Amoniaczki (or ammonia cookies)
Cookies
<p>In the days before baking powder and baking soda, people relied on an old-fashioned leavening agent called baking ammonium to give an extra oomph to their cakes and biscuits. Though more familiar in the kitchens of our grandmothers and great-grandmothers, it is still used in old-fashioned recipes like gingerbread and springerle to create extra crisp biscuits with a light and airy texture. There is nothing like it. </pr>
<br /><p>Baking ammonium is the star ingredient in the aptly named Ammoniaczki, or ammonia cookies. The original recipe came folded inside a letter my Babcia sent from Poland years ago, and having never encountered anything like it (cookie or ingredient) I was intrigued. The slightly morbid name is well suited; a sniff of baking ammonium will burn the hairs in your nostrils and a strong scent will seep as the biscuits puff up in the hot oven. Thankfully this dissipates by the time the biscuits are done and have cooled on a wire rack. Novelty factor aside, make these, they are one of a kind. </p>
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<br /><p>*NOTE. It is worth sourcing a small jar of baking ammonium, even as an emergency aid for fainting spells. Try the baking aisle of the supermarket but I have found continental stores and baking specialty stores the best bet. Although I haven’t tested this myself (disclaimer!) I have heard you can substitute 1:1:1 baking ammonium with equal parts baking powder and baking soda, combined. </p>
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