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Aachener Printen are a type of
Aachener Printen: Ihr Mix bleibt ein Betriebsgeheimnis
Holger Iburg, '' Merian'' magazine, May 2010. Copper producing (another specialty of Dinant) craftsmen who emigrated to Aachen in the 15th century probably brought the recipe, concept and tradition of engraved pastries with them to Aachen. Originally, the Printen were sold by Aachen's pharmacists since some of their ingredients (honey, several herbs and spices) were considered to possess medical benefits.
Originally sweetened with honey, nowadays Aachener Printen are sweetened with the syrup from sugar beets as honey became temporarily unavailable when
Aachener Printen
Aachener printen
Aachener printen
Biscuits German cuisine German pastries German products with protected designation of origin Anise
Lebkuchen
(), or , are a honey-sweetened German cake molded cookie or bar cookie that has become part of Germany's Christmas traditions. It is similar to gingerbread.
Etymology
The etymology of ''Leb-'' in the term ''Lebkuchen'' is uncertain. Prop ...
originating from the city of Aachen in Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. Somewhat similar to gingerbread, they were originally sweetened with 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 ...
, but are now generally sweetened with a syrup made from sugar beets.
The term is a protected geographical indication and so all manufacturers can be found in or near Aachen.
History
The first pastries of this kind most likely originated from the city of Dinant in nearbyBelgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
. The city has produced pastries with engraved pictures ('' couques de Dinant'') for over a thousand years.Holger Iburg, '' Merian'' magazine, May 2010. Copper producing (another specialty of Dinant) craftsmen who emigrated to Aachen in the 15th century probably brought the recipe, concept and tradition of engraved pastries with them to Aachen. Originally, the Printen were sold by Aachen's pharmacists since some of their ingredients (honey, several herbs and spices) were considered to possess medical benefits.
Production
Originally sweetened with honey, nowadays Aachener Printen are sweetened with the syrup from sugar beets as honey became temporarily unavailable when Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
issued a trade embargo
Economic sanctions are commercial and financial penalties applied by one or more countries against a targeted self-governing state, group, or individual. Economic sanctions are not necessarily imposed because of economic circumstances—they ma ...
, banning all trade with the main supplier of honey, the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. The tradition of sweetening with sugar beets was kept even after Napoleon was defeated and the French occupation lifted.
Printen are made from a variety of ingredients including cinnamon, aniseed
Anise (; '), also called aniseed or rarely anix is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to Eurasia.
The flavor and aroma of its seeds have similarities with some other spices and herbs, such as star anise, fennel, licorice, and t ...
, clove, cardamom
Cardamom (), sometimes cardamon or cardamum, is a spice made from the seeds of several plants in the genera ''Elettaria'' and ''Amomum'' in the family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to the Indian subcontinent and Indonesia. They are r ...
, coriander, allspice and also ginger. The exact mixture of these ingredients, however, is a close kept secret of the individual Printen bakeries.
Additionally to the original Printen, there are also Printen with nuts (usually almonds), covered in chocolate or glaze and marzipan.
See also
*List of German desserts
This is a list of German desserts. German cuisine has evolved as a national cuisine through centuries of social and political change with variations from region to region. The southern regions of Germany, including Bavaria and neighbouring Swabia, ...
*
References
External links
{{CommonsAachener Printen
Aachener printen
Aachener printen
Biscuits German cuisine German pastries German products with protected designation of origin Anise