[senior citizen]

..........

[graciegirl]

Mein grossmutter, on my dads side made Schwartzwalder Kirschtorte. (Black forest chocolate cake with cherries) and Appel Strudel, AND something she called Shnecken and many, wonderful Christmas cookies but one I never liked were the hard anise cookies that would break your front teeth if you weren't careful. I CAN'T think what they were called. They used a roller with designs on it.


I was the oldest child of the oldest child and I got to sit on my grandfathers hassock on Christmas Eve, a place of honor, and all of the other kids were having a ball in the basement.

[kfierle]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Mein grossmutter, on my dads side made Schwartzwalder Kirschtorte. (Black forest chocolate cake with cherries) and Appel Strudel, AND something she called Shnecken and many, wonderful Christmas cookies but one I never liked were the hard anise cookies that would break your front teeth if you weren't careful. I CAN'T think what they were called. They used a roller with designs on it.


I was the oldest child of the oldest child and I got to sit on my grandfathers hassock on Christmas Eve, a place of honor, and all of the other kids were having a ball in the basement.

Were the anise cookies called Springerle? They were a favorite of my father. I remember having to bite into them with my molars since they were so hard!

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by kfierle

Were the anise cookies called Springerle? They were a favorite of my father. I remember having to bite into them with my molars since they were so hard!

That's it!

[RedChariot]

Originally Posted by senior citizen

Italian Christmas Desserts
Click on above hyperlink and keep scrolling down for pictures of all the Christmas desserts.
This is also a very nice website for other recipes and traditions for various holidays......very nostalgic.


Who remembers these Italian desserts from childhood??? Or others?

I do remember the Zuppa Inglese Italian "trifle" ; looks really good.....rum, etc. I also remember plain rum cakes....

I do recall the Stuffoli honey balls my mom would make for my dad.
We'd help her pinch off the dough, etc. and later roll them in the sprinkles....(after the honey)

I definitely remember making the Pizzelle.....

For sure the Venetian layered cookies.......at my grandmother's

The Panettone.........the Biscotti........

They don't show them, but I remember all the canoli, both plain and chocolate dipped.

Plus other types of "cream puffs"......and delicious pastries and breads from both Ferrara's and also Parisi Bakers....

Some of those cakes, such as the fig cakes "might" have been there, but I probably didn't eat them, thus have no memory at this time....

Back in those days, they ate sparingly most of year, but went all out for the feast days and holidays, for sure.

I actually cannot think of one single Ukrainian dessert from my other grandmother......but the Italian "table" remains in my memory......

I still order all of my Christmas cookies and canoli, yeast breads, struffoli, tira misu, etc., etc. from Ferraras Bakery in N.Y.C. I also send them as gifts. The five pound cookie platters are excellent and have a selection of all the cookies, including the pignoli cookies (pine nuts)....rainbow cookies, etc.

Each year they arrive, overnight, totally perfect, all in one piece and excellent as usual. Very nostalgic. When our kids were still home I would bake for days and weeks.........but now I just order the cookies.

I usually just lurk on this site, but follow your recipes. Save them. Print them. I have been to Ferraras when living in NJ. Devine. Do you mind sharing with me the cost of shipping? Do you do the overnight? I was on their website, but they do not give shipping costs. Just the different types of shipping. I realize I would not be shipping to your state, but it would give me an idea. Again, Love your recipes. Maybe you should start a blog like The Pioneer Woman.

Thanks

[tpop1]

The list is missing my 2 favorites...

1) Pignoli Cookies - Cresant shapes cookies made with pine nuts and almond paste!
2) Anginettes / Tadelles - Round, frosted, baked dough balls

My great wife still bakes these as well as biscotti and her mothers fruitcake.

Anyone who jokes about fruitcake at Christmas has never tastes her's!! Fruitcake needs a new Publicity Agent!!

My daughter-in-law makes the pizzelles!

Is it any wonder that I have a hard time losing weight????

[2BNTV]

My family love the pizzelles and honey balls.

I personally loved the snowballs laced with Sambuca.

Thank goodness my cousin's aunt, who I hardly had any contact with during the holidays, made them.

BTW - They were soft and delicious. Not the jawbreaker cookies mentioned above, as I have had those.

[senior citizen]

..............

[senior citizen]

................

[kathyzapp]

The only Italian cookies that I still make are pizzelles and biscotti.

I remember making pizzelles before the invention of the electric pizzelle iron.

[senior citizen]

..........

[Peachie]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Mein grossmutter, on my dads side made Schwartzwalder Kirschtorte. (Black forest chocolate cake with cherries) and Appel Strudel, AND something she called Shnecken and many, wonderful Christmas cookies but one I never liked were the hard anise cookies that would break your front teeth if you weren't careful. I CAN'T think what they were called. They used a roller with designs on it.


I was the oldest child of the oldest child and I got to sit on my grandfathers hassock on Christmas Eve, a place of honor, and all of the other kids were having a ball in the basement.

Gracie, I never cared for anise anything but do you like pfeffernusse? (I really like those.)

[kathyzapp]

Originally Posted by senior citizen

Same here. But have you seen the new electric pizzelle makers?
I almost bought one for our German daughter in law for Christmas.
However, got her the Williams Sonoma "new" raclette grill.......
kind of like a re invention of fondue.......but it melts the cheese under the grill.....plus all the Williams Sonoma "cheese making kits" as she loves that type of stuff..........but those electric pizzelle makers were very compelling.
Just re read your post and I bet you already have the modern pizzelle maker.

I'm on my second electric pizzelle iron. A relative asked to borrow my iron and I never got it back. I still have some Pure Anise Oil that I bought at my local Italian market before I moved to The Villages. I usually make some pizzelles with the anise oil and some with vanilla extract.

[senior citizen]

.............

[2BNTV]

My uncle Joe's favorie pastry was "sfogliatelle". Mine too, although not always at Xmas.