Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Should-I-Stay-Or-Should-I-Go Hazelnut Cookies - Haselnuss-Kekse


What´s in a name…sometimes you feel like you should find a fancy name for your personal creations. When I was looking for a title for these Should-I-Stay-Or-Should-I-Go Hazelnut Cookies, I was simply inspired by a saying on one of my tea cups or rather mugs.
Namen sind Schall und Rauch, aber manchmal hat man den Wunsch, den eigenen Kreationen einen etwas außergewöhnlichen Namen zu geben. Bei meinen Should-I-Stay-Or-Should-I-Go Haselnuss-Keksen habe ich mich einfach von dem Spruch auf meiner Tasse inspirieren lassen.




Grown in Europe and the US, hazelnuts are encased in a smooth, hard brown shell but are most commonly sold shelled. The sweet-tasting, cream-colored kernel is small and round, with a pointed tip. Its thin, dark brown skin is faintly bitter, so some people like to remove this before eating. You may be able to buy fresh hazelnuts still in their husks, but most are sold already dried and processed, whole, chopped, or ground, either in or out of their skins.
Haselnüsse werden in Europa und den USA angebaut. Sie haben eine glatte, harte braune Schale, werden jedoch meist geschält verkauft. Der süßliche, cremefarbene Kern ist klein, rund, mit einer kleinen Spitze. Seine dünne, dunkle braune Haut ist leicht bitter, weshalb manche Menschen sie vor dem Verzehr entfernen. Manchmal kann man auf dem Markt frische Haselnüsse noch in ihren Schalen kaufen. Die meisten Haselnüsse, die man im Laden findet, sind jedoch bereits getrocknet und weiter verarbeitet. Man kann sie dann entweder ganz, gehackt oder gemahlen kaufen.




Hazelnuts are good eaten raw but the flavor takes on a more mellow, sweeter character when they are roasted. Like almost all nuts, they have a high fat content, which means they will go rancid pretty quickly if not refrigerated.
Haselnüsse schmecken auch roh lecker. Ihr Geschmack wird aber weicher und süßer, wenn sie geröstet werden. Wie fast alle Nüsse haben sie einen hohen Fettgehalt, was bedeutet, dass sie schnell ranzig werden, wenn sie nicht kühl gelagert werden.




My favorite variety of hazelnuts is called “round Romans”. These wonderful plump nuts grow in beautiful Italy. Fresh hazelnuts of this variety are very crisp and are very aromatic. They contain little oil and are ideal for baking. And, of course, I also like the name!
Meine Lieblingssorte Haselnüsse kommt aus Italien und trägt den schönen Namen „Runde Römer“. Haselnusskerne dieser Sorte sind besonders knackig und aromatisch im Geschmack. Sie enthalten wenig Öl und sind ideal zum Backen. Außerdem gefällt mir der Name!




Should-I- Stay-Or-Should-I-Go Hazelnut-Cookies

Ingredients for the Cookies
  • 200 grams wheat (AP) flour
  • 200 grams whole hazelnuts, toasted and ground, I use the "round Romans"
  • 200 grams superfine white sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon (I like to use “Ceylon” cinnamon)
  • one pinch of fine sea salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla sugar
  • 1 tbsp tangerine peel (organic, please)
  • 2 eggs (L), free range or organic
  • 5 grams baking soda
  • juice of 1/2 lemon (organic, please)

To finish the Cookies and for Baking
  • some sugar (I like to take a coarse sugar for this)
  • some cinnamon
  • 100 grams hazelnuts, slithered
  • one dinner plate (with a raised rim – such as a soup plate)
  • two baking sheets, covered with parchment paper
Should-I-Stay-Or-Should-I-Go Haselnuss-Kekse

Zutaten für die Kekse
  • 200 Gramm Weizenmehl
  • 200 Gramm ganze Haselnüsse, geröstet und gemahlen, ich nehme die "runden Römer"
  • 200 Gramm feinster Zucker
  • 1 TL Zimt, gemahlen (ich nehme am liebsten „Ceylon“ Zimt)
  • eine Prise feines Meersalz
  • 1 ½ TL Bourbon Vanillezucker
  • 1 EL Mandarinenschale (Bio)
  • 2 Eier (L), Freilandhaltung oder Bio
  • 5 Gramm Natron
  • Saft von 1/2 Zitrone (Bio)

Außerdem zum Wälzen der Kekse und zum Backen
  • etwas Zucker (darf etwas gröber als der Zucker im Teig sein)
  • etwas Zimt
  • 100 Gramm Haselnussblättchen
  • ein Teller (am besten mit hohem Rand – wie ein Suppenteller)
  • zwei Backbleche, mit Backpapier ausgelegt



Preparation of the Cookies
  1. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, ground hazelnuts, sugar, cinnamon, salt and vanilla sugar.
  2. Add the grated rind of the tangerine.
  3. In a small bowl, using a fork, lightly whisk together the eggs. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour the eggs in the well. Mix well.
  4. Then add the baking soda and lemon juice. Continue to mix with a fork until the mixture is firm and a little “sticky”.
  5. In your soup plate, mix together the coarse sugar, the cinnamon and the slithered hazelnuts.
  6. Using a spoon or a small ice cream scoop, take small portions of the dough, then shape into balls and roll in the sugar-cinnamon-hazelnut mixture.
  7. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, taking care to leave some room between each cookie as they will spread during baking.
  8. Bake in preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for about 15 minutes or until the cookies are lightly colored. After baking, the cookies should be crisp on the outside and still chewy on the inside.
  9. Let cool about 10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring cookies to rack to cool completely.
Zubereitung der Kekse
  1. In einer großen Schüssel das Mehl mit den gemahlenen Haselnüssen, Zucker, Zimt, Salz und Vanillezucker mischen.
  2. Dann die geriebene Schale der Mandarine hinzufügen.
  3. In einer kleinen Schüssel die Eier leicht mit einer Gabel verquirlen, eine Mulde in die Mitte der Mehlmischung machen und das verquirlte Ei hineingeben. Gut untermischen.
  4. Dann das Natron und den Zitronensaft hinzugeben und ebenfalls gut mit einer Gabel untermischen - bis die Mischung fest ist und ein wenig "klebrig“ ist.
  5. In dem Teller mit hohem Rand den Zucker mit einer Prise Zimt und den Haselnussplättchen mischen.
  6. Mit einem Löffel (oder einem kleinen Eisproportionierer) etwas Teig abnehmen, zu Kugeln formen und in der Zimt-Zucker-Haselnuss–Mischung wälzen.
  7. Die Teigkugel auf die mit Backpapier ausgelegten Backblechen legen – dabei nicht zu dicht aneinander legen, da sich die Kekse beim Backen etwas ausbreiten.
  8. Im vorgeheizten Backofen bei 180 Grad Celsius für ca. 15 Minuten backen oder bis die Plätzchen ein wenig Farbe haben. Sie sollten nach dem Backen außen knusprig und innen durchaus noch weich sein.
  9. Erst zirka 10 Minuten auf den Blechen erkalten lassen, dann auf Kuchengittern ganz abkühlen lassen und servieren.



If you appreciate cookies with lots of nuts, these Should-I-Stay-Or-Should-I-Go Hazelnut Cookies are right for you. They g so well with a cup of  tea, coffee or hot chocolate. They taste like hazelnut, cinnamon and vanilla with a hint of tangerine - perfect cookies to enjoy while you stay a little longer!
Wenn man gerne Kekse mit Nüssen isst, dann sind diese Should-I-Stay-Or-Should-I-Go Haselnuss-Kekse genau das Richtige. Sie passen ganz großartig zu einer Tasse Tee, Kaffee, oder heißer Schokolade. Sie schmecken wunderbar nach Haselnuss, Zimt und Vanille mit einem Hauch von Mandarinen – perfekte Kekse, um etwas länger zu verweilen!



32 comments:

  1. I would stay all day for a couple of these beautiful and delicious sounding cookies! I can almost taste them looking at that last photo.

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    1. Cathleen, well, I would certainly love to part with a few of these lovely cookies - they are perfect for this time of year with a hint of that wonderfully warm spice cinnamon and vanilla and all those natuarlly sweet hazelnuts, ground and sliced.

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  2. So would I, Cathleen!
    I'd like to point out that the question here is not "should I stay or should I go?" but how long can we stay (and how many of these absolutely delicious cookies may we have) before Andrea kicks us out?"
    Well done, Andrea!

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    1. Carola, nice to hear from you - I should send you some of these cookies to Switzerland but I would much prefer to share them with you here and have you STAY for cookies and tea/coffee!
      Liebe Grüße in die Schweiz!

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  3. I say stay and eat these cookies!! lol

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    1. Definitely, STAY, that´s what I say! Thanks for the comment!

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  4. Oh, I must try these cookies. They sound great. I never tasted hazelnuts until I was in high school - granola was ALL the rage, and a friend of mine made her own. She used "filberts" , a common name for hazelnuts here in the U.S. back in the day. No one ever called them hazelnuts when I was growing up. Now, of course, no one knows what a filbert is! When I first tasted them I really did not like them. The falvor was so different from my favorites, pecans and cashews. But over time I grew to love them. Once i got into French pastry, it was all over, and I was hooked. Thanks for a very tempting recipe!

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    1. Adri, you already know, of course, that the Italians love to bake with hazelnuts, a.k.a. as filberts or cobnuts (which are simply bigger hazelnuts). So, I would not be all that surprised if you really liked these cookies. And they are a breeze to make and now is the time to go out and collect or buy some fresh hazelnuts.
      Grazie mille, cara Adri! Ti saluto con affetto!

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  5. Ces biscuits ont l'air simplement délicieux. Les noisettes étant une de mes variétés de noix favoris, je devrai mettre cette recette sur ma liste de desserts à essayer :) .

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  6. These look crazy-good. I’m droooooling ;-P especially the hazelnut.

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    1. Thank you very much - I am quite sure that you would enjoy these cookies!

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  7. I don't think I ever saw different varieties of hazelnuts here, but I adore all of them. But they need to be toasted as they are bitter otherwise. Beautiful cookies Andrea!

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    1. Paula, that´s what my recipe says, "to toast them" because some people prefer them sweeter than others and toasting them prior to baking brings out their natural sweetness.

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  8. Andrea - I think the answer is, "Stay!" I love hazelnuts and their cream chocolate counterpart, gianduia. These cookies would be perfect with my cocoa! And I do love the name you have them as well as the small mug! ~ David

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    1. David, and STAY you should for cookies and a cup ot hot chocolate for sure! Hope all is well, dear friend!

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  9. What a fun name for these fabulous looking cookies. I had no idea there were different varieties of hazelnuts, thanks for the education Andrea.

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    1. Chris, yes there are different kinds of hazelnuts that you can find in stores around here - I loved discovering these wonderfully fragrant and crunchy "round Romans" - thanks for the comment, dear friend!

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  10. Your cookies look great. I'm especially inspired by the topping!

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    1. Beth, thank you very much for the nice comment! Glad that you enjoyed these cookies - the topping is nice and a bit crunchy, just right.

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  11. Awesome name for the cookies and I would definitely stay as well for some of these cookies...actually I would stay for anything that you made Andrea!! Love the mug, you always have the best props!!

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    1. Karen, thank you very much for that lovely comment - sometimes the props seem to be taking over my life (in a good way though).And, of course, I would love to have you stay for these cookies or something else from my kitchen that would strike your fancy!

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  12. At bees are definitely right for me. I've never seen hazelnuts labelled with a variety. Just "hazelnuts". I'll let you know how they come out.

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    1. Betsy, there are definitely different kinds of hazelnuts to be found in stores around here - there are different varities that thrive in different climates such as these "round Romans", a wonderful variety from Italy.

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  13. Ohh, these cookies look wonderful:) I would definitely stay for these cookies.

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    1. Geraldine, you should because these are definitely worth staying for! Thanks for the lovely comment!

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  14. LOVE)))

    I will STAY, please.

    Great Mug! x

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    1. Dear Kim, absolutely - STAY is what I you want you to do for sure when I serve these cookies!

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  15. Stay, definitely stay. I love hazelnuts -especially roasted. Gorgeous cookies - on the menu for my coffee break this week. I've always got some hazelnuts in the freezer. Now I know why!

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    1. Hester, STAY that´s what I say - and I would love to get an unbiased opinion on my recent cookie creation!

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  16. I wish I could come over to your place and stay! I would love these cookies and your company! And not to mention your sweet girls! Thank you for sharing. These look perfect Andrea!

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    1. Monet, I wish you could indeed come on over and share some of these cookies with me and the rest of the family. How nice would that be, dear friend?!

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