Living by traditions is an integral part of German life. With the Christianisation of the region a form of unity, in cultural terms adorned the region and in-fact the whole of Europe as well. It is also interesting as to how societies come together at the time of celebration. One can definitely say that aachener printen is one such goodie which swarms the markets and people’s lives at the time of Christmas. The aachener printen was conceived in Aachen City in Germany. It is a kind of lebkuchen or a cookie which resembles the structure of that of a cake. It comprises of typical frosting and is flavoured using a variety of spices. The printener in aachener printen resembles a lot to original gingerbread which was made using honey as a sweetner. However, today you will find that most of the aachener printen are baked and a sugar beets syrup is used in the process instead of honey.
Everything is there in the name
The German Food Guide along with the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) has mandated the production of each and every aachener printen to be conducted within the city of Aachen. The aachener printen holds a protected status and thus the imposition of many restrictions. The name of this dish is quite clearly based on the name of the city itself. The unique cookie, Aachener was first prepared in the city of Aachen and on the other hand, Printen which has many and varied definitions and sources. In the Dutch region, printen would imply printing. It holds a significant connection with cookies because there are versions of cookies which are baked over certain images.
As far as using the name is concerned, the labels can only be used by bakers and bakeries which are established in and around the city of Aachen. It is only they who have the right to use the term Aachener Printen when it comes to the distribution of these products as per the mandate of the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO).
The origin
Aachener Printen, as has been said can only be baked and distributed in the city of Aachen. This tradition is also quite true today and still is very much in operation. In no manner can this delectable pastry be produced and distributed elsewhere but the city of Aachen. Thus the city of Aachen came to be popularly known as the German Sweet Capital. The city is not only famous for the cookie Aachener Printen but also the many varieties of chocolates that are produced here.
However, culinary historians in their studies have found that the actual origin of the Aachener Printen was in the city of Dinant, Belgium. The original cookie used to be soft and sweet, and was prepared using honey. This kind of delicate sweetness today is usually prepared by using the American honey. These versions of preparation, when they reached the city of Aachen certain modifications were induced in the very traditional recipe. Slowly, in the due course of time the changes occurred. Records have shown that it was in-fact in the year 1806 that the bakers from Aachen insisted on the usage of beet sugar syrup and molasses in their very own recipes. The usage of beet sugar syrup and molasses resulted in a certain kind of chewiness and it was indeed liked by one and all thus it managed to stay for all the while till today. And also it is going strong, as the generations are coming all of them are delighted by the sweet chewy cookie.
The many uses
Speaking in terms of tradition, the pastries and cookies along with Aachener Printen were associated with the festivities in and around Christmas within the German culture. Moreover, today in any case with the rise of mass production these sweet delights are made available round the year. If you happen to visit a German household during the very season of Christmas, you will indeed witness Aachener Printen along with other traditional dishes being prepared specifically for the occasion. Furthermore, these days one does not really have to wait all the while for Christmas to come, you can simply go to any of the bakeries within the city of Aachen and enjoy a mouthful of this crispy, crumbly, chewy sweetness and visit divinity. There are bakeries and patisseries which will offer random passer-by’s a taste of their delicacies without any charge, so if you are around make sure to get your hands on one of these.
Tourists have often asked their fellow mates while walking through Aachen to simply follow their nose and one is sure to find Aachener Printen sooner.
Aachener Printen also has much other uses. For instance it is an instant source of energy. So during the harsh winter months in Germany, if you run out of ration or are in a desperate need of food, then just a bite of Aachener Printen is sure to make you feel uplifted.
What are the Ingredients used in the preparation of Aachener Printen?
As far as the original, authentic recipe of Aachener Printen is concerned, it is quite heavily guarded by the bakers of Aachen and is thus hard to find. Each of the bakeries have their own way of preparing the cookie through which they promote their uniqueness. Thus they guard the recipes as a matter of a family secret. These cookies are available in a whole range of form and taste. Its variations include them being: soft, hard, with herbs, with nuts, or with chocolate along with being available in different shapes and sizes.
Generally speaking the basic ingredients include: wheat flour, cinnamon, clove, aniseed, spices, ginger, coriander, and cardamom. However, the proportions of these ingredients are a matter of contention and thus a vaulted secret. Today, in addition to the above ingredients, there are many more things that are added in the preparation of the cookie. Among them are: cocoa mass, cocoa butter, raising agents, potassium carbonate, candy sugar, glucose-fructose syrup, soy lecithins, hazelnut, sesame, eggs, pure butterfat and peanuts.
Certain unearthed documents have also shown that in the original recipe, the early bakers would use honey from the American wild flowers. This variety of honey back in those days used to be exported from England. However, due to the tragedy of the Napoleonic wars the exports could not reach Germany. Napoleon had ordered a blockade against England and thus the bakers were left with no choice but to improvise. It is at this very moment that they came up with the beet sugar. With the use of beet sugar the dough became quite a bit harder than the usual and thus the formation too became a matter of challenge. But that issue could have been overcome till the time the bakers had their beloved printers with them.
Henry Lamberts, a master baker, he was the one who in-fact created the now famous sugar solution. It was this very ingredient which made all the work easier. With the help of this sugar solution, Lamerts was able to produce and distribute the cookies with much ease.
The producers
Henry Lamberts is the idol which most of the bakers have come to worship quite widely. It was indeed his famous sugar solution due to which the world is able to access and consume the very taste and flavours of the many varieties of the Aachener Printen. It was Lamberts who was the famous first major producer and distributor of Aachener Printen all-over Germany. Along with him was the Kelin Printe Bakery in Franzstraße in Aachen. The Kelin Printe Bakery holds some amounts of exclusive prominence in and around the region because they have been producing some of the best Aachener Printen in Germany since 1912.
The popular Brands
Schokolade-Printen along with Schokolade-Nuss-Printen are among the priciest and the best of the brands of Aachener Printen that you will find in the region. Aachener Printen produced by Schokolade-Printen are dipped in bitter, dark chocolate, on the other hand the ones produced by Schokolade-Nuss-Printen carry a granular covering of nuts.
Aachener Printen without a matter of dispute is among the most unique cookies ever produced. Often you will find write-ups or people in general comparing them with honey cakes and gingerbreads but you will realise that these German cookies are much more firmer than their counterparts. Interestingly, the popularity of Aachener Printen is such that the city of Aachen is able to produce over 4500 tonnes of them each year in its factories and bakeries combined. These delightful pieces of joy then travel all-over the world as Christmas presents and souvenirs.
Some facts about Aachener Printen
You will find that the German households have used some quite interestingly fascinating tricks while producing their versions of Aachener Printen. Since the dough become quite hard and as far as children in general are concerned or anyone else for that matter, they would not appreciate exercising their jaws that much. So, a range of tricks developed to soften the dough. One of them was that right after the cookies are baked they should be stored in closed boxes. With this moisture could retain within the cookies and they would thus become softer. The other popular trick involved the freshly baked cookies to be stored with cut apples and bread; this would help them retain their moisture content.
Recipe
The following is an authentic recipe of the all-time favourite German cookie, the Aachener Printen. The interesting part about German cuisine is that each of its regions has its very own unique item, however, there are only a very few food products or dishes which as a whole are available all-over Germany. Aachener Printen is in-fact one of the dishes which can be found everywhere, irrespective of the region. But they too come in a whole range of variations. In any case, the Aachener Printen are among the most famous variety of lebkuchen that are found in Germany. Furthermore, as far as the first of the original recipes are concerned, it dates back to the 15th century and is considerably different from the ones that are produced today.
Ingredients:
- Maple syrup: 2/3 cup
- Brown sugar: 1/3 cup
- Butter: ¼ cup
- Cacao: 4 teaspoon
- Cinnamon: ½ teaspoons
- Anise: about a pinch
- Cardamom: about a pinch
- Nutmeg: about a pinch
- Cloves: about a pinch
- Cloves: about a pinch
- Egg: 1
- Candied sugar: ½ cup
- All-purpose flour: 1 ¼ cup
- Lemon zest: one cup
- Baking soda: 2 teaspoons
For the topping:
- Peeled almonds: 3/8 cup
- Egg yolk: 1
- Candied sugar: 1 teaspoon
The method:
First you will be required to take a medium sized saucepan and place it on heat. Now, pour in the maple syrup along with brown sugar and butter while stirring them continuously. The aim here is to let the sugar melt and the resultant mixture should have combined completely. When all of that happens, take the saucepan off the heat and let it cool down for a bit.
Transfer this mixture into a mixing bowl. Then in the same bowl you can add the lemon zest, the cacao and all the remaining spices along with the egg, the candied sugar, the all-purpose flour and the baking sugar. Remember to keep on mixing in the meantime. Now, you can go on further mixing till the dough starts to form. The aim here is to reach a point where it becomes smooth.
While that is happening you can preheat the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 175 degrees Celsius.
Next, prepare the working surface. Now, take the prepared dough out of the bowl and roll it out evenly. Then cut it into pieces ranging from the size of 1.2 inches to 2 inches and they have to be formed in a rectangular shape.
Will the baking process in underway you can cut the almonds lengthwise into halves. Then take a separate bowl and mix the yolk and the candied sugar along with two teaspoons of water. Combine them well. Now, by using a cooking brush, paste this mixture onto the dough and then decorate them with almonds.
With that entire process done, place these rectangles on the baking tray and place the tray into the oven. Bake them for a period of 10 minutes, post which you will be required to let them be on a cooling rack.