Palm Sunday & My Recipe for Palm Pretzels - Palmsonntag & Mein Rezept für Palmbrezeln

Palm Sunday (Palmsonntag) otherwise known as Passion Sunday, is April 5 this year, marking the first day of Holy Week (Karwoche), the last week of Lent (Fastenzeit) which starts on Palm Sunday and ends on Easter Sunday (Ostersonntag). It commemorates the biblical account of Jesus’ triumphant and last ride into Jerusalem on a donkey as the faithful spread palm branches in his path to welcome him.

‚Crowds of people welcomed Jesus to Jerusalem, throwing their cloaks in his path and waving palm branches‘ (John 12:19, Mark 11:1-11, Matthew 21:1-11). 

There are many traditions that take place on Palm Sunday but one of the most popular that actually dates back to the 8th century is the Palm Sunday processions (Palmsonntag Prozessionen) through the streets, traditionally held before church service. Some German parishes and towns still hold these palm parades. After church services, the blessed 'palm twig bouquets' (Palmwedel), many decorated with colorful ribbons, are taken home and while many Christians keep them in their homes all year as a symbol of their faith and place them in vases, others burn them and save the ashes to use on Ash Wednesday (Aschermittwoch) of the following year. According to old beliefs, the palm bouquets may ward off evil and may even protect the home from lightning and stormy weather.

Since palms don’t usually grow in central and northern Europe, instead of palm fronds, various locally available greenery such as box, yew, birch, hazelnut, forsythia or willow twigs and branches are substituted and brought to church.

In certain areas of southwest Germany, peasant customs from the past are preserved as in olden times and some farmers still mix dried pussy-willows into their animal feed to protect them against sickness and epidemics.

The very popular Pretzel (Brezel) is a type of baked pastry made from dough that is commonly shaped into a knot. The traditional pretzel shape is a distinctive symmetrical form, with the ends of a long strip of dough intertwined and then twisted back onto itself in a particular way (a pretzel loop). In modern times, pretzels come in a wide range of shapes, size and flavors.

Salt is the most common seasoning for pretzels, complementing the soda or lye treatment that gives pretzels their traditional skin and flavor acquired through the Maillard reaction. Varieties of pretzels include soft pretzels, which should be eaten shortly after preparation, and hard-baked pretzels, which have a long shelf life.

The German name 'Brezel' is said to derive also from the Latin word 'bracellus' (a medieval term for 'bracelet') or 'bracchiola' (meaning 'little arms'). Popular stories claim that the pretzel was invented by a baker to represent Christian monks crossing their arms in prayer.

The pretzel has also been in use as an emblem of bakers and formerly their guilds in southern German areas since at least the 12th century.

Within the Christian Church, pretzels were regarded as having religious significance for both ingredients and shape. Pretzels called Lenten Prezels (Fastenbrezel) are traditionally made with a simple recipe using only flour and water and could be eaten during Lent (Fastenzeit) when Christians were forbidden to eat eggs, lard, or dairy products such as milk and butter. Their texture and flavor resembles rusks (Zwieback). As time passed, pretzels became associated with both Lent and Easter.

Especially in Catholic areas, such as Austria, Bavaria, or some parts of Swabia, the Palm Pretzel (Palmbrezel) is made only for Palm Sunday celebrations. Their size and weight can vary considerably but Palm Pretzels are larger than usual and are made without salt or brine. They are meant as Lenten fare only for Palm Sunday. In some Catholic areas, these pretzels are part of the decorated 'palm sticks' (Palmstecken), they are mounted on colorful decorated poles, carried through the streets to church to be blessed there and later shared with family and friends.

Palm Pretzels
(the recipe yields 6)

Ingredients

• 1000g strong baking flower (around here ‚Type 550‘)
• 140g superfine baking sugar
• 100g unsalted butter
• 30g lard (you can substitute an equal amount of butter)
• 10g fine salt
• 42g fresh yeast OR use 21g active dry yeast or 14g instant yeast instead 
• 2 eggs (L), free-range or organic
• 400 bis 450 ml lukewarm milk (I like to use full fat milk)
• Grated zest from an organic/untreated lemon (you can substitute orange zest or use vanilla sugar instead

In Addition

• 1 egg (L), free-range or organic
• some milk
• flaked almonds and coarse sugar

Preparation

1. Add all the ingredients to the bowl of your stander mix and knead for about 7 to 10 minutes.
2. Cover the dough and let rise in a draft-free/warm spot for about an hour or until doubeld in volume.
3. Place the risen dough on your lighty-floured work surface.
4. Using a bench scraper, divide the dough into six equals parts (each part will weigh about 300g), then divide each portion into 3 equal portions each (that will equal 18 portions weighing about 100g each).
5. Taking one portion at a time, roll the dough into a long strand - use the palms of your hands to roll it back and forth against the counter top. Push the dough outwards as you roll until you achieve the desired length of about 35 cm.
6. Then take 3 strands and braid the middle part only, squeeze the ends together and roll them together.
7. Then pick up the two ends and twist them around each other. Attach the twisted section to the left and the right of pretzel and pinch them firmly into the dough. Repeat with the remaining dough. When you are done, you should have 6 pretzels.
8. Place two on one parchment lined baking sheet, brush with some egg and milk mixed together, cover loosely and let rise again for about 20 to 30 minutes.
9. In the meantime pre-heat your oven to about 180°C (356°F).
10. After the second rise, brush again with egg mixture, sprinkle some coarse sugar and flaked almonds on the middle parts (optional) and bake in the pre-heated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden.

Palmbrezeln
(für ca. 6 Palmbrezeln)

Zutaten

• 1000g Weizenmehl 'Type 550' (kann auch durch 500g 'Type 405' und 500g Type 550' ersetzt werden)
• 140g feinster Backzucker
• 100g Butter
• 30g Schweineschmalz (kann auch durch Butter ersetzt werden)
• 10g feines Salz
• 42g frische Hefe (oder 14g Trockenhefe, also 2 Packungen)
• 2 Eier (L), Bio-oder Freilandhaltung
• 400 bis 450ml lauwarme Milch
• abgeriebene Schale einer Bio-Zitrone (kann auch durch Bio-Orange oder Vanillemark oder -pulver ersetzt werden)

Zusätzlich

• 1 Ei (L), Bio-oder Freilandhaltung
• etwas Milch
• Mandelblättchen und etwas Hagelzucker

Zubereitung

1. Alle Zutaten 7 bis 10 Minuten in der Teigknetmaschine zu einem Hefeteig verkneten. 
2. Den Teig zugedeckt an einem warmen Ort zirka 1 Stunde ruhen lassen bis er gut aufgegangen ist bzw, bis es sich verdoppelt hat.
3. Aus der Schüssel nehmen und auf die leicht bemehlte Arbeitsfläche geben.
4. Anschließend sechs Portionen mit je zirka 300g abstechen und jede Portion nochmal in 3 gleich große Stücke teilen (ergibt 18 gleich große Stücke à zirka 100g).
5. Alle Stücke zu Strängen vorrollen. Dann jeden Strang zu einer Länge von zirka 35cm lang ausrollen, dabei darauf achten, dass alle Stränge gleich stark sind.
6. Dann jeweils 3 Stränge in der Mitte zu einem 3-Strang-Zopf flechten, die Enden gut zusammendrücken und dann zusammen ausrollen.
7. Die Enden über Kreuz legen, dann einmal verdrehen und links und rechts das Ende festdrücken.
8. Jeweils zwei Palmbrezelteiglinge auf ein Backblech legen, mit Eistreiche (Ei mit Milch) bepinseln, zudecken und nochmals zirka 20 bis 30 Minuten aufgehen lassen.
9. In der Zwischenzeit den Ofen vorheizen (180°C).
10. Dann nochmals mit Eistreiche einpinseln, mit Mandelblättchen und Hagelzucker verzieren und im vorgeheizten Ofen zirka 20 bis 25 Minuten backen oder bis die Brezel goldbraun sind.

Please note that this blog post is part of my series for a 'local' radio station, where, throughout the years, I present different baked goods that are closely tied to various holidays and seasons. If you are interested, have a LOOK & 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.

Old Viennese Topfen Cake & Oven-Baked Rhubarb l Altwiener Topfentorte & Ofen-Gebackener Rhabarber

The word 'Topfen', is just another name for 'Quark', a European-style fresh farmers' cheese that is somewhat creamier than cottage cheese. In general, while the expression 'Topfen' is widely used in Austria, Germans usually refer to this fresh cheese as 'Quark'.

It has a delightful mild yogurt tang. In general, Quark can by used for anything that you may use crème fraîche, sour cream, cottage cheese or Greek yogurt for.

Quark (Topfen) can be described as a fresh, creamy cheese with a distinct flavor. It is very popular for both savory and sweet meals in Austria, Switzerland and Germany. The Vienna (or Old Viennese) Topfen Cake is a traditional tart with origins that date back to the days of the Empire. And it is fairly simple to make, with just a few steps to remember.

And while Topfen (Quark) is an essential ingredient for baked cheesecakes in the two German speaking countries (Austria and Germany), the approach to cheesecake is different. German cheesecake (Käsekuchen) often includes a pie crust to encase the baked filling, while this classic Old Viennese Topfen Cake (Altwiener Topfentorte) is crustless and made with Quark mixed with almond flour and is essentially gluten free.

The combination of a bit of good quality butter, Quark, farm fresh eggs, sugar, vanilla and almond flour gives this traditional Old Viennese Topfen Cake a wonderful light texture that will surprise you. But you will definitely need to separate the eggs and with a light, quick hand fold the beaten egg whites into the Quark mixture, otherwise you will end up with a cake on the dense side. It is always a good idea to make sure your beater and bowl are clean - free of any fats - before you start beating your egg whites to ensure good volume results.

While I have blogged about this little elegant cake before, I decided to write about it one more time. I revised the recipe slightly and instead of serving it with fresh red currants, I decided to prepare oven-baked rhubarb and serve it alongside. This recipe has stolen my heart. Simple, Delicious. No flour needed. And to a certain degree, also versatile. If you are out of almond flour, use hazelnut (or any other nut) flour, got no lemons, use orange (or other citrus) here. No vanilla sugar. No problem. Use a pinch of cinnamon, or leftover speculoos or gingerbread spices (or any other spices you enjoy).

For the Roasted Rhubarb, wash (and peel if necessary) about 4 to 5 stalks of fresh rhubarb. Pre-heat the oven to 200° C (395°F), then cut the rhubarb into 5cm (2in) or so lengths and place in a roasting pan with half a tea-cup of water and some light brown (or white) sugar. Roast until just soft enough to take the point of a knife, about 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool, then drain, reserving the cooking juices. You can boil down the juices to a syrupy consistency and use any left-overs in some springtime lemonade.

Old Viennese Topfen Cake l  Altwiener Topfentorte  
(this is a smallish cake, so it serves about 6 to 8, depending, of course, entirely on the size of your cake slices)

Ingredients

• 120g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 120g superfine baking (caster) sugar
• 4 eggs (M), free-range or organic, separated
• 120g Quark (I recommend the use of the 'skim' variety, called 'Magerquark' - 10%)*
• grated zest of an organic lemon (if you do not have lemons, use an organic orange instead)
• 8g pure vanilla sugar (if you do not have vanilla sugar, use a pinch of cinnamon)
• a pinch fine sea salt
• 120g almond flour (if you do not have almond flour, use another nut flour instead)
• icing sugar for dusting and oven-baked rhubarb OR fresh fuits are entirely optional

*Instead of the Austrian Topfen or the German Quark, you can take any fresh farmers' cheese, cottage cheese or ricotta because the eggs will hold everything together, but your choice of fresh cheese will affect the final flavor of the cheesecake. And it might be a good idea to whiz the cottage cheese or ricotta in your food processor to a smoother consistency. Or use 'skyr' (similar to strained yogurt) if you have that.

In addition

• a 22cm (8.5in) springform pan
• baking parchment

Preparation

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180°C (356°F). 
2. Butter the springform pan, line with baking parchment, butter again and dust with almond flour, shaking out any excess.
3. With a mixer, beat the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. 
4. Add one egg yolk at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Then add the Quark, lemon zest and vanilla sugar and mix through. Set aside.
6. Using a separate clean and dry bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. 
7. Fold a third of the beaten egg whites into the Quark mixture, then fold in the remaining eggwhites, along with the almond flour. Do this quickly using a spatula with a cutting motion. 
8. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for approximately 40 to 45 minutes. If the top of the cake browns too quickly, cover it with foil for the last 20 minutes or so of baking.
9. Take the cake out of the oven. Transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely on the wire rack. 
10. Once completely cooled, remove the cake from the pan, remove the baking parchment, dust with icing sugar (optional) and serve as is, with fresh fruit or oven-baked rhubarb.

Enjoy - and if you can get your hands on fresh rhubarb, make the oven-baked rhubarb alongside. These two together make for a wonderful afternoon delight.

Lemon Waffle Rolls - Zitronenwaffelröllchen

We have had a lot of sunshine this past week, flowers and colors everywhere. My favorite being all those bright and light, yellow and orange daffodils. The harbinger of spring, warm weather, and, these days, a lot of time spent in the garden.

Unto this lovely spring recipe which comes together in no time and will fill your kitchen with wonderful lemony waffle aroma – that certainly always manages to lift all those culinary spirits around here.

The dough requires only a few ingredients that I usually find in my cupboard and fridge. I enjoy the lemony flavor with a bit of vanilla but you could omit the vanilla sugar or substitute it with anis for example which is also nice, and you could, of course, use any other citrus here that you happen to have on hand. But the one thing you will need is a specialty waffle maker - the one I use is a so-called 'Eiserkuchen Waffeleisen' that I inherited a while ago. 'Eiserkuchen' aka 'Neujährchen' or 'Hippen' are quite popular around here, so normally these waffle makers are easy to come by. You could use an ice cream cone waffle maker instead or, alternatively, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat and spread out the batter to a very thin round and then bake as you would bake your cookies - all the while watching very carefully so the waffles will not get too dark. And remember to roll them up while they are still hot and bendable.

Lemon Waffle Rolls - Zitronenwaffelröllchen
(yields about 16 waffle rolls, depending on the size of your waffle iron)

Ingredients

• 100g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 100g superfine baking sugar
• finely grated zest from 2 to 3 untreated/organic lemons (depending on the size, 2 large or 3 small ones)
• 2 eggs (L), free-range or organic
• 8g pure vanilla sugar 
• 200g plain (AP) flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• a pinch of fine sea salt
• 125ml lukewarm water
• 2 tbsps freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preparation

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition.
3. Add the vanilla sugar and mix again.
4. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
5. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 additions, alterating with the water and mix well.
6. Then at the end add the lemon juice and mix one last time until the batter is smooth.
7. In the meantime, pre-heat your waffle iron and bake the waffle rolls immediately.
8. Make sure to trasnfer each roll onto a cooling rack and then roll the dough while the waffle ist still piping hot – I highly recommend using gloves here.

Notes

• Serve the waffle rolls the day they were made or store them for a day or two in a cookie tin with a tight fitting lid, as these rolls will turn soft if they attract moisture.
• Just before serving, dust liberally with icing sugar, or serve plain, or fill with whipped (lemon) cream, or serve fresh fruit and whipped cream alongside (which is the way I usually go).

Sunny spring days just call for bright lemony, pretty, and preferably crunchy, desserts it seems.

Wild Garlic & Wild Garlic and Cheese Focaccia (Bärlauch & Bärlauch Parmesan Focaccia)

Wild garlic aka ramsons (or 'Bärlauch' as we call it in German) is found in many areas of North-, East-, Western- and Middle Europe and some parts of Asia, including Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It is mostly found in damp woodlands, shady lanes and some hedgerows. And, lucky me, it is also growing abundantly in our garden.

It begins to show up at the farmers’ markets in early March, and by the middle of the month it’s wild garlic frenzy, with Bärlauch appearing in countless recipes.

The German name Bärlauch literally means 'bear leek', and my favorite name origin story involves sleepy bears coming out of hibernation and munching on the pungent leaves as they fully wake up.

The wild garlic season lasts only for a few weeks. The leaves can be picked in most years from March to June. They are at their best and most flavorsome when bright green before the flowers open. As they age and start to turn yellow, the flavor is less strong.

There are a few other plants that it is possible to confuse with wild garlic. The usual sources of confusion are lily of the valley (Maiglöckchen) and autumn crocus (Krokus). These are both poisonous, so do be careful. If in doubt, the best test is to crush a leaf and use your nose, if it smells of garlic it is garlic.

You should harvest leaves, stems, flowers and seed pods using scissors. Pick a little here and there rather than too much in one place and watch where you are putting your feet. As you pick, it is easy to bruise the leaves so put them gently into a basket or bag without packing them in. Like many wild leaves, they will wilt after picking so use quickly or refrigerate. Give any flowers a shake to remove any insects, wash in cold water. If required, pat dry with a kitchen towel or a tea towel to remove moisture.

You can use wild garlic anywhere where you would use regular garlic, the flavor is however milder. The leaves can be used raw but sparingly in salads and finely chopped as a garnish. A popular use is in pesto in the place of the usual basil. When cooked the leaves can be used in many different ways. The simplest use is as a vegetable as you would prepare and serve spinach. It can also be used blanched and puréed as a sauce, in soups, stews, pasta sauces, risottos, quiches and frittatas, focaccias, dumplings, mashed potatoes, omelettes, scrambled eggs and lots more. Simply let your taste buds be your guide. The stems and unopened flowers can be added to salads and other dishes such as Asian stir-fries. They can also be pickled or preserved by salting. The opened flowers can also be eaten. The flavor is stronger than that of the leaves. I find that they make a pretty and tasty addition to salads and can be used as a garnish.

Wild Garlic Focaccia with Parmesan

Ingredients

• 300g strong white baking (plain) flour (around here ‚Type 550‘)
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 16g fresh yeast OR use dry yeast (you can use 8g active dry yeast or 4g instant yeast instead)
• 2 tbsp mild olive oil (suitable for cooking)
• 200g lukewarm water

Topping

• 50g wild garlic leaves, washed, dried and finely sliced
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 30g freshly grated parmesan cheese (plus some)
• about 25g mild olive oil (suitable for cooking)

Preparation

1. Place the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl and and mix together with a wooden spoon. Either turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, OR use a stand mixer and knead for 5 minutes on the lowest speed.
2. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place until double in size. This will probably take anywhere between 30 minutes or up to an hour.
3. In the meantime, line a pie/pizza dish (about 22cm) OR one baking sheet with baking parchment.
4. Lightly dust the work surface with flour (if you have corn flour/semolina on hand, it’s nice to use that here), turn out the dough and flatten with your hands, roll out to the size of the pan or push out with your hands. If the dough stiffens and will not flatten, then leave it to relax for 5 to 10 minutes and try again. Place in the pan and leave to rise again for about 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).
6. In a small bowl, mix together the wild garlic, salt, pepper, parmesan and olive oil. Set aside.
7. When the dough has risen, use your fingers to dimple the surface. Dribble the top generously with the oil and drizzlele with the prepared wild garlic mix.
8. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes - at that point the focaccia should be a pale golden brown. Sprinkle with a bit more parmesan and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
9. Lift out of the pan or from the tray using the paper and place on a cooling rack, sliding the paper from underneath so the steam can escape and preventing the bread from going soggy. Serve warm or at room temperature - if you have got any wild garlic leaves left over, make some wild garlic oil and serve alongside.

Enjoy wild garlic season while it lasts. It's always nice to use ingredients while they are in season, so, if you can, get some of these lovely wild garlic leaves during the next couple of weeks and enjoy being creative in your kitchen. Wild Garlic and Cheese Focaccia is just the beginning.

Sweet Cotton Bread for Saint Joseph's Day - Baumwollbrot zum Josefstag am 19. März

The feast day of Saint Joseph falls on March 19, right in the middle of Lenten fasting. To allow the many Josephs and Josephines to celebrate their name day on St Joseph’s Day, certain special festive foods can be served but, traditionally, none will contain any meat.

Saint Joseph is believed by Christians to have been the husband of Mary and the earthly father of Jesus. Although the veneration of Joseph seems to have begun in Egypt, the earliest Western devotion to him dates from the early 14th century, when the Servites (Ordo Servorum Mariae) an order of mendicant friars (Bettelorden), observed his feast on March 19, the traditional day of his death. Among the subsequent promoters of the devotion were Pope Sixtus IV, who introduced it at Rome about 1479, and the celebrated 16th-century mystic St. Teresa of Ávila. Already patron of Mexico, Canada, and Belgium, Joseph was declared patron of the universal church in Roman Catholicism by Pope Pius IX in 1870. In 1955 Pope Pius XII established the Feast of St Joseph the Worker (Fest des hl. Josef des Arbeiters) on May 1, meant to honor all workers and as a counter-celebration to the communists’ May Day.

In some countries including Canada, Poland, Peru and the Philippines, St Joseph Day is a Patronal Feast Day, while in some Catholic countries such as Italy and Spain, it is Father's Day. St Joseph is also the Patron Saint for the Archdiocese of my hometown, Cologne (Erzbistum Köln). In Switzerland, it is a public holiday in some of the cantons, banks and schools are usually closed but many businesses may still be open. While this holiday was traditionally popular in many countries, it has begun to lose some of its popularity over the last several years. Saint Joseph's Day is not only the Patronal Feast Day for religious institutes, schools and parishes bearing his name, and for all workers, especially carpenters, but allso for all couples, adolescents, children, families and orphans, to name but a few.

The following recipe for Sweet Cotton Bread (Baumwollbrot) was created way back for St Joseph's Day celebrations. It was traditionally baked in the Berchtesgardener Land (a district in Bavaria, Germany, bounded by the district of Traunstein and by the state of Austria). Carpenters (of course, St Joseph was said to have been a carpenter) used to bring it to church on St Joseph's Day to have it blessed during Mass and happily consumed the loafs after church service. Why it disappeared for years from the food map is not entirely clear but, thankfully, it was re-discovered about five years ago by a local historian and a cooking instructor who then proceeded to re-create the recipe for the forgotten St Joseph Day festive bake. The origin of the name is not entirely clear either but it is said that it hails from the fact that the shape of the bread resembles a cotton capsule.

Sweet Cotton Bread for St Joseph Day -  Baumwollbrot zum Josefstag

Ingredients

For the Dough

• 500g strong (bread) flour (around here I use ‚Weizenmehl Type 550‘)
• 5g fine salt (I like to use fine sea salt)
• 60g superfine (baking) sugar
• 8g pure vanilla sugar
• 75g unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 200ml milk (I like to use 3.5%)
• 30g fresh yeast
• 1 egg (L), free-range or organic
• zest from am untreated/organic lemon
• 100g raisins that have been soaked in rum, tea or water

For the Egg Wash

• 1 egg (L), free-range or organic
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp cream or full-fat milk

For the Glaze

• 500g powdered sugar
• a bit of lemon juice

Preparation

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, mix together the flour, salt, sugar and vanilla sugar.
2. Create a well in the center of the mix.
3. Melt the butter, then add the milk, yeast and egg.
4. Stir well and add to the well in your dry mix.
5. Knead on low for about 5 minutes (stand mixer about 5 minutes; by hand for abour 8 to 10 minutes).
6. Place dough in a large bowl and cover with a warm damp cloth. Leave it to rise in a warm and draft-free place for about 45 minutes OR until it doubles in size. 
7. Turn the dough out onto your work surface, scatter the raisins over, knead briefly, just until the raisins are distributed throughout the dough. Then cover the dough again and let rise for an additional 15 minutes.
8. Turn the dough out onto your work surface and divide the dough into four, form large balls.
9. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and place the four dough balls close to each other (so they almost touch). Remember to leave some room between the rounds. The dough will rise some more and join together. Cover the dough again with a damp cloth and leave to rise for another 15 minutes.
10. Mix the egg with the salt and the cream or milk and glaze the bread.
11. Preheat your oven to 180°C (356° F).
12. Bake on the middle rack for about 20 to 25 minutes. 
13. When the bread is golden, transfer to a cooling rack. When it has cooled completely, mix the ingredients for the glaze and brush liberally over the bread.
14. Enjoy freshly baked with butter and local honey or as is.

St Joseph's Day proverbs usually allude to the fact that this particular feast day was always associated with the end of winter and the beginning of spring (March 20), new life and renewed hope:

• 'St Joseph shakes his beard, and see, winter has disappeared!'
• 'It's on St Joseph's Day clear, so follows a fertile year.'

Please note that this blog post is part of my series for a 'local' radio station, where, throughout the years, I present different baked goods that are closely tied to various holidays and seasons. If you are interested, have a LOOK & 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.

Irish Brown Soda Bread for St Patrick's Day - Sodabrot zum St. Patrick's Day

So what’s better than to make some beautiful fresh Irish Soda Bread in time for St. Patrick’s Day. Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick, is a cultural and religious celebration held annually on March 17th, the death date of Saint Patrick (c. AD 385–461), the patron saint of Ireland.

Born in Roman Britain in the late 4th century, he was kidnapped at the age of 16 and taken to Ireland as a slave. He escaped but returned about 432 to convert the Irish to Christianity. By the time of his death on March 17, 461, he had established monasteries, churches, and schools. Many legends grew up around him for example, that he used the shamrock to explain the Trinity. Ireland came to celebrate his day with religious services and feasts.

It was emigrants, particularly to the United States, who transformed St. Patrick’s Day into a largely secular holiday of revelry and celebration of things Irish. Cities with large numbers of Irish immigrants, staged the most extensive celebrations, which included elaborate parades. Boston held its first St. Patrick’s Day parade in 1737, followed by New York City in 1762. Since 1962 Chicago has coloured its river green to mark the holiday. Irish and non-Irish alike commonly participate in the 'wearing of the green' - sporting an item of green clothing or a shamrock, the Irish national plant, in the lapel. Corned beef and cabbage but also soda bread are associated with the holiday, and even beer is sometimes dyed green to celebrate the day.

The sweet quick bread reflects the fact that the average Irish cupboard lacked or had limited quantities of sugar and butter. The traditional Irish Soda Bread is indicative of other limits, like the way that flour works in bread dough, and how wheat grows. The moist climate of Ireland is suited to growing soft or pastry wheat, which is better for making pastries and quick breads rather than yeasted or naturally leavened breads.

All wheats have gluten and the amount and quality of gluten varies in hard and soft wheats. That's why flours made from different grains work differently. Soft wheats work great for quick breads like Soda Bread.

Soda bread is perhaps the easiest bread to make by hand - with little kneading and no waiting around for it to rise.

In general, a soda bread is a bread leavened with bicarbonate of soda aka baking soda together with an acid, either lactic acid in the form of buttermilk (as in this recipe) or yogurt or a chemical agent like cream of tartar. The resulting reaction releases carbon dioxide bubbles into the dough. Though simple soda breads were common throughout Britain up to the late 1960s, people now usually associate soda bread with Irish baking.

Soda bread is best eaten fresh and can be made at home easily. Traditionally a recipe for Soda Bread includes only four ingredients, namely flour, baking soda, buttermilk and salt; ingredients that would have been available in Ireland when the bread was developed.

Today, as is the case with this recipe, part of the white flour is often replaced with wholewheat flour and a bit of sugar is added as well. Sometimes I sprinkle a few oats of top of the loaf before baking it, sometimes I don't. I also have come across less traditional versions including some with stout and grated cheese, or raisins and warm spices, etc. Some would call these versions tea cakes rather than Soda Breads.

This is a very simple recipe, the loaf can be baked on a baking sheet or in a preheated cast iron casserole dish, which is also very nice for a chance.

Irish Brown Soda Bread  (Irisches Sodabrot)

Ingredients for the Loaf

• 225g plain wheat (AP) flour (around here 'Type 450') 
• 225g wholemeal flour 
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp sugar 
• 350ml buttermilk (I suggest using an organic buttermilk here which is nice and thick or use ons that is fresh from a local farm shop, whenever possible)
• a bit of milk (I like to use 3.5%)
• oats (either porridge oats or coarse oats) - optional

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 190° C (375°).
2. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment (or use a Silpat baking mat).
3. In a large bowl, mix the flours, sea salt, baking soda and sugar.
4. Pour in the buttermilk, bringing the mixture together as a soft dough. Work quickly as the baking soda will start working immediately.
5. Once the dough has come together and is not sticking to the bowl any more, shape the dough into a shallow round loaf about 4 centimeters (1½ inches) thick.
6. Brush the top of the loaf with some milk and dust the top with oats (if using).
7. Using a kitchen knife, score a cross in the top of the dough or leave as is.
8. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes. 

Remove from the oven and leave in place for 5 minutes before turning out and leaving to cool slightly before enjoying.

This bread has a lovely, crisp crust and a very tender inside. The crumb looks dense, but it is not heavy at all.

Remember that soda bread like this is best when eaten fresh and while still a bit warm and slathered with good quality butter - it just does not get better than enjoying a big slice with farm-fresh butter. So, make sure to serve your Soda Bread fresh from the oven with butter and your favorite kind of jam, honey or a nice cheese. And if you do have any leftovers, Soda Bread tastes wonderful when toasted the next day.

This recipe certainly proves that making your own bread does not have to be time-consuming or hard work. If you are looking for some almost instant bread gratification, the comforting smell of baking bread, and the irresistible taste of homemade bread, then you should really try his quick Brown Soda Bread.

Please note that this blog post is part of my series for a 'local' radio station, where, throughout the years, I present different baked goods that are closely tied to various holidays and seasons. If you are interested, have a LOOK & 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.

Carnival Doughnuts - Karnevals-Krapfen

Today, to start off the local Canival season, I am featuring a recipe for wonderful Carnival Doughnuts. These doughnuts are considered to be a traditional pastry, fried in hot oil until deep golden-colored and served with a cinnamon-sugar coating.

Zum Auftakt der Karnevalssaison, gibt es ein Rezept für wunderbare Karnevals-Krapfen. Krapfen sind ein traditionelles und sehr beliebtes Gebäck, dass in heißem Fett goldgelb ausgebacken wird und mit Zimt-Zucker bestreut serviert wird.

Carnival goes by many names in German, depending on the region and dialect. Whether you call it Fastnacht, Fasching or Karneval, it is a time for revelry, humor, and satire. The actual celebrations of the German Carnival take place 40 days before Easter, it is like a last week-long party before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.

Karneval hat viele Namen in Deutsch, je nach Region und Dialekt. Ob man die närrischen Tage Fastnacht, Fasching oder Karneval nennt, es ist in jedem Fall eine Zeit zum Feiern, des Humors und der Satire. Die eigentlichen Feierlichkeiten des deutschen Karnevals beginnen immer 40 Tage vor Ostern, es ist wie eine letzte lange Party vor Aschermittwoch und somit dem Beginn der Fastenzeit.

On Thursday, the Carnival celebrations kick off with Women’s Carnival Day at exactly 11.11 a.m. The next highlight is today on so-called Rose Monday. Marching bands, dancers, and floats parade down city streets. The participants of the parades throw confetti, sweets, little bundles of flowers and toys to the eager costumed crowds lining the streets where the parades take place. The elaborate floats often show caricatured figures mocking politicians and other personalities and thousands of dressed-up Germans are flocking the streets every year to watch them.

An Weiberfastnacht um 11:11 Uhr gehen die Feierlichkeiten offiziell los. An Rosenmontag gibt es unzählige traditionelle Karnevalszüge in vielen deutschen Städten. Die Züge bestehen aus Abordnungen der Karnevalsvereine mit Prunkwagen, Kapellen, Tanzgruppierungen und oft auch aus so genannten Motivwagen. Letztere stellen oft Ereignisse und Personen des vergangenen Jahres in satirisch interpretierter Form dar. Von den Prunkwagen und den teilnehmenden Gruppen des Umzugs werden Kamelle (also Bonbons und andere Süßigkeiten) und Strüßcher (Blumen) unter die Zuschauer geworfen.

Almost every German city celebrates Carnival and organizes a street parade in its city center. The best and most traditional Carnival festivities take place in the Cities of Düsseldorf, Münster, Aachen, Mainz, and, of course my beloved hometown, Cologne.

Fast jede deutsche Stadt feiert Karneval und organisiert einen Karnevalsumzug in der Innenstadt. Im Rheinland finden die meist besuchtne und traditionsreichsten Karnevals-Feierlichkeiten in den Städten Düsseldorf, Münster, Aachen, Mainz und natürlich in meiner geliebten Heimatstadt Köln, statt.

On Shrove Tuesday, costume balls are held all over Germany, while the quiet Ash Wednesday marks the end of the frenzied fun. As with every longstanding traditional holiday, special sweet treats are also served during the Carnival, or "fifth season" season, as we call it. They are different depending on the region where they hail from.

An Veilchendienstag finden viele Kostümbälle statt und am Aschermittwoch beginnt die 40-tägige Fastenzeit und somit steht dieser Tag für das Ende der Karnevalssaison. Passend zur so genannten fünften Jahreszeit gibt es natürlich jede Menge regional verschiedene, süße Karnevalsrezepte.

Pastries that are particular to Carnival include the very popular Fried Almond Cookies (my recipe can be found here). Today, I am presenting a recipe for Carnival Doughnuts. I baked them with a special flour, called Doughnut Flour. This is a specialty flour but the recipe also works well with strong baking flour.

Zum traditionellen Karnevalsgebäck gehören zum Beispiel die allseits beliebten Mutzemandeln, mein Rezept findet ihr hier. Heute gibt es dann Krapfen – ich habe ich sie mit einem besonderen Mehl gebacken, einem Krapfenmehl. Aber man kann dieses Rezept auch mit Weizenmehl Type 550 backen.

Carnival Doughnuts Ingredients 500 grams strong flour (while I used the special doughnut flour, you can also use strong flour) 6 eggs (L), free range or organic 500 grams low-fat quark* 200 grams superfine sugar 1/8 tsp fine sea salt 2 1/2 tsps baking powder 2 1/2 tsp pure vanilla sugar grated zest froom an organic orange In addition Vegetable shortening/oil for frying 100 grams cinnamon sugar Preparation of the Doughnuts Heat the fat/oil for deep-frying to 175° C. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingrediensts until you have a stiff, sticky dough. Taking two small spoons, shape little round dough balls. Carefully slide them into the hot oil and fry until they turn a deep golden color. That will take about five minutes. Using a spider cooking utensil, very carefully lift the doughnuts from the oil and transfer them to a paper lined plate - to drain off some of the fat. While they are still warm, transfer the doughnuts to a medium bowl with cinnamon sugar and coat them. Serve straight away. NOTE: * Quark is also known as soft white cheese or fromage blanc.

Karnevals-Krapfen Zutaten 500 Gramm Krapfenmehl (man kann auch Weizenmehl, Type 550 nehmen) 6 Eier (L), Freiland-oder Bio 500 Gramm Magerquark (man kann auch griechisches Jogurt nehmen) 200 Gramm feinster Zucker 1/8 TL feines Meersalz 2 ½ TL Backpulver 2 ½ Tl Bourbon Vanillezucker abgerieben Schale einer Bioorange Zusätzlich Pflanzenfett/ Öl zum Ausbacken 100 Gramm Zimt-Zucker Zubereitung der Krapfen Das Fett auf 175 °C erhitzen. Alle Zutaten in eine große Schüssel geben und solange miteinander verrühren, bis ein zäher Teig entsteht. Aus dem Teig mit Hilfe von zwei Esslöffeln den Teig zu kleinen Kugeln abstechen. Diese vorsichtig in das heiße Fett geben und die Krapfen goldgelb auf beiden Seiten ausbacken. Das dauert zirka fünf Minuten. Mit einem Schaumlöffel die Krapfen herausheben und auf Küchenkrepp etwas abtropfen bzw. entfetten lassen. Noch warm in Zimt-Zucker wälzen und sofort servieren.

Traditionally, doughnuts can be prepared with either yeast or fresh cheese (Quark) as in this recipe. If you use quark in your recipe, the freshly baked doughnus will have a distinct taste of that fresh cheese, like a little tang, which we really enjoy. And they are not overly sweet either. Just right.

Man kann Krapfen ja entweder mit Hefe backen oder mit Quark, wie dieses Rezept. Wenn man frischen Magerquark für dieses Rezept nimmt, bleiben die Krapfen schön saftig und schmecken auch angenehm nach Quark. Wir fanden sie keineswegs zu süß. Mit wirklich wenig Aufwand sind diese Karnivals-Krapfen ohne Hefe schnell gemacht.

While these Carnival Doughnuts are seasonal, they are always a true treat, so there is no reason to wait for carnival season to give them a try. And you can even coat them with powdered sugar for a change of pace. Enjoy Carnival season while it lasts!

Also ruhig mal ausprobieren, nicht nur zur Karnevalszeit schmecken die Quarkkrapfen ausgezeichnet. Wenn man möchte, kann man die Krapfen zur Abwechslung auch mal in Puderzucker wälzen. Viel Spaß im Karneval!

Please note that this blog post is part of my series for a 'local' radio station, where, throughout the years, I present different baked goods that are closely tied to various holidays and seasons. If you are interested, have a LOOK & 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.