Turn on some German Music while reading

It has been cold and raining here in the Oregon and I have enjoyed doing some baking.

When the subject of "Artisan Bread" comes up, almost a hesitation arises in me, like the yeast in the bubbling batter, I think ohhh this is complicated but also arises in me the wonderful flavor texture of good bread and the aromas in the kitchen when it's baking.

Get Your Hands in the Dough!

If you take plunge though and just do it, your bread may not be perfect
like mine is a lot of the time, but it will taste fantastic! Also
When Artisan bread isn't perfect it becomes "Rustic" and rustic is beautiful.

Break it Down into Steps

Some folks block out the time. They are much better organizers than me.
I like to break the prep down into 15 minute, ...10 minute...... or even 1 minute steps.

I make sure I have the flour, yeast, the scale, measuring cup and set them in
one place till I am ready....

5 min

Next I will make the Sauertieg or the starter.

5 min

Later I will measure out the flour, and get salt and oil whatever else I am using.

5 min

Then I make up the dough and refrigerate it in a bowl.
This makes a better bread anyway to let it rise slowly in the fridge.

I will let the bread rest in the fridge up to 3 days.

I also am late on this recipe for Elisenlebkuchen that is a traditional Christmas cookie but I am going to cheat and make them all year around because they are so darn good! I will probably make them just a bit different so I can always keep the Christmas ones special.

Jewish Sour Corn Rye

So what makes this German and What makes it Jewish?

The Jewish population that settled in New York made famous what are called "New York Delicatessens", with cured meats and rye breads that were native to where they came from in Germany. There is no corn or cornmeal in this recipe, I believe it gets its name from the fact that in Germany Korn is the word for grain. This is a unique bread  has a 48 hour starter using an onion half in it and a very "wet"dough that takes a little practice to get it into a loaf. The loose dough makes the flavor better and a lighter crumb.

I used a Brotform to raise the bread in. It helps keep the shape of the loaf as
this is a very "wet dough" unlike those nice firm bread doughs that stand on their own.

You get the nice rings around the loaf to make it pretty.

with the souríng process and using the wet dough you get the nice air pockets
called Alvioli that make it light and they trap flavor as well.

You can of course bake it on just a open pan. It will spread a bit and be flatter
but still taste as good,

or a Dutch Oven works well also

Go Here to make Jewish Corn Rye Bread

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Supplies for Baking This German Bread

King Arthur All Purpose White Flour
10 lb.

Shop for all kinds of King Arthur Flours
regular and organic

Bob's Red Mill
Organic Dark Rye Flour
2- 22 oz packs

9 inch Bread proofing basket

in Germany called a Brotform
in French a Banneton

I know it is a little early to be making these for Christmas. I didn't get this web page done
in time for the Christmas newsletter and I SOOO enjoyed these cookies and I can't wait till Christmas so I am making more today.

Elisenlebkuchen

The Story of Elisenlebkuchen

(ee-LEE-zen LEB-kook-en)

Named after a Master Lebkuchen baker's
special daughter
Elizabeth

First a little background on
"Nuremberg Lebkuchen"

"Nuremberg" Lebkuchen is special in that it is
baked on top of a rice wafer called "Back Oblaten"
These unleavened rice papers were used for communion sercices in church
and were perfect to bake this very light cookie of honey, and imported spice batter on.

The affection for Lebkuchen goes back a long ways to our ancestors,
Not only Germany,but much of the world always saw honey as having magical powers.
Spices that came into Nuremberg were very expensive
so this special cookie was more than just a treat,
folks paid debts with it, used it as a symbol of sacrifice,
add it to your loved ones coffin,
and warriors even carried it into battle for good luck.

Nuremberg was the perfect place to specialize in Lebkuchen
as it was the center of the spice trade
and forest with lots of honey bees and beekeepers were nearby.

So In the 14th century a special guild for Lebkuchen bakers
and their special recipe which was mostly nuts,
and could only contain a certain amount of flour to be authentic.
I think today it is 10%.

a Lebkuchener from a Manuscript
1510

Around 1710 as legend has it,
A special master Lebkuchen baker's daughter Elizabeth went very ill
the prognosis was not good. He had already lost his wife and
was desperate to save her so feeling that honey had special powers
and the spices from the Orient were known to have healing properties
he made a special lebkuchen with NO flour at all.
He fed this to his daughter and she recovered! In her honor he
named this special cookie Elisenlebkuchen.

These Lebkuchen have very few ingredients, so with a little preparation
they can be made very quickly. They are basically , eggs, nuts and spices
on the Oblaten wafer.

This is a very basic recipe without a great deal of spices.
I will keep adding a few more recipes as I try them to share.

Supplies For the Elisenlebkuchen

Back Oblaten

2 box pack 50 mm
(about 2 inches diameter)

This is the Back Oblaten I used for this Elisenlebkuchen

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70 mm Back Oblaten
(almost 3 inches)

This is a larger Oblaten you see used a lot
commercially

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Candied Orange Peel
5.8 oz pack
from
Fratelli Motta

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Lebkuchen Gewurz
(a good Lebkuchen spice mix)

use 2 teaspoons of this in the mix

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Gingerbread Spice

This works as well from my favorite
flour company in the US.
King Arthur

Links that help with History

Lebkuchenhaus Goldman

The story of Elisenlebkuchen

Kaiserslaughtern Amerikan

Lebkuchen Goes Back to Teutonic Times

Food 52

How to make practically flourless
Elisenlebkuchen

Through modern technology we can enjoy music from Germany at the touch of your computer, there are many venues now, Pandora, Amazon music, and Youtube is free. I love my noise canceling headphones that are completely wireless and give incredible sound!

Bose Headphones over 2500 perfect reviews, it is a bit of an investment but worth every penny.

 

Booking.com

A recipe book and short biography of my Grandmother Emma Block. Her recipes, culture and cooking styles that were brought over from Germany. How they evolved when she came to America in the early 1900s and settled in Portland, Oregon on the west coast of the United States. Over 100 recipes

Bonus Recipe CD with the Ebook and recipes with step by step pictures

To order the Cookbook with the CD

Order the Kindle Version

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Biography of my grandma
Emma Block
From Germany with Love tells the story of my grandma, Emma Block, growing up in a little town in Baden/ Würtemberg, Germany near Heidelberg named Steinsfurt. Then at the age of 15 immigrating to the United States, taking a train with one of her sisters and brothers to Hamburg and sailing the Atlantic with other hope filled Germans wanting to make a life in the "New World". It was not easy but with good values learned in her German upbringing made a full life, had a wonderful family with lots of fun and celebration including the great German meals.

Order Here
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