Belecker Printen

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 750 g flour
• 125 g butter
• 125 g honey
• 125 g beet syrup
• 15 g ammonium bicarbonate
• 2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 sachet of vanilla sugar
• 65 g cocoa powder
• 125 g raisins, halved or quartered
• 2 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 pinch of clove pepper
• 250 g caster sugar (Grümmel)
• 100 g water approx., rather less
• e.g. icing or chocolate glaze

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 12 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 12 minutes

Combine butter and honey in a saucepan and heat until liquid. Mix all ingredients and knead until a dough forms that can be rolled out with a rolling pin. The less water you use, the better. Roll out to a thickness of about 3–5 mm. The dough is usually cut into rectangles, but Christmas trees or snowmen also work well. Bake on a baking sheet at 180°C (top/bottom heat) for 12 minutes (use a timer! Time is critical; Printen shouldn’t turn black). Glaze with icing and/or chocolate glaze. “Printen” is actually a protected regional specialty from Aachen, but that’s what my grandmother from Belecke in the Sauerland always called them. Don’t be surprised by the strong ammonia smell when baking—it comes from the ammonium hydroxide. Ventilate the kitchen as needed during baking.