-
1
Mix the Dry Ingredients
10 Mins • Hands On
No heat — mixing at room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Pulse the chopped dark chocolate in a food processor until finely ground. Tip into a large bowl with the 300 g ground almonds, the 200 g sugar, the sifted cocoa, cinnamon and cloves, and stir until evenly mixed.
Grind the chocolate fine — big pieces melt and make the dough greasy.
Done when: Dry mix is even, dark and fragrant, with no cocoa lumps.
-
2
Whip the Egg Whites and Make the Dough
10 Mins • Hands On
No heat — whipping at room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Whip the 2 egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until they hold soft peaks. Fold the whites and the kirsch into the dry mix with a spatula, pressing and turning until a firm, dark dough forms. Knead briefly with your hands, shape into a flat disc, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
No yolk and no grease in the bowl, or the whites will not whip.
Done when: Dough is firm, dark and holds together when pressed.
-
3
Roll and Cut the Shapes
15 Mins • Hands On
No heat — rolling at room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Scatter the 20 g rolling sugar on the work surface and roll the dough out to about 1 cm thick. Cut out stars, flowers or hearts with cookie cutters dipped in sugar, and place the shapes on parchment-lined baking trays, about 2 cm apart. Gather and re-roll the trimmings once.
Roll on sugar, not flour — flour would add gluten and spoil the texture.
Done when: 24 even shapes, about 1 cm thick, spaced on the trays.
-
4
Dry the Cookies
180 Mins • Hands Off
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Leave the cut cookies uncovered on the trays at room temperature for at least 3 hours, or overnight. The tops should feel dry and slightly firm to the touch before baking — this drying step is what gives brunsli their crisp surface and chewy centre.
Do not skip the drying: wet cookies spread and lose their shape in the oven.
Done when: Cookie tops are dry and firm to the touch.
-
5
Bake Briefly
15 Mins • Hands On
Oven 160°C (325°F)
Bake one tray at a time in the middle of the oven for 12–15 minutes, until the tops are gently puffed and look matte and dry. The cookies should stay soft inside — do not wait for them to brown, or they will dry out and turn hard.
Underbake slightly rather than overbake: they firm up as they cool.
Done when: Tops are matte and dry, edges are set, centres are still soft.
-
6
Cool and Store
10 Mins • Hands Off
Cooling, about 25°C (77°F)
Leave the cookies on the tray for 10 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight tin, where they keep for up to 2 weeks and actually improve after a day or two.
Moving them while hot breaks them — the centres are still soft.
Done when: Cookies are cool, firm outside and chewy inside.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Let the cookies cool on the tray for 10 minutes — they firm up as they cool — then move them to a wire rack and store in an airtight tin.
Switzerland
40m
