4Pure4kids: pepernoten

In Holland we don't have Santa Clause. We've got Sinterklaas and he arrives around November in the Netherlands and stays until 5 december. At his departure he surprises the little children with gifts. In this times we ate as a treat pepernoten and you can buy them everywhere. But it's also a great treat that the children can make themselves. And eat them afterwards warm or cold.

I like to share the recipe with you and hope you've got a lot of baking fun!

Ingredients for a plate full of pepernoten:

• 100 gram flour;
• 3 grams baking powder
• 50 grams dark brown sugar;
• 1 teaspoon of speculaas spices *(look at the tips how to make them);
• 40 grams cold butter, cut in small chunks;
• 3 tablespoons milk.

Materials:

• baking tray;
• baking paper;
• plastic foil.

Preparation:

Mix in a bowl the flour, baking powder, sugar and speculaas spices. Add the butter and milk and mix very well. Get it out of the bowl and knead with your hands. Wrap in plastic foil and let it rest for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator. 

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Line the baking tray with baking paper.  Make small balls with a diameter of 1 cm and spread them on the baking tray. Press your thumb on top of them to flatten them a bit. Put the baking tray in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes until the pepernoten are golden brown.

Get them of the baking plate and cool them on a rack.

Tips:

• Instead of mixing the dough by hand you can use you're kitchen machine with the knifes. First put in the dry ingredients and pulse to combine. Then add the butter and milk and pulse until you've got a dough. Get it out of the kitchen machine and make a ball of the dough. Wrap in plastic foil and let it rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Follow the rest of the recipe;
• The pepernoten can be stored, after they have cooled down to roomtemperature in a airtight container for about 3 days;
• Make your own speculaas spices by mixing the following grounded spices: 15 grams of cinnamon, 5 grams of nutmeg, 5 grams cloves, 2 grams white pepper, 3 grams anise and 3 grams ginger. 

4Pure: pepernoten