Christmas Gift Giving: It’s The Thought That Counts

JustSoChristmas Day 10

Christmas really is my favourite time of year! I look forward to it all year long and I love planning it. Basically, I love everything about the festive season except for money. Christmas is a time of giving and being someone who prefers giving gifts than receiving them, not being able to afford to give gifts to the people I care about this year was upsetting. That was until I was talking to someone who had just been sweet enough to give me a gift, but she was worried because it “wasn’t anything big” because she too doesn’t have a lot of money. I reminded her then that it was the thought that made the gift so special to me not the price tag. That’s when I realised that it really is the thought that counts. I recently learnt about a Swedish Christmas ginger cookie called Pepparkakor and the special tradition behind it. You place a Pepparkakor cookie into the palm of your hand, then make a wish (it’s like a birthday wishes, so make sure you don’t tell anyone what you wished for as then it won’t come true!) and using the index finger or thumb of your other hand, tap your cookie in the middle until it breaks into three pieces, your wish will come true. So this year for gifts I made Pepparkakor cookies and I’ve since decided to make it a new tradition for every Christmas to come. I wanted to share the recipe with you guys in case you want to make your own Pepparkakor cookies for gifts this year.

Full credit to Kiki K for the Pepparkakor recipe

INGREDIENTS

400g (1 2/3 Cup) Caster Sugar
250ml Golden Syrup
250ml Cream
200g Butter
1 Tablespoon Ground Cloves
1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon Ground Ginger
7 – 8 Cups Plain Flour
1 Tablespoon Bicarbonate Soda

METHOD

Preheat your oven to 175°C (347°F)
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter on low heat. Then combine the sugar, syrup, spices and cream.
Pour the mixture in a large mixing bowl and add the bicarbonate soda and flour. Gradually add more flour if the mixture is too runny.
Leave the dough to rest in the fridge overnight.
On a floured surface, roll out the dough with a rolling pin to approximately 4mm in thickness.
Use cookie cutters to create gorgeous Christmas shapes.
Place the cookies on a lined tray and bake them in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes or until dark golden brown.
Allow them to cool fully, the cookies will harden as they cool. You can also decorate the cookies with royal icing.