Chocolate Spritz Cookies for the Holidays
These are so called Spritz cookies or Spritzgebäck in German, and are classic cookie for Christmas and the holidays. These chocolate Spritz cookies are quite easy to make, and you can fill them or not. Happy Baking!
Ingredients Chocolate Spritz Cookies
Makes about 60 cookies
40 g marzipan, raw – Find it here –
150 g butter
50 g powdered sugar
1 dash salt
2 drops lemon flavor
3 drops vanilla flavor – Find Dr Oetker Flavor Here –
1 medium egg
165 g flour
15 g cocoa powder, unsweetened
chocolate for the glaze
Baking Instructions
– Warm the marzipan a little so it gets soft (you could use the micro wave). Let cool off.
– Combine butter, powdered sugar, marzipan, salt and flavors and beat until smooth, then add the egg,
– Sieve flour with with cocoa, add to dough but mix very briefly because dough might become too solid.
– Pre-heat oven to 180 °C of 375 F.
– Layer baking tray with parchment paper.
– Fill dough into a frosting bag with big star nozzle and form sticks or S forms onto the tray.
– Bake for 12-13 min (medium height).
– Let cookies cool off.
– If you like you can add warmed jam on one side of a cookie and place another one onto the jam side.
– Melt chocolate and dip one end of the cookie into the chocolate.
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The Weckman Season
In many parts of Germany the Weckman season starts with St. Martin’s Day. What is a “Weckman” you may ask? It’s a figure that is made out of yeast bread with raisin eyes and a smile and/or a clay pipe. Bakeries make them starting around St. Martin’s Day on Nov 11 until Saint Nicholas Day on the Dec 6th. It’s a lovely tradition that is missed so much!
This sweet bread speciality has many names which depend on the region where it is originated.
Rhineland/Saarland: Weckenmännchen
Southern Germany/Austria: Krampus
Switzerland: Grittibänz or Grättimaa
West Rhineland/Ruhrgebiet: Puhmann or Stutenkerl
Kleve: Klosmann
Eifel: Märtesmann or Piefeklos
Solingen: Böxepitte
Münsterland: Kiepenkerle
Mönchengladbach: Buggenmann
Bonn: Hirzemännenchen
RECIPE FOR MAKING A WECKMAN
The dough is good for 15 sweet buns, 15 raisins buns, 8 Weckmen or 1 sweet braided bread (Zopf).
Ingredients
500 g flour, all purpose, wheat
60 g butter
60 g sugar
7 g salt
35 g fresh yeast (see below) or 1 package active dry yeast
200 ml milk
1 egg
1 egg yolk for glazing
Baking Instructions
– Place flour into a bowl, add warm milk and mix in yeast, mix a bit with flour then let raise for 15 min.
– Add other ingredients and knead until dough is smooth and not sticky.Form to a ball.
– Let dough ball raise for another 20 minutes, covered and at a warm place.
– Knead again on a baking board and form the Weckmen: Use raisins for the eyes and buttons, place them on a baking tray layered with baking paper, let sit for another 20-30 min.
– Beat egg yolk and with a baking brush, brush it all over the dough, the Weckmen or whatever you are baking.
– Preheat oven to 220 C or 350 F and bake for 10-40 minutes (time is depending on what kind of bread you are making).
TIPS
– If you want to bake raisins buns mix about 120 g raisins to the dough.
Make the dough the night before. Place dough buns on a baking tray and keep in the fridge, cover it with a moist kitchen cloth. Bake in the morning and enjoy them fresh for breakfast.
– Use the dough as base for a prune or apple cake that will be baked on a deep baking tray.
VIDEO in multiple Languages – How to Make the Weckman
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German Christmas Cookies Adventsschnitten
The season for German Christmas Cookies starts in the so called “Adventszeit”, the 4 weeks before Christmas. The recipe “Adventsschnitten” or advent cookies is a delicious recipe for this time of the year. The cookies are spiced with cinnamon and cloves, and they pair nicely with a cup of Glühwein (mulled wine) or spiced apple cider. Happy Baking!
Ingredients Adventsschnitten
300g soft butter
5 eggs (medium)
300 g sugar
rum baking essence/flavor – (see below) to taste
400 g all purpose flour
1 package baking powder Dr Oetker – 0.5oz
5 tbsp cocoa powder, unsweetened
100 g Zitronat (candied lemon) – How to make Zitronat – See below
2 tbsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground cloves
200 g hazelnuts and 200g ground hazelnuts
Frosting
250 g powdered sugar
100 ml dark rum
200 g apricot jam
100 g roasted grated hazelnuts or almonds
Baking Instructions
– Mix butter until smooth. Add slowly sugar and baking rum while mixing until you get a smooth dough.
– With mixer on highest level add one egg after the other, mix for about 30 seconds.
– Mix flour with baking powder, cocoa and spices. Combine with the dough (mixer on lowest level), then add ground hazelnuts.
– Finally add Zitronat.
– On a greased baking tray (or parchment paper) spread the dough (area of 40 x 30 cm).
– Place a stripe of aluminum foil in front of the dough so it won’t overflow while baking.
– Spread whole hazelnuts on the entire dough, press them gently into the dough.
– Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C or 325 F, bake for about 30 minutes.
Make a Special Gift – With Imported German Christmas Treats
Add Frosting
Mix powdered sugar with rum and spread it all over the hot cake, let cool off.
Final Steps
Cut cake in cubes.
Spread apricot jam over all edges and roll them in finely grated or chopped hazelnuts or almonds.
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Authentic German Pfeffernusse Recipe for the Holidays
This is an authentic German Pfeffernusse recipe as you would find in Germany. German Pfeffernusse are traditional Christmas cookies and very popular. You can find them in any bakery or supermarket in Germany. Get some German tradition into your home with this recipe. The ingredient Hirschhornsalz, in English Hartshorn or Ammonium Carbonate, is a traditional Gingerbread (Lebkuchen) ingredient since hundreds of years and was originally taken from deer’s antlers. What is the difference to regular baking powder then? It makes the dough raise but not in height, it makes it wider. Happy Baking!
Ingredients Authentic German Pfeffernusse Recipe
(for about 20 pieces)
125 g honey
50 g sugar
2 tbsp butter
250 g flour, all purpose, unbleached
1/2 tsp Hirschhornsalz (Ammonium Carbonate)
Ammonium Carbonate (Baker’s Ammonia) 2.7 oz
1 egg
2 tsp ginger bread spice – Such as Edora Lebkuchen Spice, 1 package – 0.5oz – see below
1/4 tsp white pepper (point of knife = Messerspitze, that is a tiny amount)
– How to Make Lebkuchen Spice –
1 dash salt
125 g powdered sugar
1 tbsp rum or natural rum flavor
Make someone Smile with this Special German Gift!
Baking Instructions
– Combine butter, honey and sugar, warm it until it has melted.
– Mix flour, egg, Hirschhornsalz and spices, add honey dough and knead it thoroughly with a hand mixer using the kneading hooks or use your hands.
– Form balls out of the dough and bake them on 190 C or 375 F for 12 minutes.
– Bake next portion only for 10 minutes.
– Make the glaze out of powdered sugar and rum and a bit of water by mixing all ingredients well until smooth.
– Spread glaze over the cooled off cookies and let them dry.
– These cookies are hard at the beginning. Keep them at least 2 days in a tin box with a piece of bread or a piece of apple aside; this will make the cookies soft.
If you like you can make a dark chocolate glaze and spread it on half of the cookies, and have the other half side white.
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German Lebkuchen Bites For Holidays and Christmas
In Germany there is no Christmas without Lebkuchen. The German Lebkuchen Bites are an alternative to the the regular gingerbread cookies. Important is the Lebkuchen spice that is a must add, like in the USA you add these spices to a pumpkin pie which make a unique taste. Happy Baking!
Ingredients German Lebkuchen Bites
Makes 45 pieces
70 g dark unsweetened or semi-sweet chocolate
200 g soft butter
200 g powdered sugar
2 eggs
70 g ground hazelnuts
1 tbsp baking powder, salt
2 tbsp brown rum
2 tbsp Lebkuchen spice or all spice (see below)
How to Make the Lebkuchen Spice –
250 g flour
2 packages cake glaze (in German it’s a so called Kuchenglasur) preferably white but dark one will be ok too; alternatively use white or dark unsweetened baking chocolate – Find the Kuchenglasur here –
50 g dried unsweetened apricots
Baking Instructions German Lebkuchen Bites
– Chop chocolate with a knife and melt it by using the double-boiler method.
– Place butter in a big bowl and sieve powdered sugar over it.
– By using a hand mixer mix until bubbly.
– Add eggs, chocolate, hazelnuts, baking powder, pinch of salt, rum and spice,
– Mix until you get a smooth dough.
– Place baking paper on a baking tray and spread the dough evenly on it (about 1,5 cm thick).
– Bake it in preheated oven for 25 minutes on 160 C or 320 F.
– Remove the tray and let cool off thoroughly.
– With a round cutter cutter cut circles out of the dough; place them on a grid.
– Melt the glaze per instructions.
– Spread it over the bites, then decorate with small apricot pieces when glaze is still wet..
(Source: Essen und Trinken 11/1996)
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German Quark Streusel Cake with Fruit
What about a Quark Streusel Cake with fruit to combine with a cup of German coffee or tea? My favorite German coffee is from Tschibo. This is an authentic and proven German recipe, you just have to make the quark which is not so difficult. There are also alternatives for quark – Curious what it is? Check out our article: Substitutes for Quark – If you cannot get the desired fresh fruit use alternatively frozen or canned fruit. Trader Joes or ALDI carry the sour cherries in the jar. Happy Baking!
Check this out: HOW TO MAKE QUARK
Ingredients German Quark Streusel Cake
DOUGH
250 g butter
200 g sugar (or less depending on your taste for sweetness)
1 package vanilla sugar – 0.5oz
1 egg
1 dash salt
1 package baking powder – 0.3oz
500 g flour
TOPPING
1 kg quark
200 g sugar
1 package vanilla pudding – 1.5 oz (alternatively corn starch and vanilla extract)
juice of half lemon
1 egg
1 jar sour cherries or other fruit like raspberries or blueberries (fresh, jar or frozen) – 24oz
Send some German Love…
Baking Instructions German Quark Streusel Cake
– Melt butter, let cool off.
– Combine all dough ingredients and knead until you get a crumbly dough.
– Keep 1/4 of the dough.
– Layer a high side baking tray (Height 2 inches) with parchment paper.
– Press 3/4 of the dough evenly on the baking tray.
– Pre-heat oven to 375 F (175 C).
– Mix all ingredients – NOT THE FRUIT – for the topping, and spread evenly over the dough.
– Place the fruit on top plus the remaining dough as Streusel (if you use frozen fruit, defrost it first and drain all liquid).
– Bake for 30-35 min on the middle rack.
Make a Streusel Cake with this Baking Mix – So Easy
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Halloween Recipes: Bloody Hands
It is time for great Halloween recipes like the Bloody hands recipe. It is an original German recipe but it is easy to make. You find all ingredients for the German Halloween recipes on LoveGermanfood.com, Amazon or in your local super market. This is for sure a scary dessert!
The hands are made out of Dr. Oetker Vanilla pudding and the blood is made out of raspberries with cherry juice. Happy Cooking and Happy Halloween!
Ingredients Halloween Recipes Bloody Hands
2 packages of Vanilla pudding Dr. Oetker – How to Make Vanilla Pudding –
1 liter milk
sugar as per instructions or to taste
For the Sauce:
250 g frozen raspberries, 2 tbsp sugar, 100ml cherry juice
Cooking Instructions
– Fill pudding in 2 rubber gloves (without a powdery layer inside!). The best is to get some help of someone else. One person holds the glove, the other one pours the pudding into the glove. If you don’t have a helper, place the glove into a cup and pour the pudding in several steps and not at once.
– Close the gloves with paper clips, and keep them in the fridge for some hours so it will get firm.
– Put raspberries into a pan and bring them with sugar and juice to a boil; puree or mash them with a stick mixer, then let cool off. Place in the fridge for 3-4 hours.
– When the hands are completely firm hold them briefly in hot water so you can remove the plastic gloves.
– Decorate the hands on a plate and pour the raspberry sauce over them. Cut off some finger to make it look really dramatic.
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Black Forest Gugelhupf – Authentic German
The Black Forest Gugelhupf is a German bundt cake that is containing sour cherries which are sprinkled with “Kirsch Brandy” (Kirschwasser, the famous brandy from the Black Forest). If you don’t want to use brandy you might want to add some natural rum flavor which contains no alcohol. The cake should be made in a Gugelhupf form (bundt form) but if you don’t have one you can use a round baking form that has a tubular base; 9 or 10 inches diameter, see below. Trader Joes or Aldi carries sour cherries. Happy Baking.
Ingredients Black Forest Gugelhupf
1 jar (24oz) sour cherries
60 ml Kirschschnaps (Cherry Brandy), alternatively rum or brandy flavor
100 g semi-sweet chocolate
200 g butter
300 g sugar
1 dash salt
5 eggs
400 g flour
3 tsp baking powder
100 ml milk
2 tsp cocoa, unsweetened
1 package vanilla sugar 0.3oz
– How to make Vanilla Sugar –
250 g powdered sugar
some butter and flour for the form
Baking Instructions
– Drain cherries.
– Drip with 30ml Kirsch brandy or add the rum flavor.
– Melt chocolate using the double boiler method:
Add water in a pan, place chocolate into a ceramic bowl that fits into the pan. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat, see how the chocolate is melting, stir accordingly.
– Mix soft butter, salt and sugar, add one egg after the other.
– Mix flour with baking powder, add alternating with milk.
– Part dough.
– In one part add cherries, the other part mix with molten chocolate, 1 tsp cocoa and vanilla sugar.
– Grease Gugelhupf form and dust completely with flour.
– Fill in light dough, on top fill dark dough, with a fork go through both dough in spirals.
– Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
– Bake cake for 60-70 min.
– Mix powdered sugar with remaining Kirsch Brandy and 2 tbsp water.
– If you like a two-colored glaze mix half of the glaze with 1 tsp cocoa.
– When cake is done add glaze(s) on top.
Alternative for the Bundt Cake Form
The German Breakfast Box Makes a Great Gift!
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