Recipe of the week: Holiday treats: Cookies, custards, and bubbly

Food and drink are the fuel of Christmas cheer. German spice cookies, Spanish flan, and California sparkling wine will also give the holidays an international flavor.

Recipes of the week

Pfeffernüsse

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Pfeffernüss literally means “pepper nut,” said Maria Speck in Saveur. Making these deliciously fragrant cookies is “a hallowed process in Germany, where the methods have been refined over centuries.”

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup unsulfured molasses

2 tbsp butter

2 eggs, at room temperature

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup candied lemon peel, finely chopped

1/3 cup almonds, finely ground

3/4 tsp freshly ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

3/4 tsp freshly ground cloves

3/4 tsp freshly ground cardamom

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1–2 tbsp light rum

Put honey, molasses, and butter into small pot; cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until hot, 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool. Add eggs, whisk to combine. Put flour, half the lemon peel, almonds, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, cardamom, baking powder into large bowl; stir to combine. Add honey; beat with wooden spoon until well combined, to form dough. Cover surface of dough with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside. Lightly oil your palms with some of the oil. Form dough into 36 balls, each about 1 inch wide (dough will be very sticky, so keep hands lightly oiled while working). Divide dough balls between baking sheets, keeping them spaced 1 inch apart. Bake until lightly cracked on top and just firm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack, let

cool slightly.

Meanwhile, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, rum, and 5 tsp hot water to make smooth glaze. While cookies are still warm, use pastry brush to coat each one with layer of glaze. While surfaces of cookies are still moist with glaze, garnish each top with pieces of remaining lemon peel. Set cookies aside to let cool completely. Eat right away or store in airtight container,

layered between sheets of waxed paper, for up to one week.

Maple Custards With Sugared Pecans

Tocino de cielo is a traditional dessert from southern Spain that translates as “fat from heaven,” said Richard Wolffe in Food & Wine. Spanish chef José Andrés, who owns several restaurants in Washington, D.C., and stars on his own TV show in Spain, has updated this holiday treat by substituting

maple syrup for sugar. The result, he says, is “so amazing it scares me.”

3-1/4 cups pure maple syrup

16 large egg yolks

4 large whole eggs

4 tbsp unsalted butter

2 cups pecan halves (1/2 pound)

1/4 cup sugar

Salt

Boiling water

Whipped cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spoon 1 tsp of maple syrup into each of 12 1/2-cup ramekins, swirling to coat bottoms. Arrange ramekins in large roasting pan. In large stainless steel bowl, whisk yolks with whole eggs until

blended. Whisk in remaining 3 cups of maple syrup. Pour mixture into ramekins. Carefully pour enough very hot water into roasting pan to reach halfway up sides of ramekins. Cover pan with foil and bake about 55 minutes, or until custards are just set. Using tongs, immediately remove

ramekins from hot water, let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate custards for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Meanwhile, in large skillet, melt butter. Add pecans and stir to coat with butter. Cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Put sugar in large bowl. With slotted spoon, transfer pecans to bowl with sugar and toss to coat. Transfer nuts to baking sheet, shaking off excess sugar. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Let cool. Carefully run thin knife around each custard. Dip each ramekin in bowl of boiling water, then quickly invert custard onto plate. Spoon whipped cream over custards, garnish with sugared pecans, and serve. Serves 12.