Elisen Lebkuchen Ingredient Notes

Hartshorn (Baking Ammonia)

While somewhat hard to find in the U.S., baking ammonia is a common ingredient in Germany, Scandanavia, and Greece- mainly used as a leavener in low moisture products such as cookies, crackers, and breadsticks. In Germany, Hartshorn can be found in grocery stores near the baking ingredients. Since it has a short shelf-life, during the rest of the year you may need to look in a specialty store, or inquire at the apotheke.

The advantages of Hartshorn are:

1) it is solely heat activated (so it won’t begin reacting until it hits the oven--In contrast, baking soda begins working in the presence of free water and an acid.)

2) it produces a crispness that is difficult to mimic with baking soda.

If you’re worried about the ammonia, rest assured that the ammonia will dissipate (it combines easily with the water- also produced by the reaction of Baking Ammonia and heat- and evaporates out of the cookies). Because the ammonia only dissipates upon baking however, it is advisable not to eat the raw dough. Baking ammonia is not recommended for products with a moisture content above 5% (ie breads, scones, bagels, biscuits). In this case the ammonia may remain trapped in the baked good and impart an off flavor and color.

Marzipan Rohmasse
Marzipan is a traditional component of German baking and confectionary. As such, the government has set up parameters to define raw marzipan (the almond/sugar base that is used in baking and to make marzipan candies). While the U.S. has no “standard-of-identity” for marzipan, Germany has set guidelines to ensure that raw marzipan meets a minimum standard of identity.

The main regulations are that marzipan rohmasse must contain:

1) no more than 17% moisture

2) no more than 35% sugar (when marzipan has a moisture content of 17%)

3) no less than 28% almond oil (when marzipan has a moisture content of 17%)

4) no more than 12% bitter almonds (a variety which is only edible when cooked)
As you can see, this marzipan rohmasse definition is fairly broad and focuses on maintaining a minimum level of quality. Therefore, there are a few varying factors which can impact the flavor and quality of the marzipan rohmasse:

1) The origin and quality of the almonds
2) The percentage of oil content in the almonds
3) The use/exclusion of bitter almonds
4) The actual % of sugar/ moisture/ and almonds used
5) The type of sweetener used
6) Blending/ processing method

Since only the percentage of almonds contained in the marzipan rohmasse seems to be required on the label, you cannot solely deduce the quality of the product from the ingredient statement. I mistakenly thought a higher almond percentage would translate to a “more almondy”, less sweet, higher quality marzipan rohmasse. This is not necessarily the case however. The quality and type of the almonds is also a factor, as is the percentage of sugar which is not always given.

In the end, it seems that more expensive marzipan rohmasse products may be appropriate for marzipan candies- where the quality and flavor of the marzipan is of utmost importance. For baking purposes however, it appears that even the most economical brand bought at Aldi is of sufficient quality.

Nuts
Traditional Elisen Lebkuchen utilizes only three types of nuts: almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts. They can be ground up (gemalen) or a combination of ground and chopped (gehakt). Hazelnuts seem to provide a complexity that “only almond recipes” seemed to lack, and chopped nuts seems to be a nice textural addition to the final product. Being November and baking season, I have had pretty good luck with getting fresh almonds and hazelnuts for baking (I’m sure it also helps that these nuts are grown in Europe). Unfortunately this was not the case with walnuts. Due to their high polyunsaturated fat content, shelled walnuts are extremely perishable. On two occasions I purchased shelled, packaged (Californian) walnuts from Aldi and they were rancid upon opening the package. Since nuts are a critical part of the Elisen Lebkuchen recipe, it’s important to find fresh nuts. I typically buy whole almonds and hazelnuts and grind them in my juicer. As for walnuts, if I used them in a recipe I would probably go through the laborious process of shelling them myself.

Orangeat/ Citronet (candied orange and citron peel)
More expensive brands of these products don’t necessarily seem to be much different. Compare color and ingredient labels to select a product. I purchased samples from both Edeka and Aldi and despite the price difference, both seemed comparable. Interestingly, Citron is not a lemon or a lime but a different citrus fruit all together. Most likely you have never eaten a citron (the pulp is dry and does not easily separate from the rind). For candied peel however, the citron is an excellent choice. Its rind is quite thick and is very fragrant.