Rozachki (Finnish meringue cookies)
These are one of my most favorite cookies! We call them Rozachki ( rosette) cookies, but most people know them as "Finnish Meringue cookies". I just call them, delicious.
Growing up , I thought for sure my mom made up recipes and then wrote them down in her hand written cookbook. I do think she had a sixth scent when it came to cooking. She could taste something and know what was in it. Especially baked goods. I mean, there are recipes in that cook book of hers that just lists ingredients, no measurements. I have to guestimate and tweak the recipes all the time. I guess that's why I love to bake and cook. It's like an art form, ever evolving into something more tasty. (I should have been a baker)
What you'll need:
- 1 Stick + 6 tbs butter (200grams) at room temperature
- 1 cup Farmer's Cheese ( I've bought it at New Seasons and whole foods before and recently saw it at Safeway. BUT, when I didn't know were to buy it I substituted for 1/2 cup ricotta and 1/2 cup cream cheese)
- 3 egg yokes
- 4 egg whites ( just make a hair mask with the extra egg yoke - I'll do a blog post soon on diy hair masks)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 1/4 cups flour, and sift ( my son ALWAYS wants to do this part for me)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Then start the cookie prep. Beat together butter and egg yokes, add the farmers cheese, for two minutes. Scrape the sides as needed. Then add the sifted flour and baking soda, a half a cup at a time until all is incorporated. Wrap the dough in parchment paper and refrigerate for an hour. In the mean time, chop walnuts ( if using), and clean and prep an area that you will roll out the sheets of dough for the cookies. Once the dough is chilled, divide it into three equal pieces. I store the ones I'm not working with in the fridge. Roll out 1/3 of the dough pretty thin, thinner then you would a sugar cookie dough.
In the mixer, beat the four egg whites and add about 1/2 cups of sugar at a time until it is all incorporated. As peeks form add 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
Spread 1/3 of the meringue on the rolled out dough. Then roll the dough into a log, as if your rolling a swiss roll. Then, cut about 1/2 inch size circles ( I have this pictures). One side of each cookie gets dipped in flour and the other in walnuts if using. I love them with the walnuts added. this cookie will rise, so don't put them too close together on a cookie sheet that is lined with parchment paper or a silicone sheet (I'll link one bellow that I love and bake on it all the time)
Bake at 300 degrees for 22- 23 minutes. Guys, I tried 20 min and it's not enough and 25 min, that's too long. I allow all my baked goodds to cool on a wire rack, then plate and enjoy!
