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Frankfurter Kranz is a classic German cake that originated in Frankfurt and was created around 1735. This cake is known for its distinctive crown shape, symbolizing the city's historical association with the German emperors as the place where coronations took place.
The cake consists of multiple layers of sponge cake, which are filled and frosted with a rich buttercream. Often, the layers are interspersed with a layer of red jam, adding a tangy contrast to the creamy filling. The entire cake is then coated with more buttercream and adorned with golden toasted almond brittle, known as krokant, giving it a crunchy texture and an elegant appearance.
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Handkäse mit Musik is a German dish originating from Hesse. It consists of hand-formed handkäse (sour milk cheese) that's topped with raw onion vinaigrette. The onion marinade stands for music (Musik) from the name, which comes in the form of flatulence caused by consuming raw onions.
However, the real reason why it has music in its name is because in the past, the onions were served on the side, while vinegar and oil were served in tiny jars that made music while the servers carried them on a plate. The dish is often served only with a knife, and it's typically accompanied by bread, caraway seeds, and apfelwein (apple cider) on the side.
MOST ICONIC Handkäse mit Musik
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This heavy and slightly sweet rye bread is made from a sourdough starter and coarsely ground rye with whole rye berries as its base. Its name comes from the German pumpern, a synonym for being flatulent, and the male given name Nickel—a form of the name Nicholas—which was commonly associated with the devil in New High German vernacular.
Thus, pumpernickel literally translates to "devil’s fart," which is a definition accepted by most publishers and dictionaries, however strange it may sound. The traditional German pumpernickel contains no coloring agents, but instead relies on the Maillard reaction to impart a deep brown color and a sweet, almost chocolatey and earthy flavor and aroma.
First described in 1450 as the black bread of Westphalia, the famous Westfälischer Pumpernickel is a traditional all-rye bread made with either coarsely ground rye meal or a combination of rye flour and whole rye kernels. It can also be flavored with malt or sugar beet syrup.
The loaves are placed in lidded pans and baked slowly at a low temperature in steam-filled ovens for anywhere from 16 to 24 hours, which gives pumpernickel its characteristic deep brown, almost black color. Pumpernickel has little or no crust, a pronounced earthy aroma, and a distinctive bittersweet flavor.
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Pfefferpotthast is a traditional meat stew hailing from Westphalia. It consists of pieces of beef that are simmered in a seasoned broth along with onions, soup vegetables, spices, and herbs. The meat is typically first browned in a little oil or lard before it's cooked with the other ingredients, and the broth is usually thickened with crumbled bread, traditionally with the classic Westphalian pumpernickel rye bread.
Spices such as cloves, juniper berries, allspice, bay leaves, salt, and pepper are typically used for seasoning the broth. Warming and flavor-packed, the dish is perfect for a chilly fall or winter lunch or dinner, and it is usually accompanied by pickled gherkins, salt potatoes (Salzkartoffeln), beetroots, and a German beer on the side.
MOST ICONIC Pfefferpotthast
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Saumagen is a German dish from the region of Palatinate, where it was created in the 18th century by local farmers as a way to use up leftover food. Translated as sow’s stomach, saumagen consists of potatoes, carrots, onions, and pork that have been seasoned and stuffed in a thick casing (pig's stomach) which is also intended to be a part of the meal.
Typical spices include marjoram, nutmeg, and white pepper. Once cooked, saumagen can be served as it is with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut on the side, but it can also be sliced and additionally fried. What makes the dish even better is a glass of dry white wine or a cold beer on the side.
MOST ICONIC Saumagen
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Halve hahn is a Rhenish sandwich consisting of a split rye roll (röggelchen) that is typically buttered and topped with a thick slice of medium-ripe gouda cheese, pickles, and raw onions. Mustard is commonly added as well. It is popular throughout the Rhineland, especially in the cities of Cologne and Duesseldorf, where it can be found at most restaurants, pubs, and beer gardens.
The origins of this dish are debated, but halve hahn most likely originated from Cologne in the 1870s. It is eaten as a snack between gulps of kölsch beer.
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Frankfurter pudding is a traditional pudding originating from Frankfurt, and although there are many versions of hot steamed chocolate pudding throughout the country, this one is considered to be one of the best and richest. It's usually made with a combination of breadcrumbs, egg yolks, egg whites, butter, sugar, grated almonds, chocolate, and rum or strong coffee.
The butter is creamed with sugar until light and fluffy. Egg yolks are blended into the mixture along with melted chocolate, rum or coffee, almonds, and breadcrumbs. The egg whites are beaten until stiff and then folded into the mixture. It's placed into a buttered mold and steamed in a water bath until the pudding is set.
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This is a special variety of brown, firm gingerbread that has been baked in Aachen since the 1820s. The term printe refers to the use of carved wooden molds into which the dough is pressed during production. Having been regionally protected, the Aachener Printen may only be produced in Aachen and a few neighboring villages.
The dough is made from flour, sugar, and exotic spices such as cinnamon, aniseed, or ginger, which impart a unique flavor to the gingerbread. Freshly baked Printen are always firm, but because many people prefer their pastries tender, they are also offered in a soft version.
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Westfälische quarkspeise is a trifle dessert with layers of creamy German quark and whipped cream, tart cherries (such as morello cherries), and crumbled pumpernickel (slightly sweet dark rye bread). Typically flavored with kirsch, amaretto, or rum and vanilla sugar, the dessert is usually assembled in a glass serving dish and enjoyed chilled, and it is often enhanced with chopped or shredded semisweet chocolate.
Although quick and easy to make, this cold layered dessert packs quite a punch of flavor, especially after several hours of setting, which allows for the flavors to combine. This simple sweet treat uses two traditional German ingredients - German quark and Westphalian pumpernickel - which (combined with the tart cherries and additional flavorings) contribute to the dessert’s unique blend of sweet, slightly sour, earthy, and fruity flavors.
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