Elderflower Bread l Holunderblüten Brot

The elderflower season is short, if you have access to elder trees, which bloom from about April to the end of June, rush to pick those little white flowers from the elderberry bush while you can. The large, flat-topped clusters grow along urban roads, in parks and gardens, in countryside lanes, woods and hedgerows. Elderflowers smell floral, creamy and summery. Now is the time to make elderflower champagne, cordial, jelly, whatever takes your fancy.

At this time each year, I like to make elderflower cordial. With its sweet, delicate flavor of muscat, homemade elderflower cordial is so much better than anything you can buy. Serve the cordial with cold sparkling water for a refreshing drink or sparkling wine (maybe even from a wine grower in your area) for a delicious cocktail. A couple of years ago I posted the recipe for homemade Elderflower Cordial HERE. If elderflower fritters are your thing, go ahead, indulge while you can, I posted the recipe HERE.

Apart from using my elderflower cordial for drinks or fritters, I use it in a variety of ways including my baking. Sometimes I make a lemony sponge cake that I infuse with elderflower syrup. Or I will mix some elderflower cordial into icings for cakes and muffins.

This year I’m into baking a sweet yeast bread that I call Elderflower Bread (Holunderblüten Brot). It has ground almonds and elderflower blossoms as well as elderflower cordial in the dough . Basically, this is a so-called 'enriched yeast dough', meaning that there is butter, milk, sugar and an egg added to the simple yeast dough. And just before baking I like to place a sprig or two of the flowers on top – for looks and for taste.

Elderflower Bread l  Holunderblüten Brot

Ingredients

• 200g strong white bread flour (around here 'Type 550'), plus some to flour the baking pan OR use spelt flour (around here that would be 'Type 1050') 
• 50g almond flour (use almond flour OR grind 50g of natural almonds in your food processor)
• 3g fine salt
• 50g superfine baking (caster) sugar
• 50g butter, unsalted, room temperature
• 10g fresh yeast (the equivalent in dry yeast would be 4g) 
• 60ml lukewarm whole milk (I like to use 3.5%)
• 2 eggs (M), free-range, 1 for the dough, 1 for the egg wash*
• 2 tbsp elderflower cordial (homemade OR good-quality store-bought)
• 2 tbsp freshly picked elderflower blossoms (you can sub dried elderflower blossoms OR leave them out)
• 1 or 2 small sprig(1) freshly picked elderflower blossoms (you can bake the bread without)

NOTE: * an egg wash is a mixture of beaten egg and liquid (usually water or milk) that is brushed onto baked goods like pastries before baking. It adds shine as well as color.

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, combine the flours, salt and sugar. Form a well. Add the butter to the well.
2. Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk, pour the milk mixture into the well, add the whole egg and the elderflower cordial.
3. Using the dough hook(s) of your mixer, mix until you have a soft, somewhat shaggy dough, then knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes more.
4. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, at least about 1 hour (this can take up to 2 hours).
5. In the meantime grease and flour a small loaf pan (mine is 21.5cm x 11cm) OR double the recipe and use a large loaf pan.
6. Turn the risen dough out onto your work surface. Knead briefly and now add in the elderflower blossoms.
7. Roll up the dough and place it into the floured loaf pan, place this in a warm place and let it rise again for about 1 hour or until it has visibly risen.
8. In the meantime pre-heat your oven to 180° C (160°C convection oven).
9. Brush the risen bread dough with eggwash and place one or two small elderflower sprigs on top of the loaf.
10. Bake in your pre-heated oven at 180° C for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and risen. NOTE: If your bread darkens too quickly, cover loosely with aluminium foil towards the end of the baking time.
11. When finished baking, take the bread out of the pan and place on a cooling rack. Serve warm OR at room temperature.

The taste of the elderflower cordial as well as the elderflower blossoms is subtle but it's there and is complimented nicely by the sweet almond flour. Plus there is a bit of crunch from the elderflower sprigs on top, which is very nice. And very pretty too.

It‘s best eaten the day it was baked. We love it with fresh butter and homemade strawberry jam but local honey is nice here as well.

For more elderflower recipes:

• Elderflower Cake with Strawberry-Elderflower Filling (Holunderblütenkuchen mit Erdbeer-Holunderblütenmarmelade) (HERE)
• Elderflower Shortbread (Holunderblüten Shortbread) (HERE)
• Elderflower Fritters (Ausgebackene Holunderblüten) (HERE)

A Pretty little Carrot Cake in June

The other day (well, maybe a few weeks ago) I posted pictures of this carrot cake on Instagram and promised that the recipe would follow soon - well, that was a little ambitious on my part but today, only three months later, here it is, the recipe for what I claimed 'is the only carrot cake recipe you'll ever need'. The added pistachio nuts make all the difference to this pretty little carrot cake recipe. As does the presentation - like pretty flowers (the edible kind, please) and pretty cake plates (I suspect we all have a few of them in our cupboards).

And, yes, I have posted many Carrot Cake recipes before, like the (also very pretty) Gâteau aux Carottes inspired by a recipe from Pierre Hermé, the famous French pastry chef and chocolatier (HERE). Or the European-style Springtime Carrot Cake (HERE). Or Nigel Slater's Carrot Cake (HERE). So, basically, I am a carrot cake lover and believe that there is no such thing as having too many carrot cake recipes. Not only do I find them irrestible but also very versatile - one or two layers, with or without frosting, fancy, torn into small pieces, elegant or rustic - love them all.

Pretty little Carrot Cake

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 250ml (8fl oz) sunflower oil (or use other neutral tasting vegetable oil suitable for baking)
• 250g caster (superfine) sugar
• 8g pure vanilla sugar (or use homemade vanilla sugar)
• zest ½ orange, organic or untreated 
• a pinch of fine sea salt
• 3 eggs (L), free-range or organic
• 250g (8oz) self-raising flour, sifted
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• 250g (8oz) carrots, organic, grated (you will need about 3 large carrots)
• 100g (3½oz) unsalted pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped

For the Cream Cheese Frosting (optional)

• 300 (10oz) cream cheese 
• 75g (2½oz) icing sugar, sifted
• zest ½ orange (untreated and/or organic)
• 1 to 2tbsp orange juice, freshly squeezed

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C° (356°F).
2. Grease a shallow 20x30cm (8x12in) baking pan and line the base and sides with baking paper, extending the paper 5cm (2in) above the pan.
3. Place the oil, sugar, vanilla sugar, orange zest and a pinch of salt in an electric mixer bowl and mix on a medium speed until well beaten. Reduce the speed of the mixer and gradually add the eggs, one by one, mixing after each addition.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon and ginger.
5. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and gently fold in until smooth.
6. Fold in the grated carrots and half the chopped pistachio nuts. 
7. Spoon the batter into the pan and smooth the surface.
8. Bake for 35 to 40 mins, or until golden and firm to the touch. 
9. Cool in the pan for about 10 mins, then, with the help of the overhanging baking paper, turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely. 
10. To make the icing, use a handheld electric beater to mix together all the ingredients until smooth and light.
11. Either: spread over the top of the cake and sprinkle with the remaining nuts OR cut the cake into small (12) squares, dollop a bit of frostimg over each piece and decorate with pretty edible flowers and then sprinkle with the chopped pistachios.

Serve this pretty little carrot cake at your next afternoon tea party. Be it May or June or whatever month. It's always delicious.

Pentecost Celebrations & Allgäu Bread Birds - Pfingstfest & Allgäuer Brotvögel

Pentecost (Pfingsten) has been celebrated in the Christian church since the third century, always on the 7th Sunday after Easter (Ostersonntag). The English word ‚Pentecost‘ and the German ‚Pfingsten‘ are both derived from the Greek ‚pentecoste‘, fifty, hence it’s celebrated the 50th day after Easter.

In Germany, Pentecost is a high church holiday and is celebrated on two successive days, Whit Sunday (Pfingstsonntag) and Whit Monday (Pfingstmontag), as they say in Britain. Churches often hold open-air services on these two days. People come together to celebrate outdoors, because summer is on its way. The celebrated date changes each year depending on what date Easter Sunday falls on, but is typically observed in late May or early June. This year, the feast day of the Holy Spirit, as it’s often referred to, falls on June 9.

This holiday commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles after Christ’s resurrection and ascension.  Since Pentecost is so firmly rooted in Germany’s Christian traditions, the second day of Pentecost is a public holiday in all German states. Post offices, banks, stores and other businesses are closed.

In contrast to Christmas or Easter there are only few traditions at Pentecost. However, there are a number of charming local and regional customs tied to this springtime feast. Already during the Middle Ages, noble and royal marriages, knights’ jousting tournaments, riding competitions and aristocratic events were held with great pomp on Pentecost.

Celebrations vary depending on what part of Germany you visit. It’s not uncommon to see areas of the country decorated in beautiful red flowers to signify the fire of the holy spirit, as well as birch branches, with birch often associated with both the planting of the Pentecost tree as well as the Pentecost wreath. Churches are often decorated with young birch twigs (Pfingstbaum) and a lot of families like to go for a walk or extended hike. In some parts of Germany they light large bonfires (Pfingstfeuer).

In rural areas, Pentecost was when the cattle were led out to the fields for the first time after the long winter. There would often be a specially decorated ‚Pentecost ox‘ (Pfingstochse) leading the cattle herd into the hills. Some of these traditions have already died out or become rare. Yet as a celebration of the Holy Spirit, Pentecost is still a festival of hope, joy and the beginning of summer.

In past times, popular superstitions about Pentecost revolved around certain herbs, plants and even flowers.  For example, the calendula (Ringelblume) was believed to have curative powers if picked on Whitsunday morning at sunrise – or that face-washing with Pentecost dew would prevent freckles. It was also hoped that water (Pfingstwasser), scooped up from wells or brooks at this time would heal the sick, or that lighting one’s candle from a Pentecost bonfire (Pfingstfeuer) would dispel evil spirits.

There is one tradition, a culinary one, that I particularly like, it it the so-called ‚Allgäu Bread Birds‘ (Allgäuer Brotvögel). The Allgäu is one of the most popular holiday regions in Germany, it stretches from the Danube to the Alps and its attractions include Neuschwanstein Castle in Southern Germany.  As children we used to spent all our summer holidays there - this particular region is still very close to my heart. And it is home to one very lovely and fun Pentecost tradition.

It was customary to bake so-called Bread Birds (or Doves) for Pentecost. They are akin to sweet rolls shaped like birds  – the tradition was to bake the birds around Ascension Day (40 days after Easter) when they would be pulled through a hatch in the nave of the church, they remained there until Pentecost, when the hatch was opened and the bread birds were sent flying from the nave onto the congregation. Obviously, the birds were meant as a symbols of the Holy Spirit descending upon the churchgoers.

However, it seems that the somewhat unruly behaviour of the worshippers, when they tried to catch one of the treasured birds, caused irritation and therefore was officially prohibted in the year 1803, as a ‚mindless and inexpedient ceremony‘. Nonetheless, this wonderful tradition has not only been kept alive in some regions of Bavaria but has been revived in some Parishes that nowadays distribute bread birds to children attending mass on Pentecost.

I have come across sweet as well as savory (bretzel dough) versions of these birds and while both are delicious, I will present the sweet version today. Do keep in mind that these birds were originally meant to represent doves and that the following recipe is a good-mannered interpretation of the original, but steeped in a fun tradition nevertheless.

Allgäu Bread Birds (Allgäuer Brotvögel)
(for about 12 birds)


Ingredients

For the Dough

• 500g strong bread flour, plus some to work the dough (around here 'Type 550')
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 75g superfine baking (caster) sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast (or 21g fresh yeast)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 cup plus 1 tbsp (250ml) warm milk (I use whole milk 3.5%)
• 1 egg (L), free-range or organic, lightly beaten

For the Decoration (optional)

• 1 egg yolk mixed with a bit of cold water
• a few rasins or currants (cut in half if too large)
• some pearl sugar (available at bakeware stores or online)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and sugar. Form a well. Add the butter to the well.
2. Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk, pour the milk mixture into the well, add the egg. Using the dough hooks of your mixer, mix until you have a soft dough, then knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
3. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
4. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Turn the risen dough out onto your work surface. Knead briefly and divide into 12 pieces.
6. To shape birds, roll each piece into a 30cm rope.
7. Tie each rope into a knot. Cut one end a few times with scissors to form tail feathers. Tuck in the other end of the nose to form the beak.
8. Brush with egg wash and insert raisins or currants for eyes. Add some pearl sugar (optional).
9. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover loosely and let rise again, about 15 minutes.
10. Bake in your pre-heated oven at 180° C (160°C convection oven)  for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown (depending on the size of the birds).
11. These are best served the day they were made.

Who knows, these Allgäu Bread Birds might become a tradition in your house around Pentecost. They are quite delicious, all warm and soft, fresh from the oven – maybe with a bit of good butter and local honey or homemade jam slathered all over them. After all, tradition lives on in our interpretations.

The above pictures were taken today at the Krefeld flax market at Burg Linn ('Linn Castle') where at Whitsun well over 300 exhibitors (I believe there were 313 today) present their guilds and craftmanship. The history of the flax market dates back to the 12th century, to the lord of the castle, Knight Otto von Linn. Even then there was a lively market - not only for flax - that quickly developed into one of the most important markets in the region. Merchants sold and traded flax and linen, iron, wood, leather and wicker goods, stones, pottery, textiles, horse harness, grain and later, also meat and bread. 

Today if you visit the market, you can watch fossil grinders, barbers and blue printers, turners, falconers, felters, flax processors, glass blowers, hand weavers, ceramists, leather punchers. Ropes and soap boilers. Stick maker, bag maker, weaver and cylinder maker. And many more. A must see, if you are in the area. For more info on the market, pls take a look here.

Happy Pentecost! - Frohes Pfingstfest

Please note that my recipe for Allgäu Bread Birds (Allgäuer Brotvögel) is part of my series for a 'local' (meaning across the state of North Rhine-Westphalia) radio station, where, throughout the years, I talk about different baked goods that are closely tied to various holidays and seasons. If you are interested, have a listen (in German) HERE.

The various recipes of my series can be found here:

• in January, for Three Kings Day (Dreikönigstag) two kinds of Galette des Rois (Dreikönigskuchen) (HERE)
• for Lent (Fastenzeit) Lenten Soup with Lenten Beugel (Fastenbeugel) (HERE)
• for Good Friday (Karfreitag) the delicious Hot Cross Buns (HERE)
• for Pentecost /Whitsun (Pfingsten) the fun Allgäu Bread Birds (Allgäuer Brotvögel) (HERE)
• for the beginning of the summer vacation, the lovely Sacristains (Almond & Sugar Puff Pastry Sticks) (HERE)
• for St Christopher's Day (St Christophorus), the energy-packed Müsli Power Bars (Müsli Energieriegel) (HERE)
• for Mary's Assumption Day (Mariä Himmelfahrt) my Tear & Share Herb Bread (Kräuterbrot) (HERE)
• for Mary’s Birthday (Mariä Geburt) some very pretty Mary’s Sweet Rolls (Süße Marienküchlein) (HERE)
• for Thanksgiving (Erntedankfest) a delicious and seasonal Thanksgiving Apple Tart with Frangipane (Erntedank Apfeltarte mit Mandelcreme) (HERE)
• for Halloween a Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake (Kürbis-Gewürzkuchen)
• for St Martin's Day (Martinsfest) the cheerful Sweet Dough Men (Weckmänner) (HERE)
• for St Andrew's Day (Andreastag) a classic Petticoat Tails Shortbread (HERE)
• for Christmas Day (Weihnachten) these Traditional German Gingerbread (Elisenlebkuchen) (HERE) 
• for New Year's Eve a New Year's Eve Pretzel (Neujahrsbretzel)
• for Candelmas Day (Mariä Lichtmess) some delightful Navettes de Saint Victor (HERE)
• for Carnival Season (Karneval) these lovely Carnival Doughnuts (Karnevals-Krapfen) (HERE) 
• for St Patrick's Day a traditional Irish Brown Soda Bread (Irisches Sodabrot)(HERE) 
• for St Joseph's Day a long-forgotten but thankfully re-discovered Sweet Cotton Bread (Baumwollbrot)(HERE) 
• for Palm Sunday (Palmsonntag) these very pretty Palm Pretzels (Palmbrezel) (HERE)
• for Easter Sunday (Ostersonntag) an Easter Brunch at Home with Tarte Flambée (Flammkuchen) (HERE)
• for the Month of May (Marienmonat Mai) these elegant Visitandines de Nancy (HERE) 
• for Pentecost/Whitsun these festive Beignets (Heiliggeistkrapfen) (HERE) - more delicious treats to come very soon.