Basler Läckerli
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The Basler Läckerli (also Leckerli or Läggerli, ''lecker'' meaning "delicious" in German and ''-li'' being a diminutive suffix) is a traditional hard
spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garnish. Spice ...
biscuit originating from
Basel , french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese , neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS ...
, Switzerland. It is made of
honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...
,
hazelnuts The hazelnut is the fruit of the hazel tree and therefore includes any of the nuts deriving from species of the genus ''Corylus'', especially the nuts of the species ''Corylus avellana''. They are also known as cobnuts or filberts according ...
, almonds,
candied peel Candied fruit, also known as glacé fruit, is whole fruit, smaller pieces of fruit, or pieces of peel, placed in heated sugar syrup, which absorbs the moisture from within the fruit and eventually preserves it. Depending on the size and type of ...
, and
Kirsch Kirschwasser (, ; , German for "cherry water") or kirsch is a clear, colorless brandy traditionally made from double distillation of morello cherries, a dark-colored cultivar of the sour cherry. It is now also made from other kinds of cherrie ...
. After baking in a thin layer, the still hot dough is topped with a sugar glaze and cut into rectangular pieces. Basler Läckerli were originally created by local spice merchants over 700 years ago and are available year-round.


Recipe

Basler Läckerli are made primarily from wheat flour, honey, candied fruit (orange peel, lemon peel) and nuts (hazelnuts, almonds). The dough is rolled out flat, baked, then brushed over with a sugar glaze and cut into rectangular pieces (the Läckerli) while still warm.


History

When the trade in oriental spices reached Europe in the 11th century, the wealthy monasteries were the first to use them to flavor honey cakes. This custom gradually spread to the towns, starting the gingerbread craft in Switzerland in the 15th century. From the 17th century, the first different gingerbread and treat recipes appeared in cookbooks. “Läckerli” or “Läckerle” are or were widespread in southern Germany and German-speaking Switzerland. The word is first attested from Augsburg in 1591 («111 Leckherle at 4 Kreuzer and 324 other Leckherle at 3 Kreuzer»);  the first Swiss Läckerli recipe can be found in the 1621 handbook of Abraham Schneuwly, a doctor in Bern («Frauw Anna Von Hallweil to make little treats»). Other early Läckerli recipes are attested from St. Gallen (1640), Zofingen (1677), Schaffhausen (1684), Graubünden (1689) and Zurich (end of the 17th century).  In Basel, the Läckerli appear for the first time in a statement by the gardeners' guild of October 10, 1711, where "3 Läckerlin leaves" are mentioned;Albert Spycher: ''Leckerli aus Basel. Ein oberrheinisches Lebkuchenbuch.'' Buchverlag Basler Zeitung, Basel 1991, p. 81. in previous the recipe books the term gingerbread was used. The widespread legend that the Basler Läckerli were created for the members of the
Council of Basel The Council of Florence is the seventeenth ecumenical council recognized by the Catholic Church, held between 1431 and 1449. It was convoked as the Council of Basel by Pope Martin V shortly before his death in February 1431 and took place in ...
in 1431 is unlikely to be correct, since the customs and department store records of the Basel-Stadt State Archives do not indicate that the essential ingredients for the Basler Läckerli were available on the market in Basel in the 15th century.


Word origin

The noun is probably derived from the verb ''lägge'' ("to lick") and originally meant "sweets" or "confectionery"; compare the words ''Schläckwaar'' ("lick ware") and ''Schläckzüüg'' ("lick thing") for sweets in general.  


Manufacturers

Läckerli are made by various producers in Switzerland, both industrially (including by Jowa AG in Gossau for Migros) and by hand, especially by numerous Basel bakeries. Specialists in Läckerli production are: * Läckerli Huus, the market leader, was founded in 1904 on Breisacherstrasse in
Basel , french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese , neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS ...
, with production in
Münchenstein Münchenstein ( Swiss German: ''Minggestai'') is a municipality in the district of Arlesheim in the canton of Basel-Landschaft in Switzerland. Historical records Münchenstein is first mentioned in 1196 as ''Kekingen''. In 1270, it was ment ...
from 1906 to 2014, and in
Frenkendorf Frenkendorf is a municipality in the district of Liestal in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland. History Frenkendorf is first mentioned in 1249 as ''Frenchendorf''. Geography Frenkendorf has an area, , of . Of this area, or 27.6% i ...
since then. Läckerli Huus produces a wide range of Läckerli and chocolate products in their factory and operates stores throughout Switzerland. * Jakob's Basler Leckerly  (actually Karl Jakob Nachf. von JJ Steiger sel. Erben AG) was founded in 1753 in Basel and is the oldest manufacturer, according to their own statements. This manufacturer's Läckerli are handmade and are about twice as thick as Läckerli from other manufacturers.


See also

*
Culinary Heritage of Switzerland The Culinary Heritage of Switzerland (german: Kulinarisches Erbe der Schweiz, french: Patrimoine culinaire suisse, it, Patrimonio culinario svizzero, rm, Patrimoni culinar svizzer) is a multilingual online encyclopedia of traditional Swiss cuis ...


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Basler Lackerli Biscuits Culinary Heritage of Switzerland Swiss confectionery Cuisine of Basel Nut dishes Honey dishes