It is that time of the year again, pre Christmas preparations.
I have the incredible luck of being in Zürich. I can not tell you how beautiful the streets are in the city. Lights everywhere, Christmas markets in all the squares. People running around with parcels.
It is the first of Advent. The smell of freshly baked biscuits is everywhere. The advent calendars are hung up. The first candle on the Christmas reeves are lit.

• Santa getting into his tram. Only children under 6 are allowed to board the ‘ Märli Tram’ ( tram of fairy tales)  they get driven through the city, with two angels looking after them. The children get to admire the city lights and nibble on Christmas biscuits.

• A delighted passenger

• I made these eatable advent calendars with Spekulatius biscuits

SPEKULATIUS:

• 500 gr unbleached, plane flour
• 400 gr caster sugar
• 250 gr unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3 organic eggs
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• grated skin of 1 organic lemon
•  1/2 teaspoon salt

• beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy
• add the rest of the ingredients and amalgamate well
• let the dough rest for 1 hour in the fridge
• roll it out to 1/2 centimetre and cut out
• bake for about 7 minutes in 180 ˚ oven
• let them cool on the biscuit rack
• decorate

• irresistible!!!!

• the snow has nor jet fallen in Zürich, but his Ginkgo tree makes its magic with its fallen, golden leaves.