Dark Syrup Gingerbread Diamonds | Sirupsnipper
Servings
About 48 Cookies
Prep Time
8-12 hours
Cook Time
20 minutes
"These crispy, thin cookies are Norway’s answer to the gingerbread-style cookie (see Gingerbread, page 328). Instead of various shapes (which you can make them into if you want) these cookies are cut into diamonds or a “snipp,” a shape that looks like a shirt’s collar points. They are traditionally topped with a half a blanched almond in the center.
Like other Nordic gingerbreads, these sirupsnipper are made with mørk sirup (see Molasses and Sugar Syrups, page 307), the caramelized sugar syrup that’s like molasses but not as bitter. The two spices consistent across recipes for sirupsnipper are black pepper and ginger, with varying amounts of added cinnamon and cloves."
Excerpted with permission from Crumbs: Cookies and Sweets from Around the World by Ben Mims. ©2024. Published by Phaidon.
See more from Ben at @benbmims
Author:Ben Mims
Ingredients
2/3 cup (5 oz/150 g) mørk sirup (see page 307), dark corn syrup, or British golden syrup
½ cup (100 g) white US granulated (UK caster) sugar
½ cup (4 fl oz/120 ml) heavy (double) cream
1 stick (4 oz/115 g) unsalted butter
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1 ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
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1 ½ tsp ground ginger
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1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
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1 tsp ground cloves
3 cups (420 g) all-purpose (plain) flour
1 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
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¾ tsp fine sea salt
Blanched whole almonds, halved, for decorating
Directions
In a small saucepan, combine the syrup, sugar, and cream and heat over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, pepper, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until the butter melts and the spices are evenly distributed in the mixture. Pour it into a large bowl and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda (bicarb), and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the cooled syrup mixture and stir until the dough just comes together and there are no dry patches of flour remaining. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a disc. Wrap each disc separately in plastic wrap (cling film) and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight, or up to 1 day.
Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/Gas Mark 4). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Working on a lightly floured work surface, roll out each dough disc with a rolling pin to 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Using a fluted wheel cutter, cut the dough into strips 2 inches (5 cm) wide and then cut the strips on a diagonal every 2 inches (5 cm) to make diamonds. Reroll the scraps to make more cookies. Arrange the diamonds on the prepared baking sheets, spaced 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Place half of a whole blanched almond in the center of each diamond.
Bake until darker brown at the edges and bottom, 14–16 minutes, switching racks and rotating the baking sheets front to back halfway through.
Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks. Let the cookies cool on the pans for 1 minute, then transfer them to the racks to cool completely.
Recipe Note
Crumbs: Cookies and Sweets from Around the World by Ben Mims is available for purchase here: