Bobalki - a Slovak Xmas Eve Tradition

Growing up my family didn't have too many holiday traditions. Sometimes we had a Christmas tree, and sometimes we didn't. Sometimes we lit a menorah, and sometimes we didn't. But one thing you could count on was the Christmas eve meal: mushroom soup, fish, peas and onions, orange slices, walnuts, and bobalki. All paying homage to my mother's 100% Slovak heritage.

Honestly, bobalki was not something we really loved growing up. But a few years ago my mother realized that she had been skipping a weird step at the end, which ended up making all the difference and now bobalki is something we ask for even when it's not Christmas eve. For those who don't know, bobalki are little dough balls, that are not themselves very sweet, but are covered in honey and poppy seeds. Be forewarned that there are A LOT of poppy seeds, so if you're eating in mixed company, you may want to serve them with a side of floss. :o)

I hope everyone has a wonderful new year's eve and a fulfilling and healthy 2012!

Bobalki

Note: pouring boiling water over the dough balls in point #5 is the weird step often forgotten, but is vital to ensure the balls are not dry and dense.

1 cup water
1 1/2 tbsp plus 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 tbsp butter
1 pkg dry, active yeast
3 cups flour

1/4 cup poppy seeds
1 tbsp milk
1/4 cup honey

1. Boil 1 cup water, 1 1/2 tbsp sugar, and salt. Cool until room temperature. Meanwhile, dissolve yeast and 1/2 tbsp of sugar in 1/4 cup warm water.

2. Place flour in a large bowl and add water/sugar mixture and yeast mixture. Mix thoroughly and knead for about 10 minutes. Adding a little more flour to ensure the dough isn't sticking to your fingers. Cover for about an hour, until dough has doubled.

3. Punch down the dough and turn out onto a floured surface. Tear off pieces of dough and form them into 1/2 inch balls.

4. Place balls on a parchment lined cookie sheet, so they are touching each other. Heat oven to 375 F and cover the cookie sheet with a piece of oiled plastic wrap, wait about 30 minutes until balls have almost doubled. Bake 15-20 minutes until balls are light brown.

5. Set sheet on a cooling rack and let balls cool completely; pull balls apart. Place balls in a colander and pour a little boiling water over them—not so much that they become mush.

6. Grind poppy seeds and milk in a food processor. Add poppy seed mixture to honey and pour over the dough balls, stirring to ensure even coverage. Serve immediately.

spritz!

In an attempt to embrace all of the wintry weather we're having, here is one more favorite cookie that my mother and I baked while I was visiting over my break from school. Spritz cookies are really easy to make (as long as the spritz gun cooperates), they are super fun to decorate, and are perfect to snack on as is or dipped in tea!

For those unfamiliar, a spritz cookie is made by filling a special "spritz gun" with a simple dough and picking different plates (pictured above) to form various cookie shapes. I think this is a must own for households with kids, but if you have tiny kitchen like me (with no kids) it is more of a luxury item. But visiting your mother's well-stocked kitchen is the perfect excuse to break it out and go to cookie-town. And if that's a place, I will be moving there post-haste.

My only warning for this cookie is that they are addictive (maybe it's the almond extract - is it just me or is that like the best thing ever?!). And so light that it is far too easy to eat an entire handful and still want more. Our game plan was to make the full batch, but to pack up a bunch quickly to take to friends. There was still a lot leftover for us - but really, we weren't complaining!

Spritz Cookie from Betty Crocker

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Heat oven to 400 F. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and scrape down the sides as needed to combine. Add almond extract.

2. In a separate bowl mix flour and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredient mix to the butter/sugar/egg mixture. Beat until combined.

3. Fill spritz cookie press and choose your desired shape plate. Using the spritz gun, fill an ungreased/unlined cookie sheet.

4. Bake for 6 to 9 minutes or until set, but not brown.