Bremer Klaben (North German Christmas Bread)

Bremer Klaben on a Chopping Board. Two slices are cut off

5 from 4 votes

Bremer Klaben (North German Christmas Bread)

Bremer Klaben is a speciality from the hanseatic town of Bremen. Similar to stollen it is made from a heavy yeast dough, spiced with cardamon, lemon and orange peel and almonds.

Course Dessert

Cuisine German

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 30

Resting Time 1 30

Total Time 3 15

Servings slices

Calories 694kcal

Author by Marita Sinden

Equipment

1 rectangular bread pans (23.5 x 12.7 cm/9.5 x 5 Inch)

Ingredients

For the fruit filling

350 g raisins or sultanas
50 g candied lemon peel
50 g candied orange peel
100 g sliced almonds
60 ml rum optional
warm water

For the dough

2 teaspoon instant yeast 7 gr
180 ml water lukewarm
50 g granulated sugar
500 g all-purpose flour (Germany Type 550, UK Bread Flour, USA All-Purpose Flour))
250 g butter (softened at room temperature)
200 g marzipan almond paste (for best flavour: here is my homemade marzipan recipe)
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon lemon zest

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

The day before, or at least 1 hour before baking, soak the raisins, candied lemon and orange peel, and almonds in warm water mixed with the rum (optional).
350 g raisins, 50 g candied lemon peel, 50 g candied orange peel , 100 g sliced almonds, 60 ml rum, warm water
The next day, mix the sugar and instant yeast into a bowl of lukewarm water. Leave to rest. You should see bubbles forming on the surface. If you cannot see bubbles, the water was too hot or your yeast is out of date, and you need to start again.
180 ml water, 50 g granulated sugar, 2 teaspoon instant yeast
If your marzipan/almond paste is too hard, you can warm it up in the microwave for 20 seconds to make it more pliable.
200 g marzipan
Place the butter, flour, salt, lemon zest, and marzipan in a large mixing bowl. Pour over the yeast mixture and knead with a hand or stand mixer with a hook attachement for about 10 minutes to form a smooth dough. (The dough will be quite sticky due to the high butter content.) Cover the dough with a tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for about 60 minutes. The dough will not rise too quickly or too high because it is quite heavy. Don't worry and don't rush the process. In the meantime, drain the raisin mixture.
500 g all-purpose flour, 250 g butter, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoon lemon zest, 200 g marzipan
Now it's time to work in the raisin and candied fruit mix. My method for distributing the raisins evenly is to spread the dough into a rectangle on a floured surface, then sprinkle a layer of raisin mix on top and fold the dough over and over again until they are evenly distributed. Don't knead the dough too vigorously, as you don't want the raisins to burst
Grease a rectangular bread pan (23.5 x 12.7 cm/9.5 x 5 inches) and spread the dough in it. Let it rise for 30 minutes.
In the meantime, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
Bake the bread for 60-70 minutes. After 20 minutes of baking, place some foil over the top, so the outside does not brown too much. To test if the bread is done, insert a skewer in the middle. If it comes out clean, it's ready.

Video

Notes

I would strongly recommend checking out the recipe step pictures in the main post.

How to serve

There are many delicious ways to enjoy Klaben. The simplest way is to slice it and eat it plain, letting the rich flavors shine through. However, many Germans prefer spreading it with butter for extra richness.

For a more traditional Northern German experience, serve thin slices on top of Schwarzbrot (dark rye bread), or pair it with Mettwurst, a raw smoked German sausage - the savory-sweet combination is surprisingly delicious!

Storage Instructions:

Thanks to its high fat content, Bremer Klaben keeps exceptionally well. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three months, or freeze it for even longer storage. The flavors actually continue to develop over time, making it even more delicious as the weeks go by.

Nutrition