Klaben

BREMER KLABEN

Ingredients:

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1 cup raisins
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup currants
1 1/2 cups milk, lukewarm
3/4 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup sugar
grated rind of 3 lemons
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cardamom
1/2 cup butter, softened
7 to 7 1/2 cups sifted flour

 

Directions:

Sprinkle yeast over the warm water; stir until dissolved. Set aside for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, scald the milk and allow it to cool.

Combine lukewarm milk, sugar, salt, butter and about half the flour. Beat for 2 minutes; add the yeast mixture.

Toss the nuts and fruit in a small amount of flour to coat. Add this and enough of the remaining flour to the batter to make a soft dough (more or less flour may be needed), along with lemon rind and cardamom. When you have a soft dough, knead on a floured work surface for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Place in a buttered bowl, brush top with melted butter, and let rise until doubled in size. Punch down and knead again, form into one long roll, tucking ends under neatly.

Place on a greased baking sheet, and let rise until doubled.

Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for about 1 hour. Top should be nicely brown. Brush with melted butter or dust with powdered sugar while still warm.

Notes:  The recipe for this northern German version of the famous Christmas Stollen dates back to the mid 16th century during the height of the Hanseatic League, when the League allowed the bakers access to the exotic ingredients traded by its member cities. A Bremer Klaben, like the Stollen, is made with sultanas or raisins, flour, butter, sugar, orange and lemon peel, rum, almonds, yeast and salt. Variations exist.  Many of these ingredients were only available through the trading activities of the League. This specialty is usually baked at the beginning of December and in such quantities as to last until Easter.