Sour Cream (German) Twist Cookies

While some Christmas cookies come and go, there are a few my family makes year after year. It's just not Christmas without pepparkakor cookies, melting moments and german twists.

With their buttery flavor, slightly crispy outside and flaky texture, german twists are extremely delicious. They are not overly sweet, so they make perfect "lay in bed with coffee," kind of cookies. They are also great for when you think "screw it, I need a treat after my sandwich," and "It's late. I need something carby and sweet." They are mighty multi-taskers.

Sour Cream Twists (German)
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening - part butter for flour
1 cake compressed yeast
1 cup thick sour cream (no light, or fat free)
1 whole egg and 2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Measure and sift flour, and sift with salt. Cut in shortening leaving in lumps.
3. Add crumbled yeast, sour cream, well beaten eggs and vanilla. Mix thoroughly.
4. Cover bowl with damp cloth and set in refrigerator for 2 hours.
5. Take out half of dough, sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar on board and roll out to rectangle 8 x 16"
6. Fold in half, sprinkle with sugar, roll out again and repeat a third time. Then roll out a little less than 1/4" thick.
7. Cut in strips 1" x 4". Twist ends in opposite directions. Place twists on greased baking sheet, bake to delicate brown.

Took some pictures of a master (my grandma) at work.