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Graubünden Christmas Cookies
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Totenbeinli
Behind its somewhat macabre name is a delicious nut pastry from Graubünden. Totenbeinli got its name because it was often served with coffee at funeral gatherings in the past. Today, these dry biscuits are especially popular during the Christmas season.
The following recipe comes from a Michelin-starred chef from Graubünden Andreas Caminada.
Ingredients
- 330 g sugar
- 100 g butter
- 1 lemon, zest only
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 pinch of ground cloves
- 2 eggs
- 130 g ground hazelnuts
- 200 g whole hazelnuts, with their skins
- 330 g flour
- 50 ml heavy cream
Preparation
- Beat the sugar, butter, lemon zest, cinnamon, salt and ground cloves in a stand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Continue beating until the mixture is pale.
- Add the ground hazelnuts and flour, and mix well.
- Add the whole hazelnuts and carefully fold them into the dough, taking care to keep them intact.
- Carefully knead the finished dough by hand once more. Chill the dough.
- Roll out the dough to a thickness of approximately 1.5–2 cm. Brush the entire surface with heavy cream.
- Cut the chilled dough into bars measuring 12 cm long and 1.5–2 cm wide.
- Bake the bars for 18 minutes at 180°C using a fan-assisted oven.
Grassins
Everyone knows Mailänderli, Spitzbuben and Zimtsterne. Less well known, but no less delicious, are Grassins: traditional Christmas cookies from Graubünden made with shortcrust pastry.
Ingredients
Makes approximately 80 cookies
- 200 g softened butter
- 125 g sugar
- 1 sachet vanilla sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 275 g flour
Preparation
- Beat the butter until soft peaks form.
- Add the vanilla sugar, salt and sugar, and mix well.
- Add the egg yolk and stir.
- Add the flour and knead to form a dough.
- Shape the dough into a brick and wrap it in cling film.
- Chill for 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into portions and roll out to a thickness of 4 mm.
- Chill for a further 15 minutes.
- Cut out rounds measuring 4 cm in diameter.
- Place the rounds on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Bake for 12–13 minutes in a preheated oven at 170°C.
Bündner Zimtpittli
Zimtpittli is one of Graubünden’s hidden cookie gems. Its distinctive trapezoidal shape adds visual variety to the baking tray, while its sweet, spicy cinnamon aroma instantly creates an Advent and Christmas atmosphere.
The following recipe comes from Betty Bossi.
Ingredients
- 150 g butter
- 170 g sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 eggs
- 140 g flour
- 170 g ground almonds
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 80 g sugar
- 80 g flaked almonds
Preparation
- Soften the butter in a bowl. Stir in the sugar and salt. Add the eggs one at a time, then continue beating with the whisk attachment of a hand mixer for approximately 5 minutes, until the mixture becomes lighter.
- Mix the flour, ground almonds and cinnamon, then stir into the mixture. Spread the dough on a sheet of baking paper to form a rectangle measuring approximately 30 × 38 cm, then transfer it onto the back of a baking tray.
- Mix the sugar and flaked almonds, sprinkle over the dough and press down lightly.
- Bake for approximately 15 minutes in the centre of an oven preheated to 200°C.
- Remove from the oven, leave to cool slightly and cut into diamonds measuring approximately 3 × 6 cm.
Muschgezinli
Muschgezinli are almond macaroons made according to an old Graubünden recipe. Cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg give them a festive Christmas flavour. Their red colour comes from sandalwood powder.
Ingredients
- 250 g ground almonds with skins
- 250 g icing sugar
- 2 eggs
- 15 g candied orange peel, finely chopped
- 15 g candied lemon peel, finely chopped
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 pinch of ground cloves
- 1 pinch of ground nutmeg
- approx. 20 g sandalwood powder
- 100 g blanched almonds
Preparation
- Separate the eggs. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar over a bain-marie until frothy.
- Add the spices, ground almonds, candied orange peel and candied lemon peel, and mix well.
- Gradually add the sandalwood powder until the dough turns brick red.
- Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them in.
- Leave the dough to rest for 2 hours.
- Shape the dough into small mounds using teaspoons. Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Press one blanched almond into the centre of each.
- Leave to dry overnight.
- Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for approximately 15 minutes.
- Remove from the baking tray immediately and leave to cool on a wire rack.
Puglinas (Hühnerdreck) da Sent
Puglinas da Sent from the Lower Engadine are easy to bake and have a funny name. Puglinas is Romansh for “chicken droppings.”
Ingredients
- 160 g sugar
- 1 tsp cocoa powder
- 2 eggs
- 200 g ground hazelnuts
- 25 g flour
Preparation
- Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold in the sugar and cocoa powder.
- Add the hazelnuts, flour and egg yolks, and mix well.
- Shape the mixture into small mounds using teaspoons. Place them well spaced on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for 10–15 minutes. Transfer to a biscuit tin while still warm.
