Advent: Festive German Bakes to Celebrate the Coming of Christmas

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The dough is actually very similar to a strudel dough or rough filo (just flour, oil and water) and is incredibly easy to make. It’s important when making this at home to heat the baking sheet up in the oven first as this ensures a crisp base, or if you have a pizza stone that’s even better. I’ve given some suggestions for my favourite alternative flavour combinations below the recipe, but really anything goes for the dough. Chocolate-coated walnut marzipan, excerpted from Advent: Festive German Bakes to Celebrate the Coming of Christmas by Anja Dunk. GERMAN kitchens are the place to be during December, as Anja Dunk’s Advent testifies. Beginning with seasonal “almost unbearable” expectation and the tradition of baking a “saltbread” Advent wreath, the book segues effortlessly into the Bunter Teller, a plate of assorted bite-sized cakes and biscuits always on hand to offer friends and relatives who call by during the “magic time” of the Advent weeks.

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Advent is an edible countdown in 24 chapters inspired by the idea of traditional paper advent calendars, where you open up a window to reveal an image of winter on the 24 days leading up to Christmas. It is a real gem that I know will be used for very many Christmases to come in my house. The Advent season is one of the most special times of the year, when candles twinkle, the Christmas tree is decorated, and the smells of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove fill the kitchen. Rather than ice this, I’ve played around with paper-cut snowflakes as icing sugar templates and the results are beautifully festive; a doily, too, works just as well.

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Form the marzipan into a rectangle 1cm deep and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Put the chocolate and coconut oil into a heatproof bowl and place the bowl over a small saucepan with 1cm of water in the bottom. Turn the heat on low and wait for the chocolate to melt. Once it starts melting, stir so that the coconut oil is evenly dispersed. Take off the heat once the chocolate is glossy and fluid. Baking as a vegan is often pretty hit or miss, but this was a definite win – probably because few of the ingredients had to be changed, it was just subbing out the butter for a dairy-free alternative and using golden syrup instead of honey. The biscuits weren’t soft or crumbly like shortbread or cookie (that’s down to the rye flour) – but tasted more like gingerbread.

Advent: Festive German Bakes to Celebrate the Coming of Advent: Festive German Bakes to Celebrate the Coming of

I was going to bring you the Stollen recipe today, but for many reasons (including the words in the introduction to this recipe) I decided, with a glad heart, to share the Christbrot — the Christmas Bread with Dried Fruit — with you. And I must own up here, that I made it with chopped dried apricots in place of the candied peel, used a little more rum than instructed, and then realised only when it was too late that I'd forgotten to add the almonds I'd so carefully weighed out! But it was de-luscious like that, I may have to do exactly the same next time I make it, which will most definitely be soon. The kneading in of the fruits is not light work, but patience is more than rewarded. Put the flour, sugar, salt and citrus zests into a large bowl and mix together with a wooden spoon, then add the melted butter and egg. How to Hygge the British Way is my gift to the world. I don’t get paid for writing it, I’m not in it for the kudos, financial rewards, to become an influencer, work with brands or otherwise make any money from the blog. That’s why there are no ads, and any products I mention and recommend have either been gifted to me or bought by me with my everyday wages or donations from supporters. Every book I review has been bought and read by me, unless stated otherwise. Place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2cm/¾in between each, and bake in the centre of the oven for 22–25 minutes until golden brown all over, turning the sheet around once halfway through to ensure an even bake. Since I received this book early enough, I was able to start with the first ritual of Advent -- on the first Sunday of Advent (November 28) my daughter and I made the recipe for Salzteig (salt dough). I appreciate how Dunk shares the story of her Omi (her maternal grandmother) teaching her how to make the recipe and, how she and her family make salt dough decorations together -- there is a lot of warmth and love in this book! So, my daughter and I sat together to make tree ornaments and an Adventskranz (Advent wreath). This Advent wreath has places for four candles that are to be lit -- one each Sunday before Christmas. Each candle has a meaning within the Christian faith but, since I don't observe, I enjoyed the extra light on the darker days before the winter solstice.

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Now food writer Anja Dunk has collected together a whole slew of festive German bakes in her new cookbook, Advent. A slightly less obvious but equally symbolic sign of festivities is the oven –constantly aglow in our home during this period, scenting the house with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, clove and anise as tray upon tray of mouth-watering biscuits bake. In this beautiful book Anja Dunk presents over 100 classic German baking recipes. Illustrated throughout with the author's own photography and artworks, and with a luxurious cloth cover complete with foil finishes, this is a stunning, comforting book that will be a family favourite for many years to come. The advent season – which we are three-quarters of the way through – is steeped in tradition and rituals and, just like the astronomical seasons, much of it is centred on light. The advent wreath is traditionally adorned with four candles and is lit at mealtimes, providing precious light and warmth during the shortening days.

Advent: traditional Christmas baking recipes by Anja Dunk Advent: traditional Christmas baking recipes by Anja Dunk

Germany really has the Christmas baking range covered! I love these recipes and will really look forward to cooking these each year. Once cool, put one cake on to a plate, spoon the jam on top and spread it out evenly. Place the second cake on top.I have a massive apology to make here. In Monday’s post, I listed Advent by Anja Dunk as one of my Advent books, the small volumes I wrap and give myself on the Sundays of Advent. That was written at my desk in the office, where I do most of my writing and without all of the books actually being present in front of me. tsp Lebkuchengewürz (recipe follows), or 1 tsp ground cinnamon mixed with
1 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground cloves and 1/4 tsp ground cardamom To make the dough, put all of the ingredients into a large bowl and mix using your hands. Knead for a couple of minutes until a supple, silky dough is formed. Divide the dough in half. On a floured surface, roll each half out as thinly as possible. So long as it fits on the baking sheet it doesn’t matter what shape it is, although I aim for a rough oval. The recipe recommends a sharp, smooth jam so I bought some damson jelly to go in the middle, but in all honesty, I’m not sure I could’ve told the difference between that and regular strawberry or raspberry. Best yet, the biscuits tasted even better in the days after baking – good news, because I’m pretty sure I made enough to feed a small army. Put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat with a hand-held electric whisk until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and whisk again until combined. Add the grated marzipan, flour, ground almonds, cinnamon and baking powder, then stir until well mixed.