Baumkuchen
The tree cake is a layer- constructed and baked over an open flame cake. The "King of Cakes " is also called beating or spit cakes in Austria also whipping donuts. The term tree cake was first used in 1682 in a dietary Cookbook by Johann Sigismund Elsholtz, the personal physician of the Elector Friedrich Wilhelm. Because of its similar shape is mistakenly called Baumkuchen often the Baumstriezel.
Production
The ingredients of a tree cake mass are butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt and flour. Baking soda can not be used. The ratio of flour, butter, eggs must be at least 1:1:2, that is, 100 g of flour must be at least 100 g butter and 200 g of whole eggs are. Honey and alcohol (eg, rum) can be added as a flavoring, as well as nuts, marzipan and nougat. The basic recipe is always the same.
A real tree cake is baked in layers on a rotating spit, the so-called roll. Previously this was done over the fire, today there are specially designed baking equipment that are electrically heated. The dough is applied in approximately 10 to 20 individual layers, usually by a dipping process, and baked in layers. Thus, the layers in the finished cake resembling the annual rings of a tree.
Through a special technique when applying the individual layers of dough ( about shaping with a wooden comb ), the cake gets a wave- shaped contour, are formed rings. After removal of the spit, the part cake may be cut into portions, while up to five rings are common. This will get a glaze made from fondant icing or chocolate (either dark chocolate or milk chocolate ). The long cooking time makes the Baumkuchen very durable and thus allows the export to Japan and the USA. However, this is only possible as a blank, because a glaze can greatly shorten the shelf life under certain circumstances, as it attracts moisture.
For the preparation of Baumkuchenspitzen a ring is cut into trapezoidal pieces that are individually coated with glaze. According to another method, which is more common, the mass is distributed in layers on a baking sheet, baked and cut after cooling. Thus, large amounts are quick to produce. The spitzkuchen has no curvature and is therefore more evenly.
History
The exact date of the invention of the Baumkuchen is not known in the Middle Ages there were also breads, where the dough was wrapped around a skewer and roasted over the fire. First recipes for the cake there is in an Italian cookbook from 1426. 's Oldest surviving German -language recipe appeared in 1450 in a Heidelberg manuscript. In Nuremberg and Frankfurt am Main tree cake was a well-known wedding cakes of the patricians in the 15th century.
In the 16th century changed the production method, the cake was no longer a ring placed around a rotating wooden roller but set as a whole piece around the roll and tied with string. By setting the typical notches in the tree cake originated. In the 17th century came to another new production method, was cast in layers on the rotating roll at the thin liquid batter. At that time it was also common to apply a glaze made of sugar and rose water. Sugar but was still used sparingly in the dough at this time, they used to spice nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom. Today's traditional recipe originated in the 18th century. One of the first known recipes of this new species is included in the 7th edition of the Lower - Saxon cooking book from 1769. At this time, the finished tree cake was sprinkled with grated chocolate or completely coated with chocolate. Since about 1800, these cakes were hardly produced in private households, but almost exclusively by confectioners. Focus of Baumkuchen production originated in Dresden, Cottbus and Salzwedel. Salzwedel Baumkuchen has since 2010, the EU quality mark protected geographical indication (PGI).
Baumkuchen is a traditional specialty in Lithuania (Lithuanian name: šakotis ) and in the northeastern regions ( Podlaskie and Mazury ) of Poland ( Polish name: Sekacz ), where he has been appreciated since the 16th century nation-wide by the nobility and is well known today. In Japan, where he was taken by the German pastry chef Karl Joseph Wilhelm Juchheim, the Baumkuchen (バウムクーヘン, Baumukūhen orバームクーヘン, Bāmukūhen ) one of the most popular bakery products is and despite its relatively high price, at least packaged in almost any grocery store available.
In Greece it is called Obelisa, France Gâteau à la broche, Romania Agnethler.
The tree cake is a symbol of the pastry profession ( professional or guild emblem ).