Piparkökur

Dive into the extraordinary flavors of Iceland with these fiery gingerbread cookies, known as Piparkökur. Infused with a unique blend of spices, including pepper and cayenne, these cookies promise a memorable kick with every bite. Topped with luscious dark and white chocolate couverture, they offer both a visual appeal and a delightful taste experience.

Ingredients

🌾 720g All-purpose Flour
🥄 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
🍯 360g Brown Sugar
🧈 250g Melted Margarine
🥚 1 Egg
🌶️ 1/2 teaspoon Ground Pepper Brand: Ostmann
🌶️ 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper Brand: Ostmann
🌸 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cloves Brand: Ostmann
🌰 1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg Brand: Ostmann
🌿 2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon Brand: Ostmann
🍃 1 1/2 tablespoons Ground Ginger Brand: Ostmann
🍫 200g Dark Chocolate Couverture Brand: Rewe Zartbitter Kuvertüre
🍫 200g White Chocolate Brand: Rewe Weiße Schokolade

Instructions

1- Mix Dry Ingredients:

In a large stainless steel mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and brown sugar.
Use a hand mixer to blend thoroughly until well combined.

2- Add Wet Ingredients:

Add the melted margarine and egg to the dry ingredients.
Continue mixing until combined.

3- Incorporate Spices:

Incorporate the spices: ground pepper, cayenne pepper, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, and ground ginger.
Continue mixing with the hand mixer until a thick, cohesive dough forms.

4- Chill Dough:

Transfer the dough into a bowl and cover it.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up.

5- Preheat Oven:

Preheat your built-in electric oven to 180°C (top/bottom heat).

6- Roll Dough:

Once chilled, roll out the dough on a lightly floured wooden cutting board using a wooden rolling pin to your desired thickness.

7- Cut Shapes:

Use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the dough; however, feel free to cut into square or rectangular shapes as preferred.

8- Prepare Baking Tray:

Transfer the cut dough shapes onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

9- Bake Cookies:

Bake in the preheated oven for at least 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden and firm.

10- Melt Chocolate:
- As the cookies cool, place both the dark and white chocolate couverture in separate heatproof glass bowls.
- Melt the chocolate using a bain-marie method: place the bowls over simmering water in a stainless steel saucepan, stirring with a spatula until smooth.

11- Dip Cookies:
- Once cool, dip each cookie halfway into either the dark or white melted chocolate.
- Use a fork to aid the dipping process and a spatula to remove excess chocolate.

12- Set Cookies:
- Place the chocolate-coated cookies back on the parchment-lined baking tray to set completely.

13- Serve:
- Serve your Piparkökur on a decorative plate and enjoy this spicy-sweet Icelandic treat!

Prep Time: 1 hour (including dough resting time)
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: Approximately 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: Approximately 30 cookies
Equipment: