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 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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Bavarian Apple Turnovers – Apfelmaultaschen
If you love sweet apple dishes the Bavarian Apple Turnovers, or Apfelmaultaschen, is the dish to make. It can be varied with Italian plums, and it tastes the best when served with a warm vanilla sauce. Happy Cooking!
Ingredients Bavarian Apple Turnovers
DOUGH
300 g flour
1 tbsp butter
2 eggs
2-3 tbsp milk
1 tsp salt
FILLING
125 ml milk
3-4 apples (depends on the size)
1 splash lemon juice
Optional: Cinnamon to taste and/or raisins soaked in apple juice (or brandy) for 5 minutes
sugar as needed
Cooking Instructions Bavarian Apple Turnovers
For the Filling
– Peel apples, remove core, grate fine. Don’t cut in pieces. Mix with cinnamon.
– Drip with lemon juice so they wont get brown. Set aside.
Make the Dough
– Place flour into a bowl, add salt.
– Add 1 heaped tbsp butter, egg and some milk to flour, knead dough for about 5 min very thoroughly. Dough should come off the bowl’s edges and should not be sticky.
– Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
– Mix 125ml milk with 1 egg, set aside.
– Sprinkle flour on a baking board or smooth surface.
– Roll dough evenly so you get 4 pieces of same size (cut with knife).
– Spread melted butter on each piece, add grated apples. If you use raisins add them.
– Fold in the sides, then roll each piece.
– Place apple pockets in a greased fire proof form.
– Bake for 10 min then add milk-egg mix over apple turnovers so they are covered. Maybe you need additional milk.
Baking time is 20-30 min.
Serve with Vanilla sauce. How to Make Vanilla Sauce – Go to The RECIPE –
Vanilla Sugar and Vanilla Sauce
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Authentic Swabian Cheese Spaetzle
You will love this recipe for authentic Swabian Cheese Spaetzle! This local recipe comes from a region named “Allgaeu”, a very popular region of the South that is very close to Bavaria.
It’s a region that is famous for its various dairy products: Cheese, the milk, quark and yoghurts. Because the landscape is so lovely it attracts many tourists throughout the year.
During the winter season the mountains are inviting to ski while in summer you can do the most amazing hiking and biking tours.
The Allgäu is a very relaxing place on earth, and some people say, it must have been created by God. So are the food specialties of this region. It’s Southern German food for the soul! The German Cheese Spaetzle can be found on almost every menu of the local Inns. Enjoy the Spaetzle with fried onions and a mixed salad. Happy Cooking.
Ingredients Authentic Swabian Cheese Spaetzle
400 flour
5 eggs
1 tsp salt
about 1/4 l cold water or mineral water
or 300 g dried Spaetzle
2 big onions
salt, pepper to taste
1 tbsp Butter
300 g grated cheese (Emmenthaler, Gouda, any cheese which melts easily but don’t use processed cheese)
water with some salt
optional: chopped chives or parsley
Swabian Spätzle from Bechtle included!
Cooking Instructions Spaetzle
– Sieve the flour into a bowl; add eggs, salt and water and mix it with a wooden spoon.
– Stir the dough until you can see bubbles. Maybe you have to add some more cold water.
– Melt butter in a skillet; peel onions and cut them in small rings. Fry them in the butter until light brown.
– In a big pot bring water to a boil. By using a wooden board or a Spaetzle maker, make the Spaetzle. Stir often with a wooden spoon.
Find the Spätzle Maker on Amazon
– When the Spätzle are floating on the surface, they are done. Remove them with a skimmer, and keep in a fireproof bowl in the oven. Before you place them in the oven sprinkle some of the grated cheese on top.
– Repeat above step until the entire dough is gone.
– Peel onions, slice them.
– In a pan with some butter fry the onions until they are brown. Alternatively you can use the already made dried onions.
– Serve Spätzle on warm plates and place some add fried onions on each portion.
– Sprinkle chopped chives/parsley on top.
As a main dish serve the Cheese Spätzle with fried onions and mixed lettuce.
Beautiful Allgäu Countryside
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