Traditional German Christmas Recipes

Here is a recipe for Gluhwein which is a warm mulled wine. It is everywhere as soon as the fall chill begins.

3 (750 ml) bottles of your favorite red wine
juice of one orange
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2 Tbs whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
brown sugar or honey to taste

Put all the ingredients in a large saucepan and heat over low heat being careful NOT to boil. Heat for 1/2 hour to an hour tasting periodically until it is just right. Serve warm. It can be refrigerated and reheated.

Here is a recipe for Christkindl Stollen or Christmas Stollen. It is a dense fruit and nut cake to be eaten with tea, coffee, or Gluhwein. It usually holds the shape of a wrapped baby Jesus. It has been a tradition in Germany since the Middle Ages although the recipe has been amended.

1 lb flour
2 Tbs dry yeast
3/4 cup milk
3.5 oz (6 Tbs) sugar plus extra for coating
1/2 tsp vanilla
minced peel of half a lemon
1 tsp salt
3 oz (6Tbs) soft margarine
3 oz (6 Tbs) butter
1 oz (2Tbs) lard (can substitute vegetable shortening)
1 oz (2Tbs) candied lemon peel
a few drops of almond extract or 1 oz (2 Tbs) minced bitter almonds
2 oz (4 Tbs) minced sweet almond
10 oz (1 1/4 cups) raisins soaked in rum

Dissolve yeast and 1 Tbs of sugar in 1 cup lukewarm milk. Mix it with the flour. Knead until you have a firm dough ball. Let stand 2 hours until it has doubled in size.

Work in remaining ingredients, except raisins. Knead thoroughly. Work raisins in last. Let sit in a warm place for 2 more hours and then knead again.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Form dough into the shape of a swaddled Jesus and make a half inch deep cut through the middle.

Bake an hour. Let cool and brush some melted butter on top. Pour a thin coat of sugar on top and finish with powdered sugar if you have some.

Store it for a week before eating it in a cool place so the flavors can unfold.

Here is a link to a picture of it:

http://images.jupiterimages.com/common/detail/14/50/23045014.jpg