Give me a drum roll please! Here it comes! The one and only Leipiger Lerche (Leipzig Lark) recipes is finally here. I have already shared enough cupcake recipes, like this, this, and this. But up until now I had no real occasion to make the other half of my blog title: Leipziger Lerchen. It’s like, well, actually there is nothing I can compare it with. See for yourself.
Leipziger Lerchen are a specialty of my home town and, as far as I know, only available in bakeries there. If you wish to know more, refer to this explanation. Since I started the blog a year ago I wanted to make them but as usual I need an occasion to bake something. The opportunity presented itself last weekend when our local German Folk Choir had its Spring concert. They have Kaffee and Kuchen (coffee and cake) after the concert and are always happy to receive donations. I donate gladly!
The recipe comes from this webpage because none of my books had a recipe.
Just out of the oven.
Ingredients Dough:
– 250g flour
– 1 egg
– dash of salt
– 1 tbsp. rum
– 70g sugar
– 125g butter, room temperature
Ingredients Filling:
– 125g butter, room temperature
– 150g icing sugar
– 1 egg yolk
– 150g ground almonds
– splash of almond extract (depending on how strong you want the flavour)
– 75g flour
– 1 tbsp. corn starch
– 4 egg white
Also:
– 250g strawberry jam
– muffin tin or individual forms
Take a bite while warm!
Sift the flour into a bowl and make a dent, add egg, rum, salt and sugar as well as the butter in little flakes. Start kneading and keep going until you have a smooth dough. Wrap it up in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge or a cool place for 20 min. This will make it easier to handle the dough later.
While you wait you can prepare the filling. Whisk the butter until light and fluffy, slowly add the icing sugar (you don’t want it all over the place), egg yolk, ground almond, almond extract, flour and corn starch. Mix until all is well combined. In a separate bowl you beat the egg whites until stiff then carefully fold the egg whites under the rest. Set aside after it is well combined. Set aside.
Tip 1: If you have a hand mixer and a stand mixer, make use of it. Otherwise you will have to do dishes in between. When you fold in the egg white you might need to beat it shortly with a mixer so that it is well combined.
Poked with a fork, a bit.
Take out your dough and knead it until workable. It shouldn’t be too soft. Roll out and use a glass that is somewhat bigger in diameter than you form to cut out enough shapes. Grease your forms with butter and dust with flour. Take one dough circle after another and place into your forms. Gently press down and on the sides. Use a fork and poke the bottom about three times.
Tip 2: There are special forms that are used to make Leipziger Lerchen. I found mine at the local Pepper’s, a cooking and baking supply store. Regular muffin tins will work as well but the form is special and unique for this baked good. If you can find a form like that, it’s definitely a bonus.
Tip 3: I do not advise you to use liners, I don’t think it will work.
A bit of German strawberry jam, home made, by my aunt.
Fill the bottom with a bit of strawberry jam, then take a spoonful of filling and place on top, making sure your form is almost full to the top. Cut out strips of dough to make a cross on each piece.
The important part: the cross.
Bake at 180°C for about 20 – 25 min or until lightly brown. Remove from the oven and from the forms and let them cool on a rack.
These are best served fresh but you can keep them in a air tight container for some time. They are great for an afternoon tea and/or coffee and not too heavy, so you can eat two.
You can see the traditional shape of the Leipziger Lerche quite nicely.
I am very happy with the way they turned out, pretty much as I remember how they taste at home. I received a call from the German Folk Choir and was told they were a big hit with the guest and gone quickly. This, my friends, is a bit of home to me. It is a local specialty that pretty much only exists in my city. While there are many other recipes that remind me of home, of certain occasions and locations, this one is a bit more dear to my heart. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them.
Happy Baking!
Baking in Saskatoon 