Ed Grabau and Pam Jacoby wrote:

> "Wayne Boatwright" wrote
>
>>>Hi,
>>>
>>>Does anyone know a recipe for pfeffernusse that has the texture of
>>>gingerbread? I dont know how to describe what I mean really... kind of
>>>like dry, semi-stale white bread dinner rolls, but just a little more
>>>dense. Wow, that sounds bad! Anyhow, that kind of texture. I've tried
>>>a couple of recipes, but they all come out like cookies or biscuits,
>>>which is not what I want.
>>>
>>>There are a couple of brands of pfeffernusse that you can get in the
>>>supermarkets that have the texture I'm talking about, so maybe someone
>>>knows the brands. Fritz is the only one I can think of at the moment.
>>>
>>>Here's a picture of some...
>>>
>>>http://www.centrafinefoods.com.au/pu...HMPFEF&cat=118
>>>&path=1,118
>>
>>I bake pfeffernusse every year around Thanksgiving in order to serve them
>>at Christmas. They are *not* what you want.
>>
>>I have bought the type you're talking about and, quite frankly, I think
>>apart from any thing else that they're stale and certainly not very good.
>>
>>That said, however, if that's what you like then why not just buy them.
>>
>>True pfeffernusse start out as very hard and very dense cookies which may
>>vary somewhat in flavor but not that much in texture. They need to be
>>stored for several weeks to allow them to "ripen" and "mellow", both in
>>texture and flavor. The result is still probably not what you're looking
>>for, but they do become much softer and the flavor more complex.
>>
>>Wayne
>>
>
>
> Ah, the infamous cookies in those big glass jars at the back of my mother's
> corner cupboard.
>
> Fresh, these things will break your teeth, your dentures, your jaw. One
> can, however, dunk them in black coffee, good black coffee, to avoid
> breakage.
>
> My mother kept them up to at least 2 years in those glass jars at the back
> of the cupboard. One does not keep them in the refrigerator and, definitely
> not the freezer. She made huge batches to make sure those jars were always
> aging.
>
> You have to consider these as wine---they need to age. The longer they age,
> the closer to the texture of which you speak. Personally, I like them at
> about 1 year.
>
> I am not joking or being ridiculous here. I'm telling you the absolute
> truth. I rarely post on RFC these days, but I have references!!! AND, I
> have the jars!!!
>
> Pam
>
> Just do a test with labeled pint jars, and you'll see.
>

But they're not the texture I'm looking for...