Swiss Cookies - Basler Brunsli

Basler Brunsli - Swiss cookies from Basle - A Swiss town which I  visited a couple of times when I lived in Switzerland. I love these type of cookies - they are so unpretentious and always delicious.I have used Amaretto di Saronno which is not the traditional way to make these cookies but I like the taste it gives.

Recipe adapted from, Küchengötter.de

50 g unsweetened cocoa powder
150 g dark chocolate
300 g ground almonds

200 g sugar

a pinch of salt

50 g flour

4 egg whites 

a generous shot Amaretto Di Saronno (about 3 tbsp)

Method

Chop the chocolate and melt over a bain marie, stirring all the time. Make sure no water gets into the chocolate. Some people manage to melt the chocolate in a microwave but I always end up with a burnt mess! This will be used as the main mixing bowl so make sure it is large enough.

In another bowl, mix the almonds, cocoa powder, sugar, salt and flourIn yet another bowl.....Beat the egg whites until stiff and add to flour mixture.Separate into two balls, cover with cling film and put in the fridge for about 1/2 hrs.
Preheat oven to 220C/430F.
Roll out dough on a floured board to about 1/4" thick and cut into  shapes. Place on a parchment paper lined baking tray.
Some traditional recipes suggest letting them dry on the tray for a couple of hours before baking them.
Bake for about 6 mins, in the middle of the oven. Cookies should be crisp on the outside with a soft center. If you prefer crisp cookies then just bake a bit longer.
Cool and store in an airtight jar

Swiss Fondue

Now that the weather is getting cooler, there is nothing more sociable than a pot of Swiss Fondue.( for the Swiss, fondue is ALWAYS made of cheese) There is a game assoicated with the dish : If someone loses their piece of bread of the fork they have to pay a penalty! What that will be is up to you!
The trick to a successful fondue  is to ensure that the cheese  sauce stays smooth. Cheese has a propensity to get stringy or to "seize up" into clumps, the fat separating from the proteins. Do not over heat as cheese tends to ball up at higher temperatures and if possible use a fondue pot. Don't let the cheese cool down too much before serving, as it tends to get stringier and tougher as it cools. Don't over stir the cheese, doing so will encourage stringiness.. so many don'ts!!
When we lived in the Ticino, we would use Grappa instead of kirsh.

Ingredients

1/2 pound (Real) Swiss cheese such as Jarlsberg or Emmenthaler, shredded  (or try Vacherin Fribourgeois)
1/2 pound Gruyere cheese, shredded ( aged about 8 months is best)
2 tablespoons cornstarch *
1 garlic clove, peeled, halved crosswise
1 cup dry white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc
1/4 cup kirsh
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Pinch nutmeg
*The cornstarch helps stabilize the sauce
Crusty bread, cubed, for dipping (can be a day old as it does not need to be super fresh - in fact a bit old is better!)When you cut the bread, try make sure that each piece had a bit of crust.

Method

1 Place the shredded cheese and cornstarch in a plastic bag. Seal, shake to coat the cheese with cornstarch. Set aside.

2 Rub the inside of a 4-quart pot with the garlic, then discard. Over medium heat, add the wine and lemon juice and bring to a gentle simmer. Gradually stir the cheese into the wine. Stir constantly in a zig-zag pattern to prevent the cheese from seizing and balling up. Cook until the cheese is just melted and creamy. Do not let boil. Once smooth, stir in the kirsh and  nutmeg.
3 Transfer the cheese to a fondue serving pot, set over a flame to keep warm.
4. Spear the bread cubes with a fondue fork, dip in mixture till coated in cheese, and EAT!!!

Serves 4.

NB: As the cheese gets less and less, scrape the sides with your bread.When almost all the cheese is gone, lower the flame under the fondue pot.The last bit of cheese will be all toasty and yummy!

German Potato Salad

Although a German recipe, this comes form my friend Regula who lived in Basel, Switzerland. This was a dish often served at her home, together with some most excellent German sausage - a great meal for a cold day. Sauerkraut was also something else i learnt to enjoy!The main difference between German potato salad and American potato salad is that the former is made with HOT potatoes and is usually served warm.However it's also great cold.

Ingredients:

About 6 potatoes, boiled , peeled and sliced (not cubed)

For Dressing

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoon of spicy brown mustard

1/2 - 3/4 cups of mayonnaise

3 rashers of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

2 hard boiled eggs, chopped (optional)

Mix the above (except the bacon and eggs)and pour over the potatoes.

Sprinkle the bacon and eggs over.

Serve warm. refrigerate any remaining salad as soon as possible. Can be eaten cold later!

Swiss Sugar Cookies

This is a super easy way to make delicious cookies. They can also be iced to look festive. Again, thanks to Nikki for this recipe.

Swiss sugar cookies
Ingredients
1 tablespoon dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 cup butter
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar

Method
Dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy.
Gradually add flour.
Add yeast mixture and blend well.
Refrigerate dough until well chilled.
Spread sugar out on a large piece of waxed paper.
Roll walnut-sized balls of dough into the sugar, pressing flat until dough is thin, about the size of a doughnut.
Keep flipping dough and pressing into sugar during this stage.
Place on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until very lightly browned around the edges.
Cool on racks.

Roesti

ROESTI

This is a Traditional Swiss dish, generally served as a side. You can either make one large portion or several individual ones.

I have come across several variations of this recipe, but this was the one shown to me when I lived in Switzerland, so I am pretty sure it is authentic.

Ingredients
1kilo/2.2lbs potatoes,boiled in their jacket, the day before (make sure they are not over cooked, in fact they should be under cooked)

2-3tblsp. Butter (NEVER use oil !!)

1-2medium onions, thinly sliced

1-2tblsp. salt

Method

Peel the potatoes and grate them through a coarse grater.

Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan,add onions and cook until they are opaque

Add the potatoes and salt and spread evenly about the pan
Roast for about 3-5 minutes, moving about with a spoon, then form a flat cake and fry on medium heat until there is a golden crust on the bottom.Place a plate on the pan and turn the pan upside down,so that the ROESTI falls on the platter with the crust on top.
If you are very good a cook then flip it like a pancake (something I can never do!) Cook it for a few more minutes.

There are variations to this dish depending on the canton it comes from
Bern - Add streaky bacon ,cut in small slices or cubes
Basle - Use half onions and half potatoes
Valais - cover at the end of cooking with sliced tomatoes and some Raclette cheese(or any other well melting salty cheese )let the cheese melt ,then serve with the crustiest part on the bottom.