Oblaten Wafers Recipes

VANILLA WAFERS

Steps:

• Position 1 oven rack in the top third of the oven and another in the bottom third. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside. Cream the butter and vanilla sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl after 1 minute. Add the egg and incorporate on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl. Add the vanilla extract and milk and blend on low speed for 15 seconds. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just to incorporate. Chill the batter in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes before scooping.
• Scoop the batter in teaspoon-sized balls and arrange them on 2 parchment paper-lined half sheet pans, approximately 35 cookies per pan. Use the heel of your hand to slightly flatten each ball. Bake, 2 pans at a time, rotating the pans halfway through the baking, until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the pans to a cooling rack to cool completely before removing the cookies from the pan.

GERMAN LEBKUCHEN WITH GERMAN BAKING WAFERS OBLATEN

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer or in a large bowl, beat or whisk the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water over low heat and heat, whisking until the mixture is thick and very warm (about 130 F) Remove from the water bath and continue beating until the mixture is cool.
• Combine the almonds, flour, zests, and spices in another bowl.
• Stir into the egg sugar mixture.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Place the oblaten on baking sheets 2 inches apart.
• Spread 1 rounded tablespoonful of the cookie dough on each oblaten, spreading to the edges of the wafers.
• Let the cookies stand, uncovered, for 1 hour before baking so that the top will dry.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cookies are crusty on the upper surface, but still moist in the center.
• Remove the cookies from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack.
• In a small bowl, stir the sugar and lemon juice together to make a thin glaze.
• Spread over half of the cooled cookies.
• Place the chocolate into a glass bowl and heat in the microwave at high power for about 2 minutes, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted.
• Spread the melted chocolate over the remaining cookies.
• Decorate with the almonds.
• Makes 42 to 48 cookies.
• The Great Holiday Baking Book Beatrice Ojakangas.

ELISENLEBKUCHEN (GERMAN CHRISTMAS COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 150°C (or 300°F).
• Place powdered sugar and egg whites in a mixing bowl and beat, using a whisk attachment on an electric mixer on high speed, until stiff (but not dry) peaks form- this may take while (up to 8 minutes- but may take less depending upon your mixer).
• Combine the lemon zest, the candied lemon peel, and the nuts, then gently fold in the egg whites mixture- do not overmix.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then set out the oblaten wafers.
• Place a 1 rounded Tbsp of cookie dough onto each oblaten in a mound.
• Bake about 20 minutes until light brown, in the center of the oven.
• If necessary, set a second (empty) cookie sheet in the rack directly above the cookies to help keep the tops from overbrowning.
• Remove from oven and let cool on wire racks.
• Melt chocolate in either a double boiler or in the microwave briefly until you can stir down the chocolate into a melted glaze (be careful not to burn if you use the microwave- chocolate tends to hold its shape even if it is melted inside when melted this way).
• Drizzle the tops of each cookie with the melted chocolate.
• If you prefer, you may melt even more chocolate and carefuly dip the cookies halfway.
• Let dipped cookies dry on a cooling rack.
• Pack into airtight containers.
• IF USING AMERICAN MEASUREMENTS: Use about 2 cups ground almonds, 2 1/3 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup candied lemon peel, and a couple of Hershey's milk chocolate bars (regular size)- or more.