In northern Europe they celebrate Advent in a very special way, in all houses a pine or fir wreath with four candles is placed to celebrate the beginning of these days. Every Sunday the whole family gathers at dusk with a hot drink, some cookies and light a candle on his wreath, one for each week, until Christmas. Is what is called Kranz.
Although I am not very into Christmas customs, I take the best from one place and another, so I keep these Advent cookies very similar to those that are taken in those places. Of course, they can be made with any Christmas mold.
In a bowl or in the glass of a robot put the butter with the brown sugar. Beat with whisk until butter is white. Crack the egg and separate as a teaspoon of white for a well. Add the rest of the lightly beaten egg, molasses or honey. Stir until integrated. Add the flour with the baking powder, two teaspoons of cinnamon and the baking soda. Mix until you get a dough that comes off of the bowl. Knead to form a ball.
Divide the dough into two portions and arrange some wooden slats half a centimeter high between two baking papers. Stretch the dough until leaving it all the same. Fold the papers and leave it on a stretched tray in the fridge for half an hour. Repeat this operation with the rest of the dough.
Preheat the oven to 180ºC degrees. When the cooling time passes, cut the dough with a cookie cutter or a glass, and place them on a baking tray. Paint them with the little reserved egg white. Mix the white sugar in a bowl with the remaining teaspoon of cinnamon. Sprinkle the cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
These rich and spicy Advent cookies are delicious simply with a good glass of plain milk, with cocoa or a coffee or tea. But if you want to soak up more in tradition, nothing better than with a hot sweet wine.
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