Christmas recipes – Two Sisters Living Life

“Eisenbahner ” Railroad Cookies – a Folksy unique Christmas cookie recipe from Austria with almond paste and jam filling

Nina — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 20:31:02 +0000

This year, I have a unique holiday cookie recipe for you. Delicious “Railroad” cookies. Buttery chocolate shortbread, delicate marzipan cream, and aromatic tart-sweet orange marmalade combined in one cookie. You name it- taste explosion predetermined And they have a super cool name! It looks like a railroad track, hence the name Eisenbahner, which means railroad man in German.

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What are Eisenbahner – “Railroad” Christmas cookies

Every year at Christmas I take it upon myself to try a new Christmas cookie recipe, simply to be able to surprise my loved ones with something new in the Christmas cookie jar.

This year, I have chosen a traditional Christmas cookie recipe from my grandmother and made it my own “Homemade holiday cookies with a twist” . Eisenbahner in Englisch “Railroad” Cookies. The recipe originates in Austria and Germany, but unfortunately, I couldn’t find any more facts about the recipe.

Railroad cookies consist of a crispy shortbread base, left and right; an incredibly delicious almond paste is sprayed in a strip that looks like train tracks. After baking, the center is still filled with a delicious jam, and the cookies are cut.
Now, the cookies sound super elaborate, but they are not. The cookies are baked in long “railroad” rails and cut into individual cookies. So you get a lot of cookies made quickly and with little effort. Great, right?!?

“Railroad” Christmas cookies but my way.

Originally, railroaders were made with a light shortbread base and a fruity berry jam smeared on top. But…. I prefer something more chocolatey and love the combination of chocolate and orange. That’s why I have a chocolate shortcrust pastry and take an aromatic sweet-tart orange marmalade as a jam. Simply incredibly ingenious in taste

Some thoughts and tips on this vintage Christmas cookie recipe

Firstly, please use cold butter for the shortbread.
I grease the work surface and the dough roller well to make it easier to move the dough strips.
The jam must be warmed in the microwave and then stirred with a spoon until smooth.
I pipe the almond mixture on immediately after the 1st baking of the dough strips.
If you have shortbread left over just cut out a few cookies
Instead of orange marmalade I love to use raspberry or currant jam both harmonizes with the chocolate shortbread also quite wonderful.
The cookies can be stored in the refrigerator or in a cool place up to 3 weeks.

grating the marzipan (almond paste)

adding the tracks

Orange jam it is .

Now we cut the cookies.

voilá – ready to enjoy .

Hopefully, I could convince you with my enthusiasm and rapture to try my recipe for “Railroad” Christmas cookies this year. It’s a unique holiday cookie flavor combination.

Lastly if you make these Railroad Christmas treats, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag us on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite .

Sweet hugs

Nina

Are you looking for more delicious and easy cookie recipes? Here are some more recipes to create the best holiday cookies plate ever.

Railroad Christmas Cookies – a folksy Austrian Christmas Cookie Recipe

5 from 44 votes

Recipe by Nina Course: christmas cookies, DessertCuisine: austrian

Servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

kcal

resting time

minutes

These are delicious, easy Austrian Christmas cookies. These cookies are made of a crisp chocolate short pastry dough. The side tracks are made of a marzipan egg white sugar paste and filled in the middle with a tangy orange marmalade. One batch contain 80 cookies and the recipe is done in about 90 minutes.

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Ingredients

Chocolate short pastry dough
240 g 240 flour all purpose
160 g 160 butter unsalted, cut into small cubes
80 g 80 sugar
2 tbsp 2 cocoa powder unsweetened ,for example bensdorp
1 pinch 1 salt
1/2 tsp 1/2 baking powder
1 1 egg yolk
1 tbsp 1 vanilla sugar
1 tbsp 1 water optional, if you feel that the dough is dry and crumbly add 1 or 2 tbsp to the dough .
Almond paste tracks filling
200 g 200 almond paste also known as marzipan, cooled in the fridge for 1 hour
15 g 15 butter room temperature
1 1 egg white
20 g 20 powdered sugar
1 tbsp 1 ground almonds
400 g 400 orange jam fine cut, for the filling

Directions

Chocolate short pastry dough
In a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on mix together the flour and butter until everything looks like ground nuts .
Add all the other ingredients and mix until the dough comes together.
If the dough is dry and crumbly add 1 tbsp and mix again . Add another if the dough still feels crumbly and won't come together.
Form the dough into a ball and wrap it with cling fling and put it for 10 minutes into the fridge.
Method 1
After the resting time form a log.
Dust your surface lightly with flour that the dough will not stick to the surface when rolled out. Dust your rolling pin as well.
Now roll the lock into a rectangle 36cm x 35cm
Cut 4 stripes lengths wise .
Transfer the dough stripes with the help of a spatula or dough card carefully onto a backing tray prepared with baking paper.
If the dough stripes tear don't worry just stick them together. Use a dough card to bring the stripes back into a rectangular form if necessary.
You might need to use 2 baking trays to bake all 4 stripes.
Bake the chocolate short pastry stripes for 10 minutes at 175C fan (350F)
Method 2
Take the chocolate dough out of the fridge and cut into 4 equal parts .
Roll every part into a log about 30 cm long.
Lightly dust a parchment paper with flour put 2-3 logs onto the parchment paper. Leave some space between the logs and roll them into rectangular stripes which are 35 cm long and 8cm wide.
Repeat that process with the other logs.
Bake the stripes for 10 minutes at 175C Fan (350F)
Almond paste filling
First crate the almond paste with a rough grater.
Then mix in a mixing bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attached the egg white with the sugar until stiff and glossy .
Now whisk in another bowl the grated almond paste, ground almonds and the butter together.
Add half of the stiff egg white mixture and fold it into the almond butter batter .
Add the rest of the egg white mixture and fold it in again.
Fill the batter into a piping bag with a 1cm (0,25 inch) open star piping tip (Number 19 or 20)
When the chocolate cookie dough stripes are baked for 10 minutes let them slightly cool and then start piping the tracks.
Pipe two tracks on each side of every chocolate cookie stripe and bake again for 10 more minutes.
Jam filling
When the baking time is almost over pour the orange jam into a bowl and reheat it for 1-2 minutes in your microwave. The orange jam should be at body temperature . Stir the jam with a spoon until smooth.
Take the baking trays out of the oven and fill the middle of every strip with the orange jam.
Let the train track stripes sit for about 10 minutes and then cut them into train track cookie slices. Every cookie should be about 1,5cm large (thats about 0,6 inch).
Transfer the cookies onto a cooling rack and let them cool completely .
When the cookies are cooled you can store them into airtight cookie boxes but make sure to put a piece of baking parchment between the cookies before you add the cookies on top of each other.
Store the cookies in your fridge. They will stay good and delicious for up to 3 weeks.
Have a lovely christmas time with your family and I hope you love those cookies as much as we do.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 57kcal
Carbohydrates: 8g
Protein: 1g
Fat: 3g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g
Monounsaturated Fat: 1g
Trans Fat: 0.1g
Cholesterol: 7mg
Sodium: 18mg
Potassium: 19mg
Fiber: 0.3g
Sugar: 5g
Vitamin A: 61IU
Vitamin C: 0.2mg
Calcium: 9mg
Iron: 0.2mg

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The post “Eisenbahner ” Railroad Cookies – a Folksy unique Christmas cookie recipe from Austria with almond paste and jam filling appeared first on Two Sisters Living Life.

Rudolph Reindeer Gingerbread Cupcakes

Antonia — Sun, 06 Dec 2020 19:59:12 +0000

These are may favorite rudolph reindeer gingerbread cupcake filled with a delicious mulled cherry wine filling. They taste deliciously like christmas with all the spice and topped with a smooth white chocolate cream cheese frosting. You can substitute the red wine with orange juice for a non-alcoholic version.

Every year during Christmas I prepare these adorable Rudolph reindeer cupcakes. Did you notice the reindeer is an upside down gingerbread man?! Isn’t that a genius idea? I can’t remember where I got this thought but ever since, the upside down gingerbread man turned into Rudolph the red nosed reindeer.

I’ve used my speculoos gingerbread recipe to make these cute little reindeers. These cookies are my favorite especially the delicious brown butter maple glaze!

How to make these cute Rudolph the reindeer gingerbread cupcakes:

We start with the cherry mulled wine filling. Put cherries, sugar and wine (or orange juice for non alcoholic version) into a pot over medium low heat until all the sugar is dissolved. Kick the heat onto medium high heat until the mixture cooks. Meanwhile in a small bowl combine cornstarch and cold water. Add to the cherry wine mixture and let it boil until it thickens. Let it stand aside to cool.

Now we make the gingerbread batter.

In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt. In a bowl of an electric mixture beat the butter and the brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, honey, and eggs (one at the time) until combined. Add milk alternating with flour mixture. Divide batter evenly onto prepared muffin pan.

There are two option to add the filling, either adding the filling now to the unbaked batter right just into the middle. Or after baking, than you need to make a little hole to add the filling. Your decision.

Bake for 18-22 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs attached.

At last we make the white chocolate cream cheese frosting.

In a small microwave safe bowl heat carefully the white chocolate and the cream in the microwave until melted and combine. Let it cool completely. It needs to be cold, so please be patient if not your frosting will be runny.

Beat the softened butter and the caster sugar until pale and fluffy for at least 6 minutes. It needs to be very light in color. Add the white choclate cream and beat again. Add the Cream Cheese and only beat for a short time. IMPORTANT Don’t overbeat it! only until its just combined!

Pipe the frosting on top of the cake
Enjoy

Did you make this recipe? Great tag us on Instagram @twosisterslivinglife or use our hashtag #twosisterslivinglife so we can see. Make sure to pin our recipe for later and follow us on Pinterest

Love, Antonia

Rudolph Reindeer Gingerbread Cupcakes

5 from 23 votes

Recipe by Antonia Course: christmas cupcakes, christmas desserts, Dessert, festive dessertsCuisine: American

Servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

602

kcal

These are may favorite rudolph reindeer gingerbread cupcake filled with a delicious mulled cherry wine filling. They taste deliciously like christmas with all the spice and topped with a smooth white chocolate cream cheese frosting.

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

Cherry Mulled Wine Filling
250 g 250 cherries fresh or frozen and thawed
1/3 cup 1/3 sugar
1/2 tsp 1/2 cinnamon
1/4 cup 1/4 red wine or orange juice
2 tsp 2 cornstarch +2tbsp cold water
Gingerbread Cupcake
3/4 cup 3/4 flour I've used half spelt flour and half AP flour
1/2 tsp 1/2 baking powder
1/4 tsp 1/4 baking soda
1/2 tsp 1/2 cinnamon
1/2 tsp 1/2 ground ginger
1/8 tsp 1/8 ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp 1/8 ground cloves
1 pinch 1 salt
3 tbsp 3 milk
1/2 stick 1/2 butter
1/4 cup 1/4 brown sugar
1 tsp 1 vanilla extract
1/4 cup 1/4 honey
2 2 eggs
White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
25 g 25 white chocolate
25 ml 25 cream
50 g 50 butter soft
100 g 100 caster sugar
225 g 225 cream cheese

Directions

Cherry Mulled wine filling
Put all the ingredients (except cornstarch and cold water) into a pot over medium low heat until all the sugar is dissolved. Kick the heat onto medium high heat until the mixture cooks. Meanwhile in a small bowl combine cornstarch and cold water. Add to the cherry wine mixture and let it boil until it thickens. Let it stand aside to cool.
Gingerbread Cupcakes
In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt.
In a bowl of an electric mixture beat the butter and the brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, honey, and eggs (one at the time) until combined. Add milk alternating with flour mixture.
Divide batter evenly onto prepared muffin pan.
There are two option to add the filling, either adding the filling now to the unbaked batter right just into the middle. Or after baking, than you need to make a little hole to add the filling. Your decision.
Bake for 18-22 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs attached.
White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
n a small microwave safe bowl heat carefully the white chocolate and the cream in the microwave until melted and combine. Let it cool completely. It needs to be cold, so please be patient if not your frosting will be runny.
Beat the softened butter and the caster sugar until pale and fluffy for at least 6 minutes. It needs to be very light in color. Add the white choclate cream and beat again. Add the Cream Cheese and only beat for a short time. IMPORTANT Don't overbeat it! only until its just combined!
Pipe the frosting on top of the cake
Enjoy

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 602kcal
Carbohydrates: 73g
Protein: 7g
Fat: 32g
Saturated Fat: 19g
Cholesterol: 141mg
Sodium: 340mg
Potassium: 277mg
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 58g
Vitamin A: 1126IU
Vitamin C: 3mg
Calcium: 106mg
Iron: 2mg

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The post Rudolph Reindeer Gingerbread Cupcakes appeared first on Two Sisters Living Life.

White Chocolate Cheesecake with Speculoos cookie base and cranberry compote

Antonia — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 18:26:10 +0000

This is a wonderful christmassy recipe for a white chocolate cheesecake with speculoos cookie base and cranberry compote. The cranberry compote goes so well with the sweetness of the white chocolate cheesecake and the speculoos cookies! It’s the perfect dessert for a family gathering!

white chocolate cheesecake, cheesecake recipes, cranberry cheesecake, speculoos cookies, Spekulatius kekse , festive recipes, festive desserts, christmas desserts, holiday recipes, cake recipes, cheesecake recipes, dessert ideas

Christmas season is the most wonderful time of the year! Which means all the glorious desserts and cookies and Christmas dinners a

nd the search for the perfect dessert for Christmas Eve has begun!

My family and I we, like most of the people in Austria and mainly Europe, are celebrating Christmas on the 24th with the Christkind arriving and unwrapping of the Christmas presents. Then we have huge dinner, which my mom and sister are cooking and I am the one who is responsible for the dessert.

Every year there is a long search for the perfect dessert for Christmas Eve. The christmassy dessert should be impressive but not too intimidating. It should be not to easy but not to difficult to make, just so that there are oohs and aahs when you serve it and all the relatives say that you did an amazing job. It should be fail-safe! You can’t have an explosion or accident in your kitchen on the evening of Christmas.

I’ve found it! This is it! My smooth white chocolate cheesecake with a speculoos cookie base and served with the most delicious cranberry compote is the perfect Christmas dessert! This finger-licking, mouthwatering absolutely yummylicious!

White Chocolate Cheesecake with speculoos cookie base and cranberry compote

White Chocolate Cheesecake with speculoos cookie base and cranberry compote most delicious Christmas dessert

white chocolate cheesecake, cheesecake recipes, cranberry cheesecake, speculoos cookies, Spekulatius kekse , festive recipes, festive desserts, christmas desserts, holiday recipes, cake recipes, cheesecake recipes, dessert ideas

How to make this perfect Christmas cheesecake?

We start with the speculoos cookie base.

Preheat the oven to 180°C and lightly grease a 24cm springform. For the cheesecake in the picture I’ve used a 20cm springform which was extra high.

In a food processor you process the speculoos cookies. If you don’t have those cookies you can use regular graham crackers or ginger cookies. Then you add the melted butter. Now you press the cookie mixture into your prepared pan and bake it for 10 minutes.

Now turn your oven to 200°C

Next step the white chocolate cheesecake.

Carefully melt white chocolate togehter with the heavy cream either in the microwave or over a water bath. Be careful not to burn the white chocolate. It tends to burn faster than regular chocolate. Let it cool, set aside.

In a bowl of a standmixer combine cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla extract, flour and salt and mix. Then add the eggs and the egg yolk one at the time. Finaly add the white chocolate with a spatula and mix until just combined. Pour into the springform.

Baking.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes at 200°C. Then change the oven temperature to 110°C (DON’T OPEN THE OVEN DOOR) and bake for 60 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the cake stand in the afterwarmth of the oven for 60 minutes. Still don’t open the oven door! After 50 minutes get it out, set aside and let it cool. Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 6 hours or over the night.

Now it’s time to make the cranberry compote!

Place the fresh or defrosted rasperries into a food processor and process to form a liquid. (don’t use a blender because this will also blitz the seeds and gives a bitter taste). Put through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the seeds, which can be discarded. You should now have around 75ml rasperry purée.

In a small saucepan combine cranberries, sugar and orange juice. Heat over medium-low until all sugar disolves. Increase the heat and let it boil for 8-10 minutes until most of the cranberries have burst and the mixture is thick. Transfer to a bowl and place cling film directly on top of the sauce and set aside. The compote will thicken but will break up whenn spooned ontop of the cheesecake.

Almost done. Promised.

When ready to finish the cake slide a wet knive around the cheesecake to remove it from the pan. Spoon the cranberry compote on top and extra can be served seperately.

You can decorate your cake like I did with more speculoos cookies around the cheesecake, but you don’t need too I only did it for the pictures.:-)To cut the cheesecake use a clean knive and clean it after every slice, so it looks perfect.

White Chocolate Cheesecake with speculoos cookie base and cranberry compote

The white Chocolate cheesecake does also look without the speculoos cookies as decorations!

Enjoy

most delicious Christmas dessert

Did you make this recipe? Great tag us on Instagram @twosisterslivinglife or use our hashtag #twosisterslivinglife so we can see. Make sure to pin our recipe for later and follow us on Pinterest

Love, Antonia

Maybe you would like to have a look at my favorite Christmas main course recipe too?!?

most delicious Christmas dessert

White Chocolate Cheesecake with Speculoos cookie base and Cranberry Compote

0 from 0 votes

Recipe by Antonia Course: cake, celebration cake, cheesecake, christmas cookes, DessertCuisine: American

Servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hours

minutes

Calories

656

kcal

This is a wonderful christmassy recipe for a white chocolate cheesecake with speculoos cookie crust and served with cranberry compote. The cranberry compote goes so well with the sweetness of the white chocolate cheesecake and the speculoos cookies! It's the perfect dessert for a family gathering!

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

Speculoos cookie Base
250 g 250 speculoos cookies
50 g 50 butter melted
Cheesecake
200 g 200 white chocolate chips or cut into small pieces
50 g 50 heavy cream
900 g 900 cream cheese
300 g 300 white sugar
1/2 tsp 1/2 salt
1 tsp 1 vanilla extract
30 g 30 flour
3 3 eggs
1 1 egg yolk
Cranberry compote
150 g 150 rasperries fresh or frozen and defrosted
180 g 180 cranberries fresh or frozen and defrosted
110 g 110 white sugar
65 ml 65 orange juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 180°C and lightly grease a 24cm spring form
Speculoos cookie base
In a food processor add speculoos cookies and crush them finely. The add the butter and combine. Press mixture into pan and bake for 10 minutes. Set aside
White Chocolate Cheesecake
Carefully melt white chocolate togehter with the heavy cream either in the microwave or over a water bath. Be careful not to burn the white chocolate. It tends to burn faster than regular chocolate. Let it cool, set aside.
In a bowl of a standmixer combine cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla extract, flour and salt and mix. Then add the eggs and the egg yolk one at the time. Finaly add the white chocolate with a spatula and mix until just combined. Pour into the springform.
Bake in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes at 200°C. Then change the oven temperature to 110°C (DON'T OPEN THE OVEN DOOR) and bake for 60 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the cake stand in the afterwarmth of the oven for 60 minutes. Still don't open the oven door! After 50 minutes get it out, set aside and let it cool. Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 6 hours or over the night.
Cranberry Compote
Place the fresh or defrosted rasperries into a food processor and process to form a liquid. (don't use a blender because this will also blitz the seeds and gives a bitter taste). Put through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the seeds, which can be discarded. You should now have around 75ml rasperry purée.
In a small saucepan combine cranberries, sugar and orange juice. Heat over medium-low until all sugar disolves. Increase the heat and let it boil for 8-10 minutes until most of the cranberries have burst and the mixture is thick. Transfer to a bowl and place cling film directly on top of the sauce and set aside. The compote will thicken but will break up whenn spooned ontop of the cheesecake.
When ready to finish the cake slide a wet knive around the cheesecake to remove it from the pan. Spoon the cranberry compote on top and extra can be served seperately. You can decorate your cake like I did with more speculoos cookies around the cheesecake, but you don't need too I only did it for the pictures.:-)To cut the cheesecake use a clean knive and clean it after every slice, so it looks perfect.

Equipment

ø24cm springform

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 656kcal
Carbohydrates: 69g
Protein: 9g
Fat: 40g
Saturated Fat: 22g
Cholesterol: 158mg
Sodium: 506mg
Potassium: 284mg
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 52g
Vitamin A: 1278IU
Vitamin C: 8mg
Calcium: 139mg
Iron: 2mg

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @twosisterslivinglife on Instagram and hashtag it with

Like this recipe?

Follow @twosissterslivinglife on Pinterest

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The post White Chocolate Cheesecake with Speculoos cookie base and cranberry compote appeared first on Two Sisters Living Life.