. Oh, what gorgeous photo's & a great recipe, too. I hope you had a great birthday!

    ReplyDelete
  65. Such beautiful, perfectly cut bars. I love a white Christmas too, but am happy to have it gone after that. Wishing you a new year filled with all your favorite things.

    ReplyDelete
  66. Rosa, those bars look delish! I think I could eat them year-round:)
    Wishing you a very happy New Year!
    -Erin

    ReplyDelete
  67. Magnifique, ces petites gourmandises, il me tarde de m'y essayer.
    Très belles fêtes à toi, Rosa!

    ReplyDelete
  68. C'est beau et ça a l'air bon...Belles fêtes de fin d'année, Rosa...bises

    ReplyDelete
  69. Gorgeous, gorgeous pictures! These bars look so delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  70. I forgot to write the most important message of all: Happy Happy Birthday! I trust you had a very nice celebration. Keep celebrating! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  71. Belated Birthday Wishes..hope you had a grand time..the cookies are awesome so are the scenery..Happy New year!

    ReplyDelete
  72. I love that christmas cake/biscuit I used to buy some German ones... and when I begin I can't stop.
    I copy your recipe to make some urgently.
    Thank you and I wish you a happy new year full of joy, happiness and all you can wish
    Bises

    ReplyDelete
  73. Fantastic and original. Beautiful photography as always!

    ReplyDelete
  74. They look so delicious! Great presentation!
    Love your blog! Nice finding you!
    Visit me at: my-greek-cooking.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  75. Joyeuses fêtes également rosa!! Les lackerli c'est un délice, j'en ai mangeais une fois et ça me tente bien d'essayer d'en faire!!! bises

    ReplyDelete
  76. I like the Swiss version, they look fantastic! Happy New Year Rosa!

    ReplyDelete
  77. Deelish crumbly bars, Merry christmas and a very Happy New Year 2012. Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  78. Your photographs always look so tempting!

    ReplyDelete
  79. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas. Those gingerbread slices look so delectable. And I loved the pic of the stunning vista.

    Wish you a very Happy New Year, Rose!

    ReplyDelete
  80. These sound gorgeous! Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday! I have recently discovered that I love the cold, too. I used to think I was meant to live in a hot country but after a very hot and humid summer in Spain I learned that I really appreciate cold English weather!

    ReplyDelete
  81. Mmmm these bars look incredible, Rosa!! Is that a candied cranberry on top? Couldn't figure out what it is, but it sure looks delicious. :)

    ReplyDelete
  82. Runny honey, kirsch, icing sugar?? These are beautiful & make me crave the winter in every which way!

    ReplyDelete
  83. A gorgeous post as usual Rosa! I gues you even outdid yourself this time, brilliant shots!! A very belated happy birthday and happy holidays :) May god bless you with everything wonderful!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  84. --Happy Birthday.~~~
    What a feast for the eyes !!! WOW

    ReplyDelete
  85. Beautiful photos Rosa and that slice looks so delicious! :D

    ReplyDelete
  86. Those pictures are just gorgeous!! I always love seeing what you snap next.

    ReplyDelete
  87. Merci Rosa pour ces belles images (comme toujours :-) Ces petits délices tonifiants sont indémodables...

    ReplyDelete
  88. c'est une délicieuse recette!!! je te souhaite de belles fêtes de fin d'année!

    ReplyDelete
  89. Vraiment gourmand comme toujours Rosa.
    Je te souhaite une excellente fin d'année.

    ReplyDelete
  90. I really love your photoshop and photo taking skills! Wish I can take photos like you some day. :D Hope you're having a great holiday!

    ReplyDelete
  91. Gorgeous pics! Happy Birthday and Happy New Year my friend. Wish you all the best!
    Cheers

    ReplyDelete
  92. Ils sont splendides Rosa, il faut vraiment que je les essaie. Je te souhaite une fin d'annee zen et paisible, et un Joyeux anniversaire en retard... Bisous.

    ReplyDelete
  93. Merry Christmas and a very Happy Birthday, dear Rosa :)

    Those bars are delectable!!!

    Have a wonderful New Year :)

    ReplyDelete
  94. I must try this recipe. Seasons Greetings and Happy Birthday!

    ReplyDelete
  95. hope you had a lovely holiday, rosa! your images are amazing, as usual. :)

    ReplyDelete
  96. These are wonderful Rosa!
    I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and birthday :)
    Wishing you a most beautiful 2012!

    ReplyDelete
  97. Stunning rosa, your words are always so wonderful!! Happy Bday!!

    ReplyDelete
  98. Happy Birthday, Rosa. Although I do not possess your wintry spirit - you reminded me of its stark beauty and the light in the dark. The bars will wait - but I have already printed them for when I want a winter treat.

    ReplyDelete
  99. Gorgeous as always, Rosa! Love every pic :) Hope you had a wonderful Happy B-day!

    HUGS <3

    ReplyDelete
  100. Hi Rosa,
    The cookies look gorgeous. Wish I could try some.

    ReplyDelete
  101. Beautiful, brings back memories of living in Germany and I really must make some before the year it out. Alles liebe zum Geburtstag, sorry I missed it!

    ReplyDelete
  102. O it was your birthday too!! Belated happy birthday Rosa and hope you had a wonderful and white Christmas. Those cookies sure look amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  103. I have missed both this lovely Christmas post and your birthday :-( Happy belated Birthday! I hope you have spent a lovely Christmas.
    Your läckerli look and sound so much better than the ones I have had and found much too dry... It takes a very good cook, like you, to improve such a complicated pastry.

    ReplyDelete
  104. Merry Christmas & Happy Belated Bday! Hope you had a fab one!

    ReplyDelete
  105. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Very delicious looking gingerbread bar, a great festive treat...

    Have a great holiday, are you taking a trip?

    ReplyDelete
  106. A very Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday, darling! And these photos are particularly stunning! I too dream of a white holiday season and am still praying. And, yes, other than snow to make me happy is an abundance of good food. These cookie treats look perfect for eating with a mug of something steaming by a roaring fire... Happy New Year, sweet friend! xo

    ReplyDelete
  107. These bars look amazing! And the photos too! Happy New Year, Rosa! Cheers

    ReplyDelete
  108. These look absolutely great. Love the clicks and belated birthday wishes to you! Happy holidays and wishing you a very Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
  109. Excelente y bella receta ,las imágenes son perfectas,felicitaciones por tu cumpleaños y que pases un Feliz Año Nuevo lleno de bendiciones,abrazos y abrazos..

    ReplyDelete
  110. Happy belated birthday! I was born on Dec 20, so I know how you feel. Happy New Year and all the best in 2012, Rosa!

    ReplyDelete
  111. Oh, Rosa..that gingerbread is unbelievably gorgeous and the photos are mind blowing! 'Swiss' never looked so good! Happy New Year, my friend!

    ReplyDelete
  112. Your pictures are always so fabulous! Happy holidays1

    ReplyDelete
  113. a consommer sans modération ou presque !!!

    bises à toi rosa et joyeuse fin d'année

    virginie

    ReplyDelete
  114. These cookies are really beautiful looking and the method is slightly different to normal. I might give them a try. You do make the snow and cold weather sound dramatically romantic but, for me in the Southern Hemisphere I can think of nothing better than the heat and the beach during this festive time!. Happy birthday, it is a hard time to have a birthday. Mine is on January the 1st, so I know the feeling of it passing without the appropriate celebrations that others have. Happy New Year

    ReplyDelete
  115. Well, Santa's sleigh ought to be a lot lighter after his pit stop at your house.

    Happy Birthday Rosa, and Merry Christmas to you and your beloved!

    ReplyDelete
  116. This is a beautiful post...very elegant! Your dessert is breathtaking!!! Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
  117. What yummy sounding treats, just the flavors I focus on this time of year. Thanks for sharing and inspiring. I hope you had a lovely Christmas and enjoy a wonderful new year!

    ReplyDelete
  118. Those bars are looking really good and just look at that cranberry!

    ReplyDelete
  119. Happy birthday! These photos are so beautiful- I love the cranberries!

    ReplyDelete
  120. FANASTIC post!!
    Loved it all, and the recipe is outstanding as always.
    Cheers,
    Lia.

    ReplyDelete
  121. This post is sheer holiday poetry.. all of it. your writing, the photographs and of course the ginger bread. Awesomeness!

    ReplyDelete
  122. OMG that's bizarre!! My mom used to make VERY similar cookies - and she did not have a Swiss bone in her body! I think she added chopped glace cherries too. She never wrote the recipe down and by the time I thought to ask, she was gone. Thank you for returning something long lost to me!

    ReplyDelete
  123. Love gingerbread! I think I gain 5 pounds each time I visit you!!!

    ReplyDelete
  124. This looks just lovely Rosa! Love gingerbread!

    xx
    Katie {Epicurean Mom Blog}

    ReplyDelete
  125. What luck you wrote that it is a Swiss bar you eat all year long!!
    That means I'm still in time!
    :-)
    ..and I found a thing we both do and give away…
    Fudge!!!
    Happy everything dear Rosa.
    baciussss
    brii

    ReplyDelete
  126. I'm so glad Nancy shared this recipe, will be adding it to my baking list. You share a birthday with my late Father-in-law. It's a special day, indeed. While I admire the snow, it's from afar. I much prefer sunny CA. Have a wonderful weekend.
    -Gina-

    ReplyDelete
  127. Wow, your cookies are so pretty! Came over here from Nancy's blog. Will be visiting more. :)

    ReplyDelete
  128. I never thought of making my own Leckerli, thanks for the encouragement. Yours look crumblier, softer, than the rather chewy originals.

    ReplyDelete
  129. Now I remember this recipe, Rosa:) It looks just as yummy in Black and White!

    ReplyDelete