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Every winter as the cold creeps in, memories of Bredele flood my thoughts. My Alsatian grandma's house would fill with the smell of these crackled little cookies from early December. That magical blend of chocolate, almonds and cinnamon instantly takes me back to the holiday spirit. Their wonderfully crumbly texture and captivating aroma are, for me, an essential part of Christmas.
Festive Wonder in Cookie Form
I start making these little gems when December rolls around. The easy prep lets me share special time with my kids who love rolling them in powdered sugar. My kitchen fills with the smells from my childhood - chocolate, cinnamon, almonds. They keep so well that I always make a big jar full to treat friends and family throughout the holiday season.
Shopping List
- Brown sugar: 400g for that caramel flavor I adore
- Dark chocolate: 250g of my favorite 70% cocoa baking chocolate
- Almond powder: 400g, freshly ground if you can get it
- Flour: 120g of T45 for extra lightness
- Eggs: 4 nice farm eggs at room temp
- Cinnamon: 4 teaspoons of Ceylon cinnamon
- Powdered sugar: A full package for coating
Family Approach
- Starting the wonder
- First I warm my oven to 140°C. In my big bowl I whip eggs with sugar until the mix turns pale and fluffy. Then I lovingly add my dry stuff - finely grated chocolate and fragrant cinnamon.
- Shaping time
- I roll small walnut-sized balls between my palms. My kids' favorite part comes next when we coat them in powdered sugar.
- Waiting game
- I let my little balls rest for 2 hours on the counter. This wait is key for the magic to happen.
- The change
- I place my soon-to-be wonders on a baking sheet with parchment paper. After 15 minutes of baking, the kitchen smells amazing.
Storage Trick
I always store my Bredele in my grandma's old tin box. The flavors grow even better and they stay crisp for weeks. During the holidays, I love grabbing a few anytime for an unplanned sweet moment.
Helpful Tips
I always go for dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa to give my cookies some punch. My personal twist is adding a tiny bit of Madagascar vanilla powder to the dough. For softer cookies, I pull them from the oven 2 minutes early. The trick is letting them cool completely before storing or they'll lose their pretty crackled look.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → How long can these cookies stay fresh?
Keep them in a dry, airtight metal tin, and they’ll last about 2 to 3 weeks. Just make sure moisture doesn’t get in!
- → Can I freeze the dough?
Yes! It freezes for 2-3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge, then roll the balls in powdered sugar before baking.
- → Why didn’t my cookies crack?
Make sure you let the dough rest for 2 hours and bake at exactly 140°C. Both the rest time and temperature matter a lot!
- → What type of chocolate works best?
Pick dark baking chocolate with 60-70% cocoa for the best flavor. A good-quality chocolate makes all the difference!
- → How do I get a nice crackle effect?
Coat the dough balls fully in powdered sugar. The white sugar will pop against the dark dough as it bakes, giving it that cracked look.