A good recipe for pfeffernusse?

Question

I'm looking for a simple one without a bunch of candied fruit, lemon zest, etc. Lots of pepper would be good, too.

Answer 1

Pfeffernuesse Cookies

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons Lemon juice
1/4 cup citron or other candied fruit or fruit peel, chopped
6 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon clove
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon mace
1 tablespoon Cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1 lemon, grated rind only

Directions:

Beat the eggs well. Add sugar about two Tbsp at a time and beat thoroughly with each addition. Add lemon rind and juice, finely chopped citron, the dry ingredients which have been mixed and sifted together, and the finely chopped nuts. Chill at least one hour, roll out 1/4 inch thick and cut out with a Pfeffernusse cutter, a round cutter about 7/8 of an inch in diameter. ( If a Pfeffernusse cutter is not available, a narrow bottle top or round tin bouillon cube box will do very nicely. ) Place Pfeffernusse on a cookie sheet and let stand overnight in a cool place to dry. The next morning before baking invert each cookie and put a drop of fruit juice or brandy on the moist spot on the bottom of the cookie and bake upside down.

This tends to make the Pfeffernusse "pop." Bake in a slow oven (300 degrees F.) for 8 minutes.

Answer 2

1 large Egg
110g (4 oz) Golden Caster Sugar
½ tbsp Rum
½ tbsp Ground Cinnamon
Pinch of each: Ground Cloves, Grated Nutmeg, Ground Ginger
½ tsp Baking Powder
110g (4 oz) Plain Flour
50g (2 oz) Ground Almonds,
½ tbsp Candied Peel, very finely chopped


Method

1. Whisk the egg and sugar together over a bowl of hot (not boiling) water, until thick and mousse like.

2. Whisk in the rum, then sift in the spices and flour.

3. Stir in the ground almonds and candied peel, mixing well to form a dough.

4. Knead for a few minutes on a lightly floured board until smooth - the dough will be quite soft.

5. Break off pieces of dough and roll into balls 2.5cm (1 in) in diameter.

6. Arrange the balls on greased baking trays 2.5 cm (1 in) apart and leave to dry out at room temperature overnight.

7. Bake the biscuits for 12-15 minutes Gas Mark 5/190°C/375°F until firm and light brown.

8. As they bake the balls will burst slightly, forming cracks in the surface.

9. Cool on a wire rack.

10. Beat the icing sugar with enough lemon juice until it is thick enough to brush on to the biscuits.

11. Brush on the icing while the biscuits are still warm and allow the icing to set completely before storing in an airtight tin for up to 4 weeks.

Answer 3

Here are nine possiblities:
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