Almonds, Cloves and Cinnamon
Klaus Beckmann, an outspoken lover of cookies and the executive chef of the German InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, can't wait to begin with his Xmas baking.
He has taken a good look at the cookie universe and presents the best recipes from the "pastry lab" of Catering's Best before Christmas.
Anticipation of taste & flavor
Klaus Beckmann: "The traditional pre-Xmas production of seasonal cookies with its pleasant aromas, helped along by the cozy warmth of the oven, is a celebration of pleasant anticipation. More often than not, we prefer whatever kind of cookie we preferred as children in our later days. These cookies then become a must-have during the festive days. Thus, cookie recipes are passed down from generation to generation. They tell a special, unique Christmas tale."
A good thing takes its while: Hamburger Braune Kuchen
When the city of Hamburg submerses in its renowned "Schmuddelwetter" ("mucky weather"), a pleasant aroma of syrup and cinnamon exudes from many of the great Hanseatic city's kitchens.
As their forefathers have done 100 years ago, the Hamburgians prepare "Hamburger Braune Kuchen" ("Brown Hamburg Cakes") around Christmas. "Braune Kuchen" are a slightly more stately version of the more well-known "Kemmschen Kuchen". Even if the flat, quadratic cookies have a rather unimposing visual appearance, Andreas Gullich and his kitchen team at the InterContinental Hamburg never tire to praise the nuanced flavor of these traditional pastries. They are even prepared to deal with a rather extended preparation time: The "sponge" (pre-ferment or "Vorteig") made of flour, syrup and herbs is traditionally prepared in May; it then ripens for eight long months, in which it develops its incomparable taste. One thing is for certain, though: The taste is worth the wait.
Re-interpreting 1000 years of history: Kölner Spekulatius
Back in the 10th century the merchants of Cologne did not only have a wide variety of spices from all over the world at their disposal, the also had their very own patron saint - St. Nicholas. That's why cookies with motives from the live of St. Nicholas were popular around Christmas. Their name? Spekulatius. The pastry then spread from the Rhineland through the Dutch colonial empire all the way to Indonesia - where Spekulatius cookies are popular all year round.
This story inspired our Cologne kitchen team, headed by chef de cuisine Jörg Stricker, to re-interpret the classic Spekulatius. They refined the pastry with mace and ginger, two spices indigenous to Indonesia. The spiced-up flavor is nicely rounded off by adding a touch of the sweet, vanilla-like taste of the tonka bean. A delicacy that is just as exotic as it is traditional.
The Soul of Düsseldorf: Black Truffle with Killepitsch
Johann Mitterlechner, chef de cuisine at the InterContinental Düsseldorf, adores his city. That's why he dedicated a Christmas delicacy to Düsseldorf that encloses the soul of the Rhine metropolis in its entity: Black Truffle with Killepitsch. On the outside there's black truffle, refined and elegant, just like the shops along the famous Düsseldorf "Kö'". Inside, there's aromatic Killepitsch, straight from the heart of the Old Town. There are many legends dealing with the traditional Düsseldorf herb liqueur, the Killepitsch. But one thing is certain: One needs the essences of 98 different herbs, berries and fruits to prepare Killepitsch. After the distillation the beverage needs to ripen for one entire year in old clay receptacles.
Recipe: "Black Truffle with Killepitsch"
Swathed in Christmas Gold: Offenbacher Pfeffernüsse
When Christmas approaches the cities of Frankfurt and Offenbach seem to forget their traditional rivalry, and a feeling of seasonal peace spreads between them. How else should we explain that one of the favourite recipes at the patisserie of the Frankfurter InterContinental details the elaboration of Offenbacher Pfeffernüsse? Of course, chef de cuisine Klaus Bramkamp and his team added a touch of big city glamour to the original recipe: The aromatic dough with its tastes of gloves, cinnamon and honey is first backed into hemispheres - the "Pfeffernüsse", or pepper nuts. Then, using a little marzipan, two "Pfeffernüsse" are joined together and covered with a dark coating. Finally, the spheres are adorned with candied orange peels and gold foil. These sweet delicacies add glamour to every plate of cookies.
In Love with Christmas: Bavarian Kletzenbrot
When late autumn comes and the first storms of the season invade the Berchtesgadener Land it's a safe bet to say that a warm bake house is the cosiest place for miles around. Following an old tradition, Kletzenbrot is baked on November 30, St. Andrews' Day. Chef de Cuisine Ulrich Heimann enlightens us as to the origins of this delicacy.
"In the Alps, dried pear strips are called "Kletzen". Here at the InterContinental Berchtesgaden Resort we use so-called Kletzenbirnen for our Kletzenbrot. This is a rustic fruit variety that has a very solid pulp and a high sugar content." The yeast dough used to prepare the deliciously juicy Kletzenbrot also contains dried plums, figs and raisins. It is traditionally cut on Christmas Eve. In the old days, everyone living on a farm got a piece - even the animals. Giving the last piece as a gift was considered a declaration of love. Whoever has ever had a taste of Kletzenbrot will easily understand why.
A Must-Have Classic: Berliner Brot
Finally, Klaus Beckmann would like to present his personal favourite: Berliner Brot. He first encountered this delicacy in his grandmother's kitchen. Since his childhood days, this classic recipe has been a Christmas fixture for him.
Georg Willmes, pastry chef at the InterContinental Berlin, is also a fan of this fine mixture of almonds, cinnamon, gloves and cacao. When he moved to Ecuador for business reasons a few years back, he did not want to miss his best liked pastry: "I simply killed two birds with one stone: The Ecuadorians were enthralled, and I had my true taste of Christmas." The crunchy pastry has since accompanied him on all his ways. He only realized much later that it was a true Berlin specialty - his family simply called it the Christmas pastry.
